HB 3196 requires employers with 10+ employees to provide each worker with two hours of paid leave monthly specifically for school-related activities involving their child. This covers meetings, conferences, or academic support sessions initiated by schools or childcare providers, including for foster, adopted, or children the employee cares for like a parent. Employers must pay at the employee’s regular rate (not deducted from other leave), allow 30-minute increments, and cannot retaliate against workers using this time. The state labor department enforces the law, imposing $500 penalties for willful violations, while existing benefits under contracts or other laws remain unaffected.
HB 3495 bans the use of seclusion to confine students in public schools, charter schools, and publicly contracted private providers, except when there is imminent danger of physical harm to self or others. The bill prohibits specific restraint techniques that obstruct breathing, cause injury, restrict communication, or endanger students' health. Schools must adopt written policies by July 2022 requiring staff training, incident documentation, and immediate removal from seclusion once the danger passes. These policies must define prohibited techniques and align with safety standards for all students, including those with disabilities. The law aims to prevent harmful confinement practices while maintaining safety protocols for emergencies.
HB 3260 creates Missouri's "Four For More Program," allowing parents of K-12 students to take up to four hours of paid leave annually to work at their child's public school. Employers in Missouri (with 5+ employees) who pay these parents during their school work hours can claim a tax credit covering 50% of the wages paid, up to $50,000 per business yearly. The tax credit is capped at $10 million total statewide each year and expires after six years unless renewed. The program requires schools to document parent participation and applies only to businesses subject to Missouri state income tax.
HB 3275 reorganizes how school districts manage four specific funds: Teachers', Incidental, Capital Projects, and Debt Service. It specifies where revenue sources (like property taxes, tuition, bond proceeds, and energy savings contracts) must be deposited and sets strict rules for transferring balances between funds - such as limiting incidental fund transfers to teachers' funds to no more than 25% of annual teacher costs, and requiring excess incidental fund balances over 50% of prior-year combined fund spending to be transferred. The bill directly affects all public school districts by changing their financial management procedures for these designated funds, including new requirements for energy savings contract payments only after realized energy savings.
HB 3540 creates a voluntary mental wellness program called "Journaling for Joy" for school districts and charter schools. Starting in the 2027-28 school year, it allows schools to implement the program for students in third, sixth, and twelfth grades using approved curriculum that includes journaling workbooks, instructor guides, and structured prompts focused on emotional regulation and conflict resolution - without providing therapy or collecting identifiable mental health data. Schools must train teachers using department-approved materials, and the education department will track participation and non-identifiable outcomes like school climate through annual reports. The program expires on August 28, 2033, and requires annual state funding approval for implementation.
HB 3480 modifies Missouri's Public Safety Recruitment and Retention Act to clarify eligibility for firefighters seeking free college tuition under the program. It requires firefighters to have at least six years of service, hold a valid fire safety certification, and work full-time in active firefighting duties (excluding volunteers or clerical roles). Eligible firefighters can use the benefit for associate or bachelor's degrees in fields like fire science, emergency management, or related health sciences, covering up to 100% of resident tuition. Dependents of firefighters with ten years of service also qualify for similar tuition coverage under the same terms.
HB 3532 requires Missouri's general assembly to develop and provide public schools with educational resources about the state's legislative process. These resources must explain how Missouri's process is shaped by the U.S. Constitution, Missouri Constitution, and federal/state laws. The bill specifies materials may include real-world experiences, publications, place-based learning accommodations, civic engagement opportunities, and digital tools. The bill is in early stages, having been introduced and read for the second time in March 2026.
HB 3439 modifies Missouri's Public Safety Recruitment and Retention Act to expand eligibility for free college tuition. It now includes volunteer firefighters (previously excluded) among public safety personnel who qualify, alongside police officers, paramedics, and EMTs. To qualify, applicants must have at least six years of service, meet specific licensing requirements, pursue approved fields like fire science or emergency management, and apply for other financial aid first. The program covers up to 100% of resident tuition for up to five years or 120 credit hours, with dependent benefits available for those with ten or more years of service.
HB 3483 requires Missouri's legislature to develop educational materials for public schools about how the state's government works. The bill mandates that these resources explain Missouri's legislative process and how it is shaped by the U.S. Constitution, Missouri's Constitution, and federal/state laws. Materials may include real-world experiences, publications, place-based learning activities, civic engagement opportunities, and digital tools. This bill directly affects Missouri public schools and students by requiring new civic education content focused on government structure and processes. The bill is currently in its early stages, having been introduced on February 26, 2026.
SB 1777 - This act authorizes a low-performing school district to enter into a contract for the establishment of a "Public School Transformation Campus". If a school district is determined to be in the bottom five percent of scores on the Annual Performance Report (APR) or has a recent APR score consistent with an accreditation status of provisionally accredited or unaccredited, such district may contract with the governing body of a charter school that satisfies certain performance and financial criteria or another entity approved by the State Board of Education to operate a struggling school as a "transformation campus". A school district that enters into such a contract shall be exempt from certain state interventions that would normally apply to struggling schools or districts, such as the School Turnaround Act, special administrative boards, the lapse of an unaccredited district, or the transfer of students out of an unaccredited district. Before entering into a transformation contract, a district shall notify the Commissioner of Education of its intent to pursue the contract. The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules concerning how and when this notification shall occur, including certain information provided in the act. The Commissioner shall notify the district within 60 days of receiving all required information whether the proposed contract is approved or rejected. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) shall encourage approved entities to enter into such contracts with school districts. For accountability purposes during the first two years of a transformation, the transformation campus shall be evaluated with an alternate performance status and shall be publicly identified as a transformation campus. Following the first two years of transformation, the State Board of Education shall assign all performance ratings received by other public schools within the district to the transformation campus. DESE may provide, through state and federal funds where allowable, financial incentives to support transformations under this act. OLIVIA SHANNON
