2005 Missouri Revised Statutes - § 160.264. — Incentives for school excellence program established--funding--advisory committee established, appointment, duties--department of elementary and secondary education, duties--guidelines established, distributed--program topic.

Incentives for school excellence program established--funding--advisory committee established, appointment, duties--department of elementary and secondary education, duties--guidelines established, distributed--program topic.

160.264. 1. The "Incentives for School Excellence Program" is hereby established to promote and encourage all local school district initiatives for excellence in education, and shall commence with the 1986-87 school year. The incentives for school excellence program is a matching fund program of variable match rates.

2. The general assembly shall make an annual appropriation to the excellence in education fund established under section 160.268 for the purpose of providing the state's portion for the incentives for school excellence program.

3. There is hereby established within the department of elementary and secondary education, an advisory committee which shall be composed of twenty-one members to be appointed by the state board of education on the recommendation of the commissioner of education. This advisory committee shall make recommendations to the department regarding the incentives for school excellence program. The advisory committee shall also collect information on local school initiatives that promote excellences and shall disseminate information regarding such initiatives and the incentives program to all school districts.

4. The state board of education, on the recommendation of the commissioner of education, shall establish eligibility guidelines for participation by a district, a school, a group of teachers, or an individual teacher, in the incentive for school excellence program, and such pro rata provisions as are necessary. Copies of the guidelines established under this subsection shall be provided to all school districts in this state.

5. Program topics suitable for obtaining matching funds under the incentives for school excellence program, which matching funds may include in-kind donations, may include, but shall not be limited to, the following school improvement activities:

(1) Teacher aides to assist in classrooms in grades K-3;

(2) Business/education partnerships;

(3) Extended contracts for teachers and administrators;

(4) School improvement councils;

(5) Improved attendance plans;

(6) School volunteer projects;

(7) Parent participation programs;

(8) Instructional improvement projects;

(9) Writing programs;

(10) Higher technology projects;

(11) Advanced placement programs;

(12) Opportunity classes for children who are at risk in reading and math in grades 1, 2, and 3. All districts are eligible to participate in the incentives for the school excellence program.

6. The commissioner of education shall cause guidelines to be developed by the department of elementary and secondary education which shall include, but shall not be limited to, information concerning the application procedures for school districts desiring to participate in the incentives for school excellence program.

7. The state board of education, with recommendation from the advisory committee, shall determine the district-revenue match needed to qualify for a state-revenue match under the incentives for school excellence program. The board shall recognize a school district's ability to raise the necessary matching funds to participate in the program established under this section.

8. Local school districts may use available revenues from any existing fund or source, except the teachers' fund, including gifts, grants, and bequests from federal, private, or other sources made available for the purpose of the incentives for school excellence program. Other provisions of this section notwithstanding, revenues in the teachers' fund may only be used for programs which relate to teachers' salaries. In no case shall a local school district use as its matching funds to participate in this program any state aid provided pursuant to sections 163.031 and 163.172**, RSMo, or sections 168.500 to 168.520, RSMo.

9. The state board of education, at its discretion, may designate a portion of the appropriation for the incentives for school excellence program as a match-free incentive to be awarded to a school, a group of teachers, or an individual teacher to implement exemplary and innovative programs designed to improve instruction. Such match-free incentives shall be awarded to school districts for the benefit of the school, a group of teachers, or an individual teacher on a competitive grant basis according to criteria established by the state board of education with advice of the advisory committee.

10. Participation in the incentives for school excellence program requires the school district, school, teachers or teacher receiving the funds from the program to provide, upon request, such data as the department of elementary and secondary education deems necessary.

(L. 1985 H.B. 463 § 6)

*This section was repealed by S.B. 287, 2005, effective 7-1-06. Consult RSMo 2000 for existing section.

**Section "163.171" appears in original rolls.