Text of MO HB 1287 (2025)

FIRST REGULAR SESSION HOUSE BILL NO. 1287 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE LEWIS. 2488H.01I JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk AN ACT To amend chapter 160, RSMo, by adding thereto five new sections relating to rights of parents and educators. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows: Section A. Chapter 160, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto five new sections, to be 2 known as sections 160.1051, 160.1056, 160.1061, 160.1066, and 160.1071, to read as 3 follows: 160.1051. 1. Sections 160.1051 to 160.1071 shall be known and may be cited as 2 the "Missouri Educators and Parental Empowerment and Rights Act". 3 2. As used in sections 160.1051 to 160.1071, the following terms mean: 4 (1) "Local educational agency" or "LEA", each: 5 (a) School district; and 6 (b) Charter school that has declared itself a local educational agency; 7 (2) "Parent", a child's parent, legal guardian, or other person having charge, 8 control, or custody of the child; 9 (3) "Public school", the same definition as in section 160.011. 10 3. (1) The general assembly hereby recognizes that: 11 (a) Teachers have a profound effect on Missouri children, second only to 12 parents; and 13 (b) Considering the years of education and continuous updating of knowledge 14 that teachers undertake and achieve, it is important and necessary for the success of 15 society in this state that teachers be given the respect such teachers have earned and 16 deserve. EXPLANATION — Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is not enacted and is intended to be omitted from the law. Matter in bold-face type in the above bill is proposed language. 17 (2) The general assembly hereby declares that it is the public policy of this state: 18 (a) That respecting the authority of teachers in public schools is essential to 19 creating an environment conducive to learning, effective instruction in the classroom, 20 and proper administration of public schools; and 21 (b) To promote safe, respectful, and orderly learning environments by 22 reinforcing teacher authority in maintaining classroom discipline, enhancing parental 23 involvement in student behavioral issues, and encouraging schools to develop policies 24 that foster ethical responsibility, community standards, and personal resilience in 25 students. 26 4. (1) No provision of sections 160.1051 to 160.1071 shall be construed to 27 infringe upon the parental rights of families. 28 (2) Sections 160.1051 to 160.1071 shall be construed to recognize that, within the 29 classroom, teachers stand in loco parentis to maintain an environment conducive to 30 learning. 160.1056. 1. (1) Each local educational agency shall develop policies and 2 procedures for such LEA to follow to accommodate and assist parents in the exercise of 3 the parental rights to know and receive information as described in sections 160.1051 to 4 160.1071. Such policies and procedures shall describe the methods such LEA shall use 5 to allow parents to exercise such parental rights to the fullest extent. 6 (2) Each school board and charter school's governing board shall affirm the 7 board's commitment to ensuring sufficient and effective accountability and 8 transparency to parents in the school district by adopting policies that: 9 (a) Recognize and affirm the protected right of parents to seek effective means of 10 outreach to supervise and guide the education of their minor child; 11 (b) Assist parents in the exercise of parental rights to the fullest extent; 12 (c) Encourage communication between parents and board members relating to 13 parental rights and parental concerns about their minor child's education and 14 educational experience; 15 (d) Collaborate with parents to identify ways in which parents can exercise 16 parental rights and communicate such ways to parents in a clear, consistent manner that 17 can be easily understood by all parents; and 18 (e) Conduct board meetings in compliance with section 162.058, subject to the 19 authorized closure of any portion of such meeting under section 610.021 when such 20 meeting pertains to curricula or general safety. 21 (3) Each school board and charter school's governing board shall adopt such 22 policies and procedures for the 2025-26 school year and all subsequent school years. HB 1287 2 23 2. Each local educational agency and public school shall develop policies and 24 procedures for such LEA or public school to follow to notify parents in a timely manner 25 of all reported incidents pertaining to student safety including, but not limited to, any 26 instance of a teacher or other school employee being detained or arrested for or charged 27 with any felony or misdemeanor and any act or instance reportable under subsection 1, 28 2, or 3 of section 167.117, except that no personally identifiable information about any 29 individual involved shall be released. 30 3. Each local educational agency and public school shall provide prompt 31 notification to parents or guardians of any serious disciplinary incidents involving their 32 child and shall offer a meeting or conference to discuss the behavior and outline steps 33 for correction and improvement. 34 4. (1) Each local educational agency and public school shall adopt reasonable 35 procedures for parents to follow when exercising the parental right to visit the school 36 and their minor child during school hours. 37 (2) Each local educational agency and public school shall adopt reasonable 38 procedures for parents to follow: 39 (a) During an emergency in which the safety of the students requires: 40 a. A lockdown to limit exposure of building occupants to an imminent hazard or 41 threat; or 42 b. A lockout to prevent an outside hazard or threat from entering the building; 43 or 44 (b) When such local educational agency or public school is required to prohibit 45 an individual from having any interaction with a minor child that violates any order 46 entered under any provision of state or federal law restricting or prohibiting such 47 individual from interacting with such minor child. 48 5. (1) Teachers, school administrators, parents, and students shall be fully 49 informed of the rights conferred upon parents and teachers under sections 160.1051 to 50 160.1071. Each school district shall provide a copy of sections 160.1051 to 160.1071 to 51 each parent, teacher, and student at the beginning of each school year. 52 (2) Each local educational agency and public school under the jurisdiction of 53 such LEA's board that maintains a website shall post the rights listed in sections 54 160.1051 to 160.1071 on such LEA's or public school's website. 55 6. (1) Each local educational agency shall adopt, publicly post, and annually 56 review a code of student conduct as described in sections 160.1051 to 160.1071 that sets 57 forth expectations for behavior consistent with ethical responsibility, community 58 standards, and respect for school authority. HB 1287 3 59 (2) Each local educational agency shall adopt and enforce such code of student 60 conduct and policies described in sections 160.1051 to 160.1071 for the 2026-27 school 61 year and all subsequent school years. 62 (3) The state department of elementary and secondary education may offer 63 guidance and technical assistance to local educational agencies to ensure compliance. 64 The department shall not impose undue burdens or mandates on such LEAs. 65 7. The code of student conduct required under subsection 6 of this section shall: 66 (1) Reinforce respect for teachers, administrators, and staff, emphasizing that 67 willful disobedience or disrespect toward school personnel is not tolerated; 68 (2) Promote high expectations of personal responsibility, encouraging students to 69 uphold traditional values such as honesty, diligence, and civility; 70 (3) Include measures to address and correct disruptive behavior promptly, 71 ensuring that teachers have the necessary authority and support to remove students 72 from classrooms when warranted; 73 (4) Outline a system of graduated consequences for misconduct, balanced by 74 opportunities for students to develop personal resilience and reflect on their actions 75 through district-approved interventions; 76 (5) Require parental notification and involvement in significant disciplinary 77 actions, ensuring that parents have timely information and opportunities to engage with 78 teachers and administrators; and 79 (6) Clearly prohibit any policy or program that differentiates treatment of 80 students primarily on the basis of race or other immutable characteristics, ensuring that 81 all disciplinary measures are applied equally and fairly to every student. 82 8. (1) A local educational agency may, at such LEA's discretion and with school 83 board or governing board approval, incorporate evidence-based training for teachers 84 and counselors on strategies to guide students toward personal resilience. 85 (2) Such strategies may include: 86 (a) Encouraging personal responsibility and self-management; 87 (b) Providing students with opportunities to develop coping skills, conflict 88 resolution techniques, and appropriate responses to authority; and 89 (c) Using school counselors or other qualified personnel to offer supportive 90 interventions that emphasize respect for self and others, problem solving, and 91 perseverance. 92 (3) The content and method of delivering such strategies shall not reference or 93 require any training or curriculum primarily focused on race, gender, or other similar 94 classifications. Such strategies shall emphasize universal community standards that 95 benefit all students equally. HB 1287 4 96 9. Teachers shall have the authority, subject to local educational agency 97 guidelines, to remove a student from the classroom for behavior that substantially 98 disrupts the learning environment or shows a willful disregard for authority. 99 10. Each local educational agency shall ensure that teachers and staff are trained 100 in methods to maintain order, encourage compliance, and foster respect, using an 101 approach grounded in traditional values and personal responsibility. 102 11. Each local educational agency shall make efforts to facilitate parental 103 engagement through regular communication, opportunities for parents to review and 104 understand the policy handbook, and the provision of resources that support ethical 105 responsibility and community standards at home. 160.1061. 1. No local educational agency or public school shall require 2 nondisclosure agreements or similar forms for a parent's review of curricula. Each 3 LEA or public school shall allow parents to make a copy of curriculum documents or 4 receive such curriculum documents in an electronic format, provided that no request 5 would cause an infringement of copyright protections provided under the federal 6 Copyright Act of 1976 (17 U.S.C. Section 101 et seq.), as amended. 7 2. No local educational agency or public school shall require nondisclosure 8 agreements or similar forms for a parent's review of individualized education program 9 meetings, mediations, due process hearings, or other dispute resolution options as 10 outlined in accordance with 34 CFR 300.320 to 300.324 and under 20 U.S.C. Section 11 1401, as amended. 12 3. No local educational agency or public school shall allow student involvement 13 in school assemblies, except for assemblies organized solely for the support of student 14 athletics or co-curricular events, or field trips unless the child's parents provide written 15 authorization for such student involvement. 16 4. No local educational agency or public school shall collect any biometric data 17 or other sensitive personal information about a minor child without obtaining written 18 parental consent before collecting such data or information. 19 5. No local educational agency or public school shall provide any school records 20 as described in subdivision (5) of subsection 2 of section 160.1056 in violation of any 21 relevant state or federal privacy law or policy protecting or limiting access to such 22 minor child's school records. 23 6. (1) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, no 24 employee of any local educational agency or public school shall encourage, coerce, or 25 attempt to coerce a minor child to withhold information from such minor child's 26 parents. HB 1287 5 27 (2) Any such employee required to report suspected abuse or neglect under 28 sections 210.109 to 210.183 may encourage a minor child to withhold information where 29 disclosure could reasonably result in abuse or neglect. 30 7. No political subdivision of this state shall establish policies that prevent a 31 parent or teacher from exercising the rights listed in sections 160.1051 to 160.1071 or in 32 any other provision of law. 33 8. No provision of sections 160.1051 to 160.1071 shall be construed to supersede 34 any other state law, any regulation or policy adopted by the state department of 35 elementary and secondary education or the state board of education, or any political 36 subdivision's order, ordinance, or policy relating to the discipline of students. 160.1066. 1. This section shall be known and may be cited as the "Parents' Bill 2 of Rights". 3 2. This section shall be construed to empower parents with the following rights: 4 (1) The right to know what their minor child is being taught in school including, 5 but not limited to, curricula adopted under section 160.514; 6 (2) The right to receive information, upon request, about who is teaching their 7 minor child including, but not limited to, guest lecturers and outside presenters; 8 (3) The right to receive information, upon request, about individuals and 9 organizations receiving school contracts and funding in the school in which their minor 10 child is enrolled, except that no personally identifiable information about any student 11 shall be released; 12 (4) The right to visit the school and check in on their minor child during school 13 hours; 14 (5) The right to view and, upon request, receive all school records, medical or 15 otherwise, concerning their minor child; 16 (6) The right to receive information about the collection and transmission of 17 their minor child's data; 18 (7) The right to have sufficient and effective accountability and transparency 19 regarding school boards; and 20 (8) The right to know about situations affecting their minor child's safety in 21 school. 22 3. This section shall not be construed to limit the inalienable rights of a parent or 23 taxpayer, regardless of whether such rights are enumerated in the provisions of this 24 section. 160.1071. 1. This section shall be known and may be cited as the "Educators' 2 Bill of Rights". HB 1287 6 3 2. To maintain and protect the authority of teachers in public schools, each 4 teacher has the following rights under this section: 5 (1) To be free from physical abuse from a student or a parent of a student and to 6 be protected from oral, written, or electronically generated abuse from any student or 7 parent. Such abuse is grounds for the suspension of the student as provided in chapter 8 167 and subsequent abuse may result in expulsion of the student; 9 (2) To be evaluated for competency by an administrator under board policy. If 10 such evaluation becomes harassment, such teacher has the right to mediation of 11 grievances by a committee of such teacher's peers and another administrator; 12 (3) To exercise the freedom of speech, religion, and the expression of such 13 teacher's opinions through the media as is guaranteed by the Constitution of the United 14 States; 15 (4) To be treated with civility and respect as a professional and to be free from 16 any requirement by school administration to perform tasks unrelated to such teacher's 17 employment and that are onerous or result in an undue burden on such teacher; 18 (5) To be given classroom preparation time each day during the regular 19 classroom hours; 20 (6) To be free from coercion to: 21 (a) Participate in or promote a political, social, religious, or ethical position that 22 violates such teacher's personal religious convictions; or 23 (b) Engage in political or social activism during school hours since schools 24 should be free from such activities; 25 (7) To teach protected by qualified immunity and to be entitled to a legal defense 26 and indemnification, to be provided at the expense of the teacher's employing local 27 educational agency, for all claims arising from actions taken in the performance of 28 duties of such teacher's employment, as provided by state law; 29 (8) To have such teacher's professional judgment and discretion respected by 30 school and local educational agency administrators in any disciplinary action taken by 31 such teacher in accordance with state law and policies or procedures adopted by such 32 teacher's school board; 33 (9) To be afforded all rights any other individual in such teacher's local 34 community has without making such teacher's classroom a hostile environment to 35 students of a different philosophical, religious, or ethical persuasion; 36 (10) To teach in a safe, secure, and orderly environment that is conducive to 37 learning and free from recognized dangers or hazards that are causing or likely to cause 38 serious injury, as provided by state law; HB 1287 7 39 (11) To intervene for the protection of pupils in incidents of school violence and 40 be entitled to all defenses to criminal charges available to the intervenor under chapter 41 563; and 42 (12) If such teacher is a beginning teacher, to receive leadership and support in 43 accordance with state law including, but not limited to, the assignment of a qualified, 44 experienced mentor who commits to helping such teacher become a competent, 45 confident professional in the classroom and who offers support and assistance as needed 46 to help such teacher meet performance standards and professional expectations. ✔ HB 1287 8