MO SB184

Charter schools may be operated only in metropolitan or urban school districts with population greater than 350,000 inhabitants and may be sponsored by school boards, public four-year colleges/universities, community colleges, or private four-year colleges/universities meeting specified criteria.

Special administrative boards of metropolitan school districts may sponsor charter schools with two-year renewable terms and authority to close schools failing to meet academic standards set in the charter agreement.

Charter school sponsors must expend at least 90% of sponsorship funds directly supporting their charter school program; state board of education retains 1.5% of state and local funding (capped at $125,000 adjusted for inflation) to pay sponsor expenses.

Sponsors must conduct criminal background checks and child abuse registry checks on all governing board members, maintain comprehensive application processes with rigorous criteria, and conduct ongoing contract oversight with performance monitoring and merit-based renewal decisions.

Charter schools must be Missouri nonprofit corporations, remain nonsectarian, comply with state health and safety standards, meet pupil performance standards, provide special education services, and maintain financial accountability with annual audits.