SB 516 Summary

• Expands charter school eligibility and sponsor requirements, including provisions for accredited districts to sponsor charter schools with limits on enrollment caps, and creates the Missouri Charter Public School Commission as a potential sponsor

• Establishes individual school building accreditation classification separate from district-wide accreditation, preventing districts from being classified unaccredited unless at least 65% of school buildings are unaccredited

• Creates three regional student transfer coordination authorities (St. Louis Area, Jackson County, and Statewide) to coordinate transfers of students from unaccredited schools to accredited schools, with provisions for public and private school options

• Implements comprehensive teacher evaluation requirements for unaccredited and provisionally accredited schools, including improvement plans, professional development support, and modified dismissal procedures for underperforming teachers

• Requires unaccredited and provisionally accredited schools to offer tutoring services, increase instructional time, and provide 11 days of annual professional development for teachers, with funding support through newly created dedicated state funds