Mo. Rev. Stat. ch. 171

Mo. Rev. Stat. ch. 171
in effect

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 171.011 School board may adopt rules and regulations.

171.011. School board may adopt rules and regulations. — The school board of each school district in the state may make all needful rules and regulations for the organization, grading and government in the school district. The rules shall take effect when a copy of the rules, duly signed by order of the board, is deposited with the district clerk. The district clerk shall transmit forthwith a copy of the rules to the teachers employed in the schools. The rules may be amended or repealed in like manner. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 11-1) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 163.010) CROSS REFERENCES: Admission of nonresident pupils, 167.151 Summary suspension of pupils, 167.171 Suspension or expulsion of pupils by board, 167.161

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 171.021 Schools receiving public moneys to display United States flag - requirement ...

171.021. Schools receiving public moneys to display United States flag — requirement to recite Pledge of Allegiance once per school day — students not required to recite. — 1. Every school in this state which is supported in whole or in part by public moneys, during the hours while school is in session, shall display in some prominent place either upon the outside of the school building or upon a pole erected in the school yard the flag of the United States of America. 2. Every school in this state which is supported in whole or in part by public moneys shall ensure that the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America is recited in at least one scheduled class of every pupil enrolled in that school no less often than once per school day. Flags for display in individual classrooms may be provided by voluntary donation by any person. No student shall be required to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 11-2, A.L. 2002 S.B. 718, A.L. 2016 S.B. 638) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 163.030)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 171.026 Student programs on occupations and educational options, military forces ...

171.026. Student programs on occupations and educational options, military forces may be represented. — If the school board of any school district in the state provides access to persons or groups which make students aware of occupational or educational options, the board shall provide access on the same basis to official recruiting representatives of the military forces of the state and of the United States for the purpose of informing students of educational and career opportunities available in the military. (L. 1981 H.B. 717 § 1)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 171.027 Four-day school week vote, exception for certain districts (Clinton and ...

171.027. Four-day school week vote, exception for certain districts (Clinton and Lathrop). — Any provision of state law that requires a school district to conduct an election of the voters of the school district in order to adopt a four-day school week shall not apply to any school district that had a four-day school week in the 2023-24 school year and that contains all of a city with more than two thousand one hundred fifty but fewer than two thousand four hundred inhabitants and is located in a county with more than nineteen thousand but fewer than twenty-two thousand inhabitants and with a county seat with more than two thousand two hundred twenty but fewer than two thousand five hundred inhabitants. (L. 2024 H.B. 2287 § 1)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 171.028 Four-day school week, charter counties and certain cities - ballot language ...

171.028. Four-day school week, charter counties and certain cities — ballot language — filing calendar with department. — 1. The school board of a school district that is located wholly or partially in a county with a charter form of government, or located wholly or partially in a city with more than thirty thousand inhabitants, may establish a four-day school week in lieu of a five-day school week for the 2026-27 school year and all subsequent school years only as permitted pursuant to the provisions of this section. Nothing in this section shall be construed to apply to any district other than a school district that is located wholly or partially in a county with a charter form of government or a school district located wholly or partially in a city with more than thirty thousand inhabitants. 2. (1) A school board may adopt the provisions of subsection 1 of this section by referring to the qualified voters of the school district a ballot measure authorizing the same. Such proposal shall be referred to the qualified voters of the school district upon a majority vote of the members elected to the school board. Upon such adoption by the school board, the measure shall be submitted to the qualified voters at the next date available for public elections pursuant to chapter 115 and by July first of the school year in which the four-day school week is proposed to commence. If a majority of the votes cast on the question by the qualified voters voting thereon are in favor of the measure, then the provisions of subsection 1 of this section shall become effective. If a majority of the votes cast on the question by the qualified voters voting thereon are opposed to the measure, then the board shall not adopt the provisions of subsection 1 of this section unless and until the measure is resubmitted pursuant to this subsection to the qualified voters and such question is approved by a majority of the qualified voters voting on the measure. (2) The question submitted by the school board pursuant to this subsection shall be in substantially the following form: 3. Upon adoption of a four-day school week, any school district that adopts a four-day school week shall file a calendar with the department of elementary and secondary education in accordance with section 171.031 . Such calendar shall include, but not be limited to, a minimum term of one hundred forty-two school days, as the term school days is defined in section 160.041 , and a minimum of one thousand forty-four hours of actual pupil attendance hours during a twelve-month period in which the academic instruction of pupils is actually and regularly carried on for a group of students in the public schools of any school district, pursuant to the provisions of section 171.031 . (L. 2024 S.B. 727)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 171.031 Board to prepare calendar - minimum term - opening dates - exemptions.

171.031. Board to prepare calendar — minimum term — opening dates — exemptions. — 1. Each school board shall prepare annually a calendar for the school term, specifying the opening date, days of planned attendance, and providing a minimum term of at least one thousand forty-four hours of actual pupil attendance, and, for a school district that is located wholly or partially in a county with a charter form of government or a school district that is located wholly or partially in a city with more than thirty thousand inhabitants, a minimum of one hundred and sixty-nine school days, unless the district has adopted a four-day school week as provided in section 171.028 , in which case the district school term shall have a minimum of one hundred forty-two school days. In addition, such calendar shall include six make-up days for possible loss of attendance due to inclement weather as defined in subsection 1 of section 171.033 . In school year 2019-20 and subsequent years, such calendar shall include thirty-six make-up hours for possible loss of attendance due to inclement weather, as defined in subsection 1 of section 171.033 , with no minimum number of make-up days. 2. Each local school district may set its opening date each year, which date shall be no earlier than fourteen calendar days prior to the first Monday in September. No public school district shall select an earlier start date unless, for calendars for school years before school year 2020-21, the district follows the procedure set forth in subsection 3 of this section. The procedure set forth in subsection 3 of this section shall be unavailable to school districts in preparing their calendars for school year 2020-21 and for subsequent years. 3. For calendars for school years before school year 2020-21, a district may set an opening date that is more than fourteen calendar days prior to the first Monday in September only if the local school board first gives public notice of a public meeting to discuss the proposal of opening school on a date more than fourteen days prior to the first Monday in September, and the local school board holds said meeting and, at the same public meeting, a majority of the board votes to allow an earlier opening date. If all of the previous conditions are met, the district may set its opening date more than fourteen calendar days prior to the first Monday in September. The condition provided in this subsection must be satisfied by the local school board each year that the board proposes an opening date more than fourteen days before the first Monday in September. 4. If any local district violates the provisions of this section, the department of elementary and secondary education shall withhold an amount equal to one quarter of the state funding the district generated under section 163.031 for each date the district was in violation of this section. 5. The provisions of subsections 2 to 4 of this section shall not apply to school districts in which school is in session for twelve months of each calendar year. 6. The state board of education may grant an exemption from this section to a school district that demonstrates highly unusual and extenuating circumstances justifying exemption from the provisions of subsections 2 to 4 of this section. Any exemption granted by the state board of education shall be valid for one academic year only. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 11-3, A.L. 1973 H.B. 158, A.L. 1983 S.B. 39, A.L. 1984 H.B. 1456 & 1197, A.L. 1987 S.B. 23, A.L. 1992 S.B. 485, A.L. 1993 S.B. 194, A.L. 2003 S.B. 686, A.L. 2007 S.B. 64, A.L. 2009 S.B. 291, A.L. 2018 H.B. 1606 merged with S.B. 743, A.L. 2019 H.B. 604, A.L. 2024 S.B. 727) Effective 7-01-26

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 171.033 Make-up of hours lost or cancelled - exemption, when - waiver for schools, ...

171.033. Make-up of hours lost or cancelled — exemption, when — waiver for schools, granted when — make-up hours not required for exceptional or emergency circumstances — half-day education programs. — 1. "Inclement weather" , for purposes of this section, shall be defined as ice, snow, extreme cold, excessive heat, flooding, or a tornado. 2. (1) A district shall be required to make up the first six days of school lost or cancelled due to inclement weather and half the number of days lost or cancelled in excess of six days if the makeup of the days is necessary to ensure that the district's students will attend a minimum school term as provided in section 171.031 except as otherwise provided in this section. Schools with a four-day school week may schedule such make-up days on Fridays. (2) Notwithstanding subdivision (1) of this subsection, in school year 2019-20 and subsequent years, a district shall be required to make up the first thirty-six hours of school lost or cancelled due to inclement weather and half the number of hours lost or cancelled in excess of thirty-six if the makeup of the hours is necessary to ensure that the district's students attend a minimum of one thousand forty-four hours for the school year, except as otherwise provided under subsections 3 and 4 of this section. 3. (1) In the 2009-10 school year and subsequent years, a school district may be exempt from the requirement to make up days of school lost or cancelled due to inclement weather in the school district when the school district has made up the six days required under subsection 2 of this section and half the number of additional lost or cancelled days up to eight days, resulting in no more than ten total make-up days required by this section. (2) In school year 2019-20 and subsequent years, a school district may be exempt from the requirement to make up school lost or cancelled due to inclement weather in the school district when the school district has made up the thirty-six hours required under subsection 2 of this section and half the number of additional lost or cancelled hours up to forty-eight, resulting in no more than sixty total make-up hours required by this section. 4. The commissioner of education may provide, for any school district that cannot meet the minimum school calendar requirement as provided in section 171.031 , upon request, a waiver to be excused from such requirement. This waiver shall be requested from the commissioner of education and may be granted if the school was closed due to circumstances beyond school district control, including inclement weather or fire. 5. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, in school year 2020-21 and subsequent years, a district shall not be required to make up any hours of school lost or cancelled due to exceptional or emergency circumstances during a school year if the district has an alternative methods of instruction plan approved by the department of elementary and secondary education for such school year. Exceptional or emergency circumstances shall include, but not be limited to, inclement weather, a utility outage, or an outbreak of a contagious disease. The department of elementary and secondary education shall not approve any such plan unless the district demonstrates that the plan will not negatively impact teaching and learning in the district. (2) If school is closed due to exceptional or emergency circumstances and the district has an approved alternative methods of instruction plan, the district shall notify students and parents on each day of the closure whether the alternative methods of instruction plan is to be implemented for that day. If the plan is to be implemented on any day of the closure, the district shall ensure that each student receives assignments for that day in hard copy form or receives instruction through virtual learning or another method of instruction. (3) A district with an approved alternative methods of instruction plan shall not use alternative methods of instruction as provided for in the plan for more than thirty-six hours during a school year. A district that has used such alternative methods of instruction for thirty-six hours during a school year shall be required, notwithstanding subsections 2 and 3 of this section, to make up any subsequent hours of school lost or cancelled due to exceptional or emergency circumstances during such school year. (4) The department of elementary and secondary education shall give districts with approved alternative methods of instruction plans credit for the hours in which they use alternative methods of instruction by considering such hours as hours in which school was actually in session. (5) Any district wishing to use alternative methods of instruction under this subsection shall submit an application to the department of elementary and secondary education. The application shall describe: (a) The manner in which the district intends to strengthen and reinforce instructional content while supporting student learning outside the classroom environment; (b) The process the district intends to use to communicate to students and parents the decision to implement alternative methods of instruction on any day of a closure; (c) The manner in which the district intends to communicate the purpose and expectations for a day in which alternative methods of instruction will be implemented to students and parents; (d) The assignments and materials to be used within the district for days in which alternative methods of instruction will be implemented to effectively facilitate teaching and support learning for the benefit of the students; (e) The manner in which student attendance will be determined for a day in which alternative methods of instruction will be implemented. The method chosen shall be linked to completion of lessons and activities; (f) The instructional methods, which shall include instruction through electronic means and instruction through other means for students who have no access to internet services or a computer; (g) Instructional plans for students with individualized education programs; and (h) The role and responsibility of certified personnel to be available to communicate with students. 6. In the 2022-23 school year and subsequent years, a school district's one-half-day education programs shall be subject to the following provisions in proportions appropriate for a one-half-day education program, as applicable: (1) Requirements in subsection 2 of this section to make up days or hours of school lost or cancelled because of inclement weather; (2) Exemptions in subsection 3 of this section; (3) Waiver provisions in subsection 4 of this section; and (4) Approved alternative methods of instruction provisions in subsection 5 of this section. (L. 1978 S.B. 954 § 2, A.L. 1982 S.B. 832, A.L. 1994 S.B. 442, A.L. 1997 H.B. 797, A.L. 2001 H.B. 274, A.L. 2003 H.B. 554, A.L. 2006 S.B. 769, A.L. 2007 S.B. 64, A.L. 2009 H.B. 682 merged with S.B. 291, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1298 Revision, A.L. 2018 H.B. 1606 merged with S.B. 743, A.L. 2019 H.B. 604, A.L. 2022 S.B. 681 & 662, A.L. 2024 S.B. 727) Effective 7-01-26 CROSS REFERENCE: Make-up hours and days lost due to inclement weather when and how made up, 160.041

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 171.034 Provision of food services by school districts eligible to reduce make-up days.

171.034. Provision of food services by school districts eligible to reduce make-up days. — Any school district that is eligible to reduce its requirement to make up days pursuant to subsection 3 of section 171.033 may provide food service on a summer school food service basis if it resumes school with double sessions. (L. 2006 S.B. 769 § 1) Effective 5-31-06

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 171.051 School holidays.

171.051. School holidays. — School holidays include Thanksgiving Day, December twenty-fifth, the third Monday in February, July fourth, and may include November eleventh at the discretion of the school district. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 11-5, A.L. 1969 p. 85, A.L. 2014 S.B. 600) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 163.020)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 171.053 Participation in sanctioned program activities, excused absences allowed - ...

171.053. Participation in sanctioned program activities, excused absences allowed — state aid, computation for such activities. — 1. The general assembly hereby finds and declares that: (1) The Future Farmers of America Organization (FFA Organization), Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) and 4-H programs in the state and the organized competitions held as a part of the Missouri state fair involve an education and learning process that is not otherwise available in the regular curriculum of secondary education in Missouri; (2) The principles and practices learned by students in such programs are highly beneficial to students; (3) Participation in such programs should be encouraged; and (4) One method of encouraging participation in such programs is to allow such participation to be counted as school attendance for the purpose of determining state school aid. 2. It is the purpose and intent of this section to assure that participation of students in sanctioned activities of such programs be allowed to such extent as may be determined appropriate by the school boards of the various school districts. 3. Any school district which allows an excused absence for athletics or any other extracurricular school activity shall allow, pursuant to its written policy and with the approval of the responsible sponsoring school employee, any student enrolled in the district to use such regularly scheduled instructional time as is reasonably necessary for such student to participate in an officially sanctioned activity of any such program; provided, if the program is not a part of the Missouri state fair or 4-H, that such program has a local chapter which is officially recognized by the student's school. 4. For the purpose of distributing state school aid pursuant to section 163.031 , a student who is participating in an officially sanctioned activity of any such program, as provided pursuant to subsection 3 of this section, shall be considered to be attending regularly scheduled instruction in the district and such hours of participation occurring during the regular school day shall be included in the district's calculation of average daily attendance, as defined in section 163.011 . (L. 2004 S.B. 968 and S.B. 969)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 171.091 Board may provide adult classes out of certain funds.

171.091. Board may provide adult classes out of certain funds. — The school board of any school district in this state may provide for the gratuitous education of persons over twenty years of age, resident in the school district. The gratuitous education, however, shall be provided only out of revenue derived by the school district from sources other than those described in Section 3, Article IX, of the Constitution of this State. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 11-9, A.L. 1967 p. 236, A.L. 1973 H.B. 38) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 163.160) Effective 6-27-73

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 171.096 Board may permit use of school facilities for adult education purposes.

171.096. Board may permit use of school facilities for adult education purposes. — Each school board in the state may, under such terms and conditions as it may determine, permit the use of its buildings and grounds for adult education purposes. (L. 1967 1st Ex. Sess. p. 894 § 1)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 171.097 Background checks for certain adult students - prohibited from enrolling, when.

171.097. Background checks for certain adult students — prohibited from enrolling, when. — 1. School districts shall ensure that a state criminal history background check consisting of open records is conducted on any person who is eighteen years of age or older, who is not counted by the district for purposes of average daily attendance under section 163.011 , and who requests enrollment in a course that takes place on school district property during regular school hours and includes students counted by the district for purposes of average daily attendance under section 163.011 . 2. The state criminal history background check required under this section shall be processed through the Missouri state highway patrol prior to enrollment. The person requesting enrollment in a course as described in this section shall pay the fee for the state criminal history background check pursuant to section 43.530 . 3. If, as a result of the criminal history background check required under this section, it is determined that a person who requested enrollment has been convicted of a crime or offense listed in subsection 6 of section 168.071 , or a similar crime or offense committed in another state, the United States, or any other country, regardless of imposition of sentence, the school district shall prohibit such person from enrolling in any course for which a state criminal history background check is required under this section. (L. 2023 S.B. 40)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 171.098 Board may authorize sale of class projects to pupils at cost.

171.098. Board may authorize sale of class projects to pupils at cost. — The school board in each school district may authorize the sale of any product or item made as a class project or activity from materials purchased with district funds to any pupil enrolled in the schools of the district. The selling price shall approximate the cost of the materials only. (L. 1973 H.B. 232 § 2)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 171.101 Board may provide facilities and services for pupils living on federal lands.

171.101. Board may provide facilities and services for pupils living on federal lands. — The school board of a seven-director district may provide educational facilities and services for pupils residing on lands acquired by the federal government in the state of Missouri for military or other purposes. The board may operate schools on federal lands adjoining the district if adequate plant facilities therefor are provided by the federal government. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 11-10) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 165.375) CROSS REFERENCE: State aid for pupils residing on federal lands, 163.071

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 171.121 District may be closed and required to transport pupils - apportionment of ...

171.121. District may be closed and required to transport pupils — apportionment of state aid. — If any district in this state has an average daily attendance of less than fifteen pupils as shown by the records of the last previous school year, the state board of education, after investigation that convinces it that it would be to the best interests of all concerned, shall require the board to provide for the tuition and transportation of the pupils of the district to other public schools. Separate records of the attendance of pupils from the closed district shall be kept and the district shall receive the same apportionment under section 163.031 as it would have received otherwise. For the first year after the closing of a district, apportionment shall be made under section 163.031 to the closed district on the basis of the average daily attendance of the preceding year and shall be paid by the closed district to the districts receiving its pupils in proportion to the number of pupils received by each. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 11-12, A.L. 2005 S.B. 287) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 161.120) Effective 7-01-06

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 171.131 Seventh and eighth grade pupils may be sent to another district - tuition, ...

171.131. Seventh and eighth grade pupils may be sent to another district — tuition, how paid. — The board of education of any elementary school district may elect to maintain an elementary school in the district for grades one through six only. In that event tuition shall be paid by the sending district as provided in section 167.131 for pupils in grades nine through twelve. Pupils in grades seven and eight shall have the option of attending any approved school in the county of residence or in an adjoining county. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 11-13, A.L. 1973 H.B. 158) (Source: L. 1961 p. 345 § 161.015) Effective 7-1-74

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 171.141 Fraternities and sororities may be barred - enforcement.

171.141. Fraternities and sororities may be barred — enforcement. — 1. As used in this section, a school fraternity or sorority is any organization composed wholly or in part of public school pupils, which seeks to perpetuate itself by taking in additional members from the pupils enrolled in public high schools, junior high schools or elementary schools on the basis of the decision of its membership rather than upon the free choice of any pupil in the school who is qualified by the rules of the board to fill the aims of the organization. 2. The school board of any school district, by rule, may prohibit membership of pupils in school fraternities or sororities composed of pupils in any high school, junior high school or elementary school in the district, when it deems that membership in the fraternities or sororities detrimentally affects the conduct and discipline of the schools in the district. Any rule adopted under this subsection shall prescribe the aim of school organizations which may be formed and the qualifications of pupils eligible for membership therein. The board may adopt other rules that are necessary to carry out the purposes of this section. 3. Upon the adoption of the rule authorized by subsection 2, the school board may suspend, discipline and expel from the schools under its control, any pupil who remains a member of, who joins or promises to join, or who becomes pledged to become a member, or who solicits any other person to join, promise to join or be pledged or to become a member of a school fraternity or sorority. Upon direction of the board, by rule or otherwise, the superintendent of schools may suspend and discipline any person who violates the rule authorized by subsection 2 until the time that the matter is considered by the board. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 11-14) (Source: L. 1961 p. 348 §§ 1, 2)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 171.151 Daily register required, contents of.

171.151. Daily register required, contents of. — Each public school of the state shall keep a daily register in which shall be entered the name, age, date of entrance and record of attendance of each pupil and the studies pursued by the pupil. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 11-15, A.L. 1977 H.B. 130) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 163.140)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 171.171 Full credit to be given work completed in accredited schools.

171.171. Full credit to be given work completed in accredited schools. — Work completed in schools accredited by the state board of education shall be given full credit in requirements for entrance to and classification in any educational institution supported in whole or in part by state appropriation. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 11-17) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 160.090)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 171.181 Preference given Missouri products in making purchase - certain ...

171.181. Preference given Missouri products in making purchase — certain seven-director school districts, board member selling to district prohibited, exceptions, penalty. — In making purchases, the school board, officer, or employee of any school district shall give preference to all commodities, manufactured, mined, produced or grown within the state and to all firms, corporations or individuals doing business as Missouri firms, corporations, or individuals, when quality and price are approximately the same; provided, however, that any board member, officer or employee of a seven-director school district, any portion of which is located in a county of the first, second, third, or fourth class, selling or providing such commodities to the school district except as provided in sections 105.450 to 105.458 shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor and shall forfeit his position with the school district. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 11-18 and p. 340 § 165.157, A.L. 1989 H.B. 493, A.L. 2014 S.B. 719) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 165.157)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 171.185 Materials recovery and recycling facility prohibited, when (city of ...

171.185. Materials recovery and recycling facility prohibited, when (city of Chesterfield). — No school district located in any city of the third classification with more than forty-six thousand eight hundred but fewer than forty-seven thousand inhabitants shall operate a materials recovery and recycling facility within five hundred feet of a residential property. (L. 2010 H.B. 1692, et al.)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 171.410 Program may be taught to first graders, purpose.

171.410. Program may be taught to first graders, purpose. — 1. Each school district and charter school may annually teach the Eddie Eagle Gunsafe Program to first grade students. School districts and charter schools may also teach any substantially similar program of the same qualifications or any successor program in lieu of the Eddie Eagle Gunsafe Program. 2. The purpose of the educational program shall be to promote the safety and protection of children. The educational program shall emphasize how students should respond if they encounter a firearm. School personnel and program instructors shall not make value judgments about firearms. 3. No school district or charter school shall include or use a firearm or demonstrate the use of a firearm when teaching the program. 4. Students with disabilities shall participate to the extent appropriate as determined by the provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. 5. School districts and charter schools may seek grant funding for the program from public, private, and nonprofit entities. (L. 2013 S.B. 75)
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneChapter.aspx?chapter=171Fetched: 10/17/2026