PURPOSE: This rule establishes minimum requirements for the administration of the A+ Schools Program.

1. (1) The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), Division of School Improvement (division) is authorized to establish procedures for the implementation of the A+ Schools Program including:

   1. (A) Public school district participation;
   2. (B) Initial and continued designation as an A+ school; and
   3. (C) Initial and continued student eligibility to receive reimbursement for the cost of tuition, general fees and up to fifty percent (50%) of the book cost, subject to legislative appropriation, to attend any Missouri public community college or career-technical school.

2. (2) To participate in the A+ Schools Program, the chief administrator and school board of a public school district with secondary schools must:

   1. (A) Demonstrate a commitment to the established program goals. These goals are to ensure that all students:

      1. 1. Graduate from high school;
      2. 2. Complete a selection of high school

studies that is challenging and has identified learning expectations; and

1. 3. Proceed from high school graduation

to a community college, postsecondary career-technical school, or high wage job with work place skill development opportunities;

1. (B) Provide assurance that the district will:

   1. 1. Establish measurable district-wide

performance standards for the program;

1. 2. Specify the knowledge, skills and

competencies in measurable terms, that students must demonstrate to successfully complete any individual course offered by the school, and any course of studies which will qualify students for graduation from the school;

1. 3. Establish student performance stan-

dards, that lead to or qualify students for graduation, and meet or exceed the performance standards adopted by the State Board of Education (board);

1. 4. Require rigorous coursework with

standards of competency in basic academic subjects for students pursuing career-technical education or employment; and

1. 5. Develop a partnership plan in cooper-

ation and with the advice of local business persons, labor leaders, teachers, senior citizens, parents and representatives of colleges and postsecondary career-technical schools, with the plan then approved by the local board of education. The plan shall specify:

1. A. A mechanism to receive updated

information on an annual basis from those who developed the plan in order to best meet the goals of the program;

1. B. Procedures used in the school to

identify students that may drop out of school and the intervention services to be used to meet the needs of such students;

1. C. Counseling and mentoring ser-

vices provided to students who will enter the work force upon graduation from high school, address apprenticeship and intern programs; and

1. D. Procedures for the recruitment of

volunteers from the community to serve in the school;

1. (C) Designate a certificated employee to serve as the A+ Schools Program coordinator;
2. (D) Make facilities and services available for adult literacy training;
3. (E) Be classified as an accredited or provisionally accredited school district by the board under DESE’s Missouri School Improvement Program; and
4. (F) Schools may request a designation review two (2) years after the submission of the Notification of Commitment Form and when they have met the requirements of the program.

1. (3) High schools seeking designation must provide DESE with notification of their intent to seek designation. The notification must contain:

   1. (A) The name and address of the high school and school district applying for A+ status;
   2. (B) The signature of the chief administrator and board president of the school district submitting the request for designation;

   3. (C) Statement(s) of assurance that the school district will:

      1. 1. Demonstrate a commitment to the

established goals of the A+ Schools Program;

1. 2. Implement and annually update a

partnership plan;

1. 3. Establish a data and accountability

system necessary to determine and report at least student demographics and enrollment, student completion and performance of coursework, student follow-up after leaving high school, program outcome, and student success relating to the implementation of the partnership plan, and student eligibility to receive student financial incentives available through the A+ Schools Program;

1. 4. Comply with all reporting require-

ments of DESE;

1. 5. Develop and implement a plan in

compliance with all applicable state law and regulations to report students who drop out of school;

1. (D) Develop a plan of implementation which addresses each of the program requirements specified in this rule, including:

   1. 1. A listing of major objectives that

include:

1. A. Curricular and instructional

change;

1. B. Lower drop-out rates; 5 CSR 50-350
2. C. Student mastery of measurable

learning expectations;

1. D. Successful transition from high

school to continued education or employment;

1. E. A description of the process of the

identification of and planned services for students considered to be at risk of educational failure and dropping out of school;

1. F. A plan to evaluate the effectiveness

of the A+ Schools Program. Such evaluation should include but not be limited to:

1. 1. Annualized high school drop-out rate;
2. 2. Graduation rate;
3. 3. Number of students enrolled by grade

level, kindergarten through grade twelve (K–12);

1. 4. Number of high school graduates

continuing their education at four (4)-year colleges and universities, community colleges or career-technical schools. This data shall be recorded separately by category of institution;

1. 5. Number of high school graduates

entering the labor force;

1. 6. Career education enrollment disag-

gregated by program/course and by location (local school district and area career-technical school); and

1. 7. Career education follow-up/place-

ment rates for local school district and career education programs in the area career-technical school; and

1. G. Name and description of each

course offered at high school(s) and area career-technical school(s).

1. (4) The designated A+ Schools Program coordinator shall be employed at least half time without additional district responsibilities, and have specified coordination and implementation duties to administer the district’s proposed A+ Schools Program objectives. In addition, the designated individual must possess a valid Missouri certificate of license to teach in the secondary grade levels, an administrator certificate of license to teach or a counselor certificate of license to teach.

2. (5) In preparation for designation participating public high school districts must:

   1. (A) Accomplish at least the following requirements:

      1. 1. Establish measurable district-wide

performance standards for each of the three (3) established program goals and specific measures to determine attainment of each standard;

1. 2. Demonstrate that developmental

activities have taken place within the district or high school to specify the knowledge, SECONDARY EDUCATION

skills/competencies and mastery in measurable terms, that students must demonstrate to successfully complete all of the individual courses offered by the school, and in any course of studies which will qualify students for graduation from high school;

1. 3. Demonstrate that procedures have

been implemented within the district or school to eliminate the offering of a general track of courses that do not provide sufficient preparation for students upon graduation to successfully enter and progress in employment or postsecondary studies;

1. 4. Establish a schedule of rigorous

coursework with standards of competency;

1. 5. Organize a local advisory committee

of individuals that will meet annually to cooperatively develop and revise the school’s partnership plan. Members should include:

1. A. Business person(s);
2. B. Labor leaders;
3. C. Parents;
4. D. Community college and postsec-

ondary career-technical schools;

1. E. Senior citizens;
2. F. Teachers; and
3. G. Students;
4. 6. Demonstrate that specific knowledge,

skills and competencies have been identified, in measurable terms, that students must demonstrate to successfully complete all individual courses offered by the school, and any course of studies which qualify students for graduation from the school and are a part of the school’s curriculum;

1. 7. Demonstrate that specific measure-

ment and student mastery record keeping procedures have been developed for each item of knowledge, skill or competency identified for each individual course that the school offers;

1. 8. Show evidence that a reduction in the

number of high school students dropping out of school has occurred; and

1. 9. Show evidence that procedures to

ensure students who plan to participate in the A+ Schools Program financial incentives understand that:

1. A. Student financial incentives will be

available for a period of four (4) years after high school graduation;

1. B. To be eligible, each student must:

   1. (I) Enter into a written agreement

with the school prior to high school graduation;

1. (II) Have attended a designated A+

School for three (3) consecutive years prior to high school graduation;

1. (III) Graduated from high school

with an overall grade point average of two and five-tenths (2.5) points or higher on a four (4)-point scale, or graduated from a high school with documented mastery of institutionally identified skills that would equate to a two and five-tenths (2.5) grade point average or higher;

1. (IV) Have at least a ninety-five per-

cent (95%) attendance record overall for grades nine through twelve (9–12);

1. (V) Performed fifty (50) hours of

unpaid tutoring or mentoring; and

1. (VI) Maintained a record of good

citizenship and avoidance of the unlawful use of drugs and/or alcohol;

1. C. To maintain eligibility, each partic-

ipating student must during the four (4)-year period of incentive availability:

1. (I) Has enrolled in and attends on a

full-time basis a Missouri public community college or career-technical school; and

1. (II) Maintain a grade point average

of two and five-tenths (2.5) points or higher on a four (4)-point scale;

1. D. The financial incentives will be

made available, subject to legislative appropriation, only after the student has made a documented good faith effort to first secure all available federal postsecondary student financial assistance funds that do not require repayment; and

1. E. The financial incentives will only

be made available to reimburse the unpaid balance of the cost of tuition, general fees and up to fifty percent (50%) of the book cost subject to legislative appropriation after the federal postsecondary student financial assistance funds have been applied to these costs:

1. (I) If changes must be made to the

above incentives due to legislative appropriation, DESE will endeavor to reimburse:

1. (a) First, the full amount of

tuition;

1. (b) Second, the general fees; and
2. (c) Third, up to fifty percent

(50%) of the book cost.

1. (6) Public high schools may be designated by the board as A+ Schools when they demonstrate that they have:

   1. (A) Made significant progress or attained the three (3) established program goals of the A+ Schools Program; and
   2. (B) Met the established program requirements of the A+ Schools Program.

2. (7) Missouri public community colleges or career-technical schools shall verify, for each student intending to participate in the A+ Schools Program, student financial incentives at their institution that:

   1. (A) During the first semester of the student’s participation:

      1. 1. Verification of student eligibility has

been received from the high school from which the student graduated;

1. 2. The eligible student is enrolled as a

full-time student;

1. 3. A good faith effort has been made to

secure federal postsecondary student financial assistance funds; and

1. 4. After federal postsecondary student

financial assistance funds are applied, he A+ Schools Program student will receive financial incentive funds. The amount of funds will depend on the remaining costs of tuition, general fees and up to fifty percent (50%) of the book cost subject to legislative appropriation to attend that institution; and

1. (B) During the second and subsequent semesters of the student’s participation:

   1. 1. The eligible student continues to be

enrolled as a full-time student;

1. 2. Good faith efforts continue to be

made to secure federal postsecondary student financial assistance funds;

1. 3. The student has earned and maintains

a grade point average of two and five-tenths (2.5) points or higher on a four (4)-point scale; and

1. 4. After federal postsecondary student

financial assistance funds are applied, the A+ Schools Program student will receive financial incentive funds. The amount of funds will depend on the remaining costs of tuition, general fees and up to fifty percent (50%) of the book cost subject to legislative appropriation to attend that institution.

AUTHORITY: sections 160.545 and 161.092, RSMo Supp. 2006.* This rule was previously filed as 5 CSR 60-120.060. Original rule filed Nov. 10, 1993, effective June 6, 1994. Changed to 5 CSR 50-350.040 and amended: Filed Sept. 27, 2000, effective May 30, 2001. Amended: Filed Feb. 28, 2003, effective Sept. 30, 2003. Amended: Filed Nov. 28, 2006, effective June 30, 2007.

*Original authority: 160.545, RSMo 1993, amended 2002 and 161.092, RSMo 1963, amended 1973, 2002, 2003.