A+ Schools Program

PURPOSE: This rule establishes minimum requirements for the administration of the A+ Schools Program. (1) The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (department) Office of Quality Schools (QS) is authorized to establish procedures for the implementation of the A+ Schools Program including: (A) Public school district, charter school, and nonpublic school participation; and (B) Initial and continued designation as an A+ school. (2) To participate in the A+ Schools Program, the chief administrator and school board of a public school district or charter school with secondary schools or a nonpublic secondary school must— (A) Demonstrate a commitment to the established program goals. These goals are to ensure that all students: 1. Graduate from high school; 2. Complete a selection of high school studies that is challenging and has identified learning expectations; and 3. Proceed from high school graduation to a community college, postsecondary career-technical school, or high wage job with work place skill development opportunities; (B) Provide assurance that the eligible secondary school will: 1. Establish measurable performance standards for the program; 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; 3. Establish student performance standards, that lead to or qualify students for graduation, and meet or exceed the performance standards adopted by the State Board of Education (board); 4. Require rigorous coursework with standards of competency in basic academic subjects for students pursuing career-technical education or employment; and 5. Develop a partnership plan in cooperation 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: 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; 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; C. Counseling and mentoring services provided to students who will enter the work force upon graduation from high school, address apprenticeship, and intern programs; and D. Procedures for the recruitment of volunteers from the community to serve in the school; (C) Designate a certificated employee to serve as the A+ Schools Program coordinator. Nonpublic schools will designate a qualified employee to serve as the A+ Schools Program coordinator. (3) Public and nonpublic high schools may be designated by the board as A+ Schools when they demonstrate that they have: (A) Made significant progress or attained the three (3) established program goals of the A+ Schools Program; and (B) Met the established program requirements of the A+ Schools Program. AUTHORITY: section 161.092, RSMo 2016, and section 160.545, RSMo Supp. 2018.* This rule was previously filed as 5 CSR 60120.060 and 5 CSR 50-350.040. 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. Moved to 5 CSR 20-100.200, effective Aug. 16, 2011. Amended: Filed Feb. 28, 2012, effective Sept. 30, 2012. Amended: Filed Sept. 20, 2018, effective May 30, 2019. *Original authority: 160.545, RSMo 1993, amended 2002, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 161.092, RSMo 1963, amended 1973, 2002, 2003.