The Missouri House has passed a bill creating an open-enrollment program for the state’s public schools.
The House voted 88-69 to pass the legislation.
The legislation creates an opt-in program where schools can choose to accept students who live outside their district.
Schools who decide to participate do not have to add teachers, staff or classrooms to accommodate transfer students.
While schools can opt in if they want to gain students, they cannot stop students from leaving.
However, districts can restrict the total outgoing number of students to 3% of the prior school year’s enrollment.
Proponents of open enrollment say it would give families greater choices when it comes to education, while opponents worry it would harm school districts.
Rep. Ed Lewis, R-Moberly, spoke in support of the legislation, calling the bill “extremely well-vetted.”
“It's got all the safeguards and guardrails that we can put on it to make sure it does no harm, but only does good for those parents and students who need it,” Lewis said.
However, Rep. Kathy Steinhoff, D-Columbia, said while she agrees there are safeguards in the current bill, they may not exist in the future.
“No matter how reserved and guarded this bill is, we have no guarantees that next year bills won't come forward to remove the opt-in provision, or remove the 3% cap, or make sure that local funding goes with the students. And these things could devastate our communities and our districts,” Steinhoff said.
The legislation now goes to the Missouri Senate, where similar bills have died in prior sessions.
