Senate adopts substitute for virtual-school assessment bill after debate on nationally normed tests and charter moratorium

The Missouri Senate on April 3 adopted a substitute for Senate Bill 266, a measure intended to let students enrolled in virtual public-school programs take required assessments remotely instead of traveling to testing sites.

Senator from Callaway, sponsor of the substitute, told colleagues the bill "basically allows students that are in a virtual setting in public school systems to be able to take their tests virtually" and said the measure "sets up the standards for virtual assessment for kids that are in high school that are in virtual schools to take these assessments." The sponsor argued the change would reduce long drives for students who currently travel to testing facilities.

Why it matters: supporters said the substitute reduces burdens on students and families who otherwise must travel long distances to take assessments. Opponents and questioning senators focused on whether the bill would change accountability, how it would interact with state accreditation, and whether it would open a path for districts to use national accrediting systems.

Senator from Newton offered an amendment to permit school districts to use nationally normed tests as an alternative assessment, saying the approach "allows us to use the schools the opportunity if they would like to use nationally normed tests for flexibility with their assessment." Newton and other proponents repeatedly said the amendment would not "change accountability" and that districts would still meet federal testing requirements and state oversight.

Senators pressing for clarification included the senator from Cass, who asked whether the measure would change the oversight role of the State Board of Education; Newton and other supporters said the bill and amendment do not remove state accountability and described the option as a "could, not a shall" that gives districts flexibility similar to programs already used with the Success Ready Network.

A second amendment, offered by the senator from the fourth, would have imposed a moratorium on opening new charter schools in the city of St. Louis while the district consolidates underused buildings. The senator from the fourth argued the moratorium was necessary because "we have a lot of school buildings where we don't have enough children to fill those buildings" and said repeated charter openings and closures were wasting taxpayer dollars. Opponents said the proposed moratorium did not fit the virtual-school bill and raised concerns about unintended consequences throughout the state.

What happened: the Senate took up Callaway's substitute, agreed to waive further reading, and adopted the substitute by voice vote (the chair stated "the ayes do have it"). The substitute was subsequently declared perfected and ordered printed. The Newton amendment was presented and discussed but was not adopted; officials recorded that the distributed amendment would be sent back. The charter-moratorium amendment by the senator from the fourth was moved and debated extensively and ultimately was sent back to the maker (not adopted) before the Senate returned to the underlying bill.

Discussion points included the relationship between assessments and accreditation, the role of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the State Board of Education, and concerns raised about rural students and teachers who must accommodate statewide assessment schedules. Supporters emphasized reducing travel burdens and giving local schools flexibility; critics warned the change could affect existing accreditation-related triggers used elsewhere in state law.

The Senate action declares the substitute perfected and ordered printed; further legislative steps (printing and any subsequent readings or enrollment steps) will follow the chamber's normal processing.