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Bill

HB 1748

Adds provisions including gifted education pupil count for purposes of funding schools through the foundation formula

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Scott Miller

Missouri bill adds gifted education students to state school funding formula, increasing state payments to districts based on their gifted student enrollment.

Referred: Elementary and Secondary Education(H)
#childrenandminors #education #elementaryandsecondary #elementaryandsecondaryeducation #dept.of
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Bill Summary · HB 1748

Legislative bill overview

HB 1748 modifies Missouri's school funding formula to include gifted education students in the pupil count used to calculate foundation formula disbursements. The bill adjusts how the state allocates education funding by recognizing students identified as gifted as countable units in the funding calculation, potentially increasing resource distribution to schools serving these populations.

Why is this important

School funding formulas directly determine how much money districts receive from state sources. By including gifted students in the count, schools with higher percentages of gifted learners would receive additional state funding, potentially enabling expanded gifted education programs. This change affects budget priorities and resource allocation across all Missouri school districts.

Potential points of contention

  • Funding mechanics unclear: The bill's language doesn't specify whether gifted pupils are counted as 1.0 FTE or at a different weight, which significantly impacts total cost and funding distribution
  • Overall education budget implications: Adding students to funding formulas typically increases total state spending unless other categories are reduced, raising concerns about fiscal impact and budget constraints
  • Equity considerations: Schools with higher concentrations of identified gifted students (often correlating with higher-income areas) would disproportionately benefit, potentially widening resource gaps between districts
  • Identification disparities: Without addressing how gifted students are identified, the change may entrench existing inequities in gifted program access across racial and socioeconomic lines

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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