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Bill Summary · HB 2447

Summary of HB 2447 (Missouri, 2026)

Purpose and intent

  • Repeals the current provision allowing private, parochial, parish, home school, or FPE (flexible or alternative private education) schools to drop a five- to seven-year-old child from public school rolls upon written request by a parent or guardian.
  • Reinstates and redefines the state's compulsory attendance requirements and related exemptions for various school types, with updated age thresholds and conditions.

Key provisions and changes

  • Enrolled attendance requirements (Section 167.031):

    • Parents/guardians of a child aged seven through the district’s compulsory attendance age must ensure the child attends regularly a public, private, parochial/parish, home school, FPE school, or a combination of such schools.
    • For children aged five to seven who enroll in a public school program, the parent must ensure regular attendance. If the child does not attend regularly, the parent may be in violation of section 167.061, subject to the new framework.
    • Exceptions include:
    • Mental or physical incapacity, if approved by the district superintendent or, if none, the chief school officer.
    • For children 14 and older (up to the compulsory attendance age), excusal from attendance with approval by the district superintendent or a court when legal employment is obtained and deemed desirable, after parental notification.
    • A new exception allowing excusal for mental or behavioral health concerns if a licensed mental health professional provides documentation stating the child cannot attend due to such concerns.
    • Notably, the prior provision allowing a five- to seven-year-old child to be dropped from the school rolls upon written parental request is removed.

  • Curriculum autonomy for non-public schools (Section 167.031(2)):

    • Maintains protection for private, parochial, parish, home schools, and FPE schools: these schools cannot be compelled to include or exclude specific topics based on public-state curriculum dictates.
    • State agencies cannot mandate a statewide curriculum for these school types.

  • School year definition (Section 167.031(3)):

    • Defines the school year as July 1 through June 30.

  • Compulsory attendance age definitions and district options (Section 167.031(4)):

    • Metropolitan school districts may set an attendance age of 17 by board resolution; the resolution cannot take effect until the next school year after adoption.
    • In all other districts, the compulsory attendance age is 17 or the student has completed 16 high school credits.
    • Metropolitan districts may also adopt a resolution to lower the compulsory attendance age to 16, with the same one-year deferral requirement.

  • Credit definition for home/FPE graduation (Section 167.031(5)):

    • A completed high school credit for home school or FPE schooling is defined as 100 hours or more of instruction in a course.

Who is affected

  • Students: All Missouri students subject to compulsory attendance rules, including those in public, private, parochial/parish, home schooling, and FPE settings.
  • Parents/Guardians: Responsible for ensuring regular attendance and adherence to new excusal provisions, including mental health-related exemptions.
  • School districts: Responsible for implementing attendance policies, approving health-based exemptions, and determining compulsory attendance ages where applicable (especially in metropolitan districts).
  • Mental health professionals: May provide documentation to support attendance exemptions for mental/behavioral health concerns.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • The bill redefines the school year to July 1 – June 30.
  • Metropolitan districts may set attendance age to 17 with a board resolution, effective the school year after adoption; they may also lower to 16 with the same deferral rule.
  • Exemptions for mental/behavioral health require documentation from a licensed mental health professional.
  • The dismissal-from-roll provision for five- to seven-year-olds is repealed; only education-type attendance requirements and approved exemptions apply.

Notes

  • The bill introduces a broader set of allowable excusals (mental/physical incapacity; employment for older students; mental/behavioral health with professional documentation) and tightens the regulation around early-drop-from-rolls for younger children.
  • It preserves the autonomy of private and religious schools from state-imposed curricula while aligning attendance and graduation credit definitions across home/FPE contexts.

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

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