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SB 1404

SB 1404 - This act requires school districts and charter schools to notify parents of enrolled students if the school district or charter school uses, has used in the past 12 months, or in the future intends to use a tutoring program or service that is at least 50% owned by entities outside the United States. The notification shall disclose the majority owner of the tutoring program or service and indicate whether such owner is designated as a foreign adversary of the United States under federal regulations as of the first day of the school year in which the notice is sent to parents. This act is identical to SB 796 (2025) and similar to HB 2875 (2026) and HCS/HB 1446 (2025). OLIVIA SHANNON

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Rick Brattin

Requires Missouri schools to notify parents when hiring tutoring services that are at least 50% foreign-owned, establishing transparency without restricting their use.

Voted Do Pass S Education Committee
0
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Bill Summary · SB 1404

Legislative bill overview

SB 1404 mandates that Missouri school districts and charter schools must notify parents whenever they employ tutoring programs or services that are at least 50% owned by foreign entities. The bill establishes a transparency requirement around the use of internationally-owned educational services without restricting their use.

Why is this important

This reflects growing policy concerns about foreign investment and data privacy in educational settings, particularly regarding student information that tutoring services may access. Parents would gain visibility into which external entities are involved in their children's education, though the practical impact depends on how broadly "tutoring programs or services" is interpreted and enforced.

Potential points of contention

  • Defining scope: "Tutoring programs or services" is broad and could encompass everything from major online platforms (like those owned by international companies) to small supplemental programs, creating compliance complexity
  • Implementation burden: Schools must track ownership structures of vendors, which may be difficult for smaller districts with limited administrative capacity
  • Foreign ownership threshold: The 50% threshold is arbitrary—it's unclear why this specific percentage triggers notification rather than higher or lower levels of foreign involvement
  • Practical limitations: Notification alone doesn't restrict use, so districts could continue using foreign-owned services after notifying parents, raising questions about the bill's intended outcome

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

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