Section 161.650

Title XI EDUCATION AND LIBRARIES

Chapter 161

Effective - 28 Aug 2010   

  161.650.  Department to identify and adopt violence prevention program, district to administer — state board to adopt violence prevention program — duties — administered how — funding. — 1.  The department of elementary and secondary education shall identify and adopt an existing program or programs of educational instruction regarding violence prevention to be administered by public school districts pursuant to subsection 2 of this section, and which shall include, but shall not be limited to, instructing students of the negative consequences, both to the individual and to society at large, of membership in or association with criminal street gangs or participation in criminal street gang activity, as those phrases are defined in section 578.421, and shall include related training for school district employees directly responsible for the education of students concerning violence prevention and early identification of and intervention in violent behavior.  The state board of education shall adopt such program or programs by rule as approved for use in Missouri public schools.  The program or programs of instruction shall encourage nonviolent conflict resolution of problems facing youth; present alternative constructive activities for the students; encourage community participation in program instruction, including but not limited to parents and law enforcement officials; and shall be administered as appropriate for different grade levels and shall not be offered for academic credit.

  2.  All public school districts within this state with the approval of the district's board of education may administer the program or programs of student instruction adopted pursuant to subsection 1 of this section to students within the district starting at the kindergarten level and every year thereafter through the twelfth-grade level.

  3.  Any district adopting and providing a program of instruction pursuant to this section shall be entitled to receive state aid pursuant to section 163.031.  If such aid is determined by the department to be insufficient to implement any program or programs adopted by a district pursuant to this section:

  (1)  The department may fund the program or programs adopted pursuant to this section or pursuant to subsection 2 of section 160.530, or both, after securing any funding available from alternative sources; and

  (2)  School districts may fund the program or programs from funds received pursuant to subsection 1 of section 160.530.

  4.  No rule or portion of a rule promulgated pursuant to this section shall become effective unless it has been promulgated pursuant to chapter 536.

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(L. 1996 H.B. 1301 & 1298 § 3, A.L. 2000 S.B. 944, A.L. 2010 H.B. 1543)