Section 329.025 - Characteristics of school system It is the intent of the Legislative Assembly to maintain a system of public elementary and secondary schools that allows students, parents, teachers, administrators, school district boards and the State Board of Education to be accountable for the development and improvement of the public school system. The public school system shall have the following characteristics:
(1) Provides equal and open access and educational opportunities for all students in the state regardless of their linguistic background, culture, race, gender, capability or geographic location;(2) Assumes that all students can learn and establishes high, specific skill and knowledge expectations and recognizes individual differences at all instructional levels;(3) Provides each student an education experience that supports academic growth beyond proficiency in established academic content standards and encourages students to attain aspirational goals that are individually challenging;(4) Provides special education, compensatory education, linguistically and culturally appropriate education and other specialized programs to all students who need those services;(5) Supports the physical and cognitive growth and development of students;(6) Provides students with a solid foundation in the skills of reading, writing, problem solving and communication;(7) Provides opportunities for students to learn, think, reason, retrieve information, use technology and work effectively alone and in groups;(8) Provides for rigorous academic content standards and instruction in mathematics, science, language arts, history, geography, economics, civics, higher education and career path skills, personal financial education, physical education, health, the arts and world languages;(9) Provides increased learning time;(10) Provides students an educational background to the end that they will function successfully in a constitutional republic, a participatory democracy and a multicultural nation and world;(11) Provides students with the knowledge and skills that will provide the opportunities to succeed in the world of work, as members of families and as citizens;(12) Provides students with the knowledge and skills that lead to an active, healthy lifestyle;(13) Provides students with the knowledge and skills to take responsibility for their decisions and choices;(14) Provides opportunities for students to learn through a variety of teaching strategies;(15) Emphasizes involvement of parents and the community in the total education of students;(16) Transports children safely to and from school;(17) Ensures that the funds allocated to schools reflect the uncontrollable differences in costs facing each district;(18) Ensures that local schools have adequate control of how funds are spent to best meet the needs of students in their communities; and(19) Provides for a safe, educational environment.Amended by 2023 Ch. 564,§ 5, eff. 1/1/2024.Amended by 2021 Ch. 178, § 4, eff. 1/1/2022.Amended by 2013 Ch. 15, § 2, eff. 7/1/2013.Amended by 2012 Ch. 91, § 16, eff. 4/11/2012, op. 7/1/2012.Formerly 326.715; 1995 c.660 §4; 1999 c.1029 §2; 2003 c. 303, § 3; 2007 c. 858, § 3; 2009 c. 101, § 2; 2009 c. 843, § 1