Missouri School Improvement Program
Frequently Asked Questions & Answers
1. Class Size: How many students are allowed in a classroom?
Class Size and Assigned Enrollments - Enrollments are consistent with both class-size standards and total enrollment requirements. (Class sizes in all categorically-funded programs must meet the class-size standards for that program.)
1. Student enrollment in individual classes are consistent with the following guidelines:
GRADES |
MINIMUM STANDARD |
DESIRABLE STANDARD |
K-2 |
25 |
20 |
3-4 |
27 |
22 |
5-6 |
30 |
25 |
7-12 |
33 |
28 |
2. Full-time elementary art, music, physical education, and computer teaching specialists shall serve no more than 750 students per week.
For more information regarding class size, see the Integrated Standards and Indicators manual (pdf), page 9.
2. Minutes of Instruction: What are the required minutes of instruction for a student?
- Elementary (typically self-contained)
Each elementary student receives regular instruction in reading, language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, comprehensive health, art, music, and physical education. In K-8 elementary schools, students have access to a total of four exploratory classes.
1. Each elementary student receives regular instruction in reading, language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, comprehensive health (including tobacco, alcohol and other drug prevention, and HIV/AIDS prevention education), and career awareness education. Instruction in each of the core areas reflect the Show-Me Standards.
2. Each elementary student receives instruction in art, music, and physical education for a minimum of 50 minutes in each area each week (25 minutes in each area for half-day kindergarten classes). These classes are taught by teachers certificated in these fields.
3. If the district is a K-7 or K-8 elementary district, the following must also be addressed:
- Beginning no later than seventh grade, regular instruction in the United States and Missouri Constitutions, and American History and Institutions are provided (as required by Section 170.011, RSMo).
- Students in grades 7-8 have access to a total of four exploratory classes (e.g., speech, agriculture, family and consumer sciences, industrial technology, foreign language, computer literacy, developmental reading). Each class is taught for a minimum of 1,200 minutes each year.
- Junior High/Middle School (typically departmentalized)
Each junior high/middle school student receives regular instruction in language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, career education, health, and physical education and has access to art and music, plus four exploratory classes. Students in grades 7-8 have regular instruction in United States and Missouri Constitutions and American History.
1. Language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies are scheduled and taught to all students for at least 900 minutes each week in the aggregate (or 1,800 minutes every two weeks).
2. Physical education is scheduled and taught to all students for a minimum of 3,000 minutes each year and health (including tobacco, alcohol and other drug abuse prevention education, and HIV/AIDS prevention education) and safety education is scheduled and taught to all students for a minimum of 1,500 minutes each year.
3. Art and music are scheduled and taught so that all students have access to them for a minimum of 1,500 minutes each year.
4. Students in grades 7-8 have access to a total of four exploratory classes (e.g., speech, agriculture, family and consumer sciences, industrial technology, foreign language, computer literacy, developmental reading). Each class is taught for a minimum of 1,500 minutes each year.
5. Beginning no later than seventh grade, regular instruction in the United States and Missouri Constitutions, as well as American History and Institutions, is provided (as required by Section 170.011, RSMo).
6. Beginning no later than eighth grade, instruction in algebraic concepts and logic are available to all students.
- High School
Each high school has a current minimum offering of at least 40.5 units of credit, with sufficient sections in each course to meet the needs of all students in grades 9-12 and the state high school graduation requirements. These courses are distributed as follows:
Minimum Standard |
Desirable Standard |
|
English/Language Arts/Communication
|
6.0 |
10.0 |
Foreign Language
|
2.0 |
4.0 |
| Social Studies | 5.0 |
6.0 |
(Minimum must include one unit each of American History and World History, 1/2 unit or equivalent of American Government. Regular instruction in U.S. and Missouri Constitutions, as well as American History and Institutions, must be provided as required by Section 170.011, RSMo. Desirable must also include 1/2 unit of Geography.)
|
||
| Mathematics | 4.0 |
6.0 |
(Minimum must include Algebra I and two units from Algebra II, Geometry, Trigonometry, Calculus, and Math Analysis. Desirable must include Algebra I and three units from the above list.)
|
||
Science |
4.0 |
6.0 |
(Must include one unit each of Biology, Chemistry, and Physics.)
|
||
| Fine Arts | 2.0 |
6.0 |
(Must include both Art and Music.)
|
||
| Vocational Education | 12.0 |
20.0 |
(Must include a broad range of Department-approved offerings that support or lead to employment or related postsecondary education based on students’ needs and interests in Agricultural Education, Marketing Education, Family and Consumer Sciences Education (wage earning and non-wage earning), Business Education, Industrial and Engineering Technology, and Health Sciences. Four vocational program areas must be represented each year or the district must demonstrate a pattern of student participation in four or more vocational program areas over the past two years.)
|
||
Physical Education
|
1.0 |
2.0 |
| Health | 0.5 |
1.0 |
(Includes tobacco, alcohol and other drug prevention, and HIV/AIDS prevention education)
|
||
| Practical Arts | 4.0 |
8.0 |
| [Includes nonvocational courses which provide practical experiences for students (e.g., Driver Education, Computer Education, Computer Literacy) and vocational credits exceeding the minimum standard of 12.] | ||
TOTAL |
40.5 |
69.0 |
Recommended Minutes of Instruction
For more information regarding minutes of instruction, see the Integrated Standards and Indicators Manual (pdf), pages 5-8.
3. Planning Time: What is the required planning time for a classroom teacher?
Planning Time - Each full-time classroom teacher, including kindergarten teachers, has a minimum of 250 minutes of scheduled planning time each school week. It is desirable to have 50 minutes of planning time each day. Planning time is calculated between the official start and close of the school day and does not include travel time, lunch time, or time before or after school. (Planning time is not required for administrators, counselors, or librarians.)
4. Graduation Requirements: How many credits does a student need to graduate?
The State Board of Education establishes minimum graduation requirements that are designed to ensure that graduates have taken courses in several different subject areas and mastered essential knowledge, skills, and competencies. Local boards of education must adopt graduation policies that include at least the state minimum graduation requirements. Local board policy may include additional requirements in accordance with needs and aspirations of students and the communities they serve.
In 2005, the State Board of Education adopted new graduation requirements beginning with the class of 2010. The minimum state graduation requirements in effect through the class of 2009 are listed below. Please click on "Graduation Requirements" to view the graduation requirements beginning with the class of 2010.
Minimum State Graduation Requirements until 2009
The state minimum high school graduation requirements comprise 22 units of credit that must be earned between grades 9 and 12. The requirements are stated in terms of the number of units of credit that must be earned in each of several subject areas. To earn one unit of credit, a student must meet all the course requirements and earn a passing grade in a course that meets for at least 7,830 minutes a year. Half- and quarter-units of credit may be earned for courses meeting proportionately fewer minutes. Following are the requirements by subject area.
| Subject | Units |
| Communication Arts | 3 |
| Mathematics | 2 |
| Science | 2 |
| Social Studies | 2 |
| Fine Arts | 1 |
| Practical Arts | 1 |
| Physical Education | 1 |
| Electives | 10 |
| Total Minimum Number of Units Required | 22 |
Follow this link for more information regarding Graduation Requirements.