Missouri senators have approved legislation that would control student transfers from the state's most troubled school districts.
Unaccredited districts currently must pay for students to transfer to a better-performing nearby public school. That has led to financial problems and prompted concern about the ability of districts to control the number of students.
The Senate legislation would let students transfer to a better school within their home school district. Students could transfer to another school district or to a nonsectarian private school if their current school is failing, their school district is unaccredited and they are unable to move to a higher-performing school within their district.
Senators approved the measure 27-5 on Thursday. It moves to the state House where an education committee was debating other proposals.