1. This section shall be known and may be cited as the "Career-Tech Certificate (CTC) Program".
2. As used in this section, the following terms mean:
(1) "Approved institution" , an institution of postsecondary education that is subject to the coordinating board for higher education under section 173.005 , offers eligible programs of study or training programs, and is at least one of the following:
(a) A public community college or vocational or technical school as provided under subsection 8 of section 160.545 ;
(b) A two-year private vocational or technical school authorized to obtain reimbursements under subsection 8 of section 160.545 as provided under subsection 10 of section 160.545 ;
(c) An approved virtual institution, as defined in section 173.1102 ; or
(d) An eligible training provider;
(2) "Department" , the department of higher education and workforce development;
(3) "Eligible program of study" , a program of instruction for which the required length for completion of such program does not exceed the equivalent of sixty credit hours or the equivalent under a different measure of student progress and that results in the award of a nongraduate-level certificate or other industry-recognized credential below the graduate level that has been designated by the coordinating board for higher education as preparing students to enter an area of occupational shortage as determined and updated annually by such board under subdivision (5) of subsection 2 of section 173.2553 ;
(4) "Eligible student" , any student that meets the eligibility requirements for reimbursement of tuition, books, and fees under the A+ Schools Program created in section 160.545 , or any student who has earned a career and technical education (CTE) certificate pursuant to the provisions of section 170.029 and in accordance with criteria outlined by the department of elementary and secondary education, provided that such student has not received a reimbursement for tuition, books, or fees under section 160.545 ;
(5) "Eligible training provider" , a training organization listed in the state of Missouri eligible training provider system maintained by the office of workforce development in the department of higher education and workforce development that is not a four-year institution of higher education;
(6) "Training program" , a program of study that leads to a certificate or degree and is offered by an approved institution but that does not meet the length-of-program requirements for an eligible program under 34 CFR 668.8, as amended. The term includes, but is not limited to:
(a) Certified nurse assistant (CNA) programs;
(b) Certified medication technician (CMT) programs;
(c) Level 1 medication aide (L1MA) programs;
(d) Insulin administration programs;
(e) Emergency medical technician (EMT) programs;
(f) Advanced emergency medical technician (AEMT) programs;
(g) Paramedic programs as described in chapter 190 ; or
(h) Commercial driver's license (CDL) programs.
3. (1) Beginning in the 2026-27 academic year and for all subsequent academic years, the department shall, by rule, establish a procedure for the reimbursement of the costs of tuition, books, and fees from the career-tech certificate (CTC) program fund to the approved institution at which an eligible student is enrolled in an eligible program of study or a training program.
(2) No tuition reimbursements in excess of the tuition rate charged by a public community college for coursework offered by a two-year private vocational or technical school, approved virtual institution as defined under section 173.1102 , or eligible training provider within the service area of such college shall be reimbursed under this section. This limitation shall not apply to a public vocational or technical school.
(3) (a) If a public community college or vocational or technical school offers the same or a substantially similar eligible program of study or training program as a private vocational or technical school, virtual institution, or eligible training provider at which an eligible student intends to enroll and the school or provider is located in the service region of the public community college or vocational or technical school that offers the same or similar program of study or training program, no tuition reimbursement shall be provided under this section for such eligible student unless, before the eligible student enrolls:
a. The private vocational or technical school, virtual institution, or eligible training provider requests authorization from the department for such tuition reimbursement; and
b. The department authorizes such request.
(b) The department shall:
a. Develop and adopt a tuition reimbursement authorization request form and a procedure for submitting such request;
b. Review and either authorize or deny such request within twenty business days of receiving an accurate, complete, and properly submitted request; and
c. If the department denies such request, provide the educational entity and the eligible student with the reasons for such denial.
(c) The department shall not deny a tuition reimbursement authorization request without good cause, as determined by the department on a case-by-case basis.
(4) The reimbursements provided under this section to a two-year private vocational or technical school, approved virtual institution as defined under section 173.1102 , or eligible training provider shall not violate the provisions of Article IX, Section 8, or Article I, Section 7, of the Constitution of Missouri or the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.
4. (1) There is hereby created in the state treasury the "Career-Tech Certificate (CTC) Program Fund", which shall consist of any moneys appropriated annually by the general assembly, gifts, bequests, grants, public or private donations, or transfers. The state treasurer shall be custodian of the fund. In accordance with sections 30.170 and 30.180 , the state treasurer may approve disbursements. The fund shall be a dedicated fund and, upon appropriation, moneys in this fund shall be used solely for reimbursements as provided in this section.
(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080 to the contrary, any moneys remaining in the fund at the end of the biennium shall not revert to the credit of the general revenue fund.
(3) The state treasurer shall invest moneys in the fund in the same manner as other funds are invested. Any interest and moneys earned on such investments shall be credited to the fund.
5. No rule promulgated by the department under this section shall prohibit students enrolled in an eligible program of study or a training program from qualifying for tuition reimbursement under this section solely because the eligible program of study or training program does not meet the length-of-program requirements for an eligible program under 34 CFR 668.8, as amended, or because the eligible training provider at which a student enrolls does not participate in federal student aid programs.
6. Eligibility for tuition, books, and fees reimbursement to an approved institution as provided under this section shall expire upon the earliest of:
(1) Receipt of the reimbursement for the required length for completion of such program as determined by the department;
(2) A student's successful completion of an eligible program of study or training program; or
(3) A student's completion of one hundred fifty percent of the time usually required to complete an eligible program of study or training program.
7. The department may promulgate all necessary rules and regulations for the implementation and administration of this section. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010 , that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028 . This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2025, shall be invalid and void.