MSTA headquarters, built in 1928

MSTA: A rich history
In May 1856, 110 men and women gathered at Wyman’s Hall in St. Louis to form an organization that would “unite the different members, advancing their mutual improvement, and elevating the profession to its just intellectual and moral influence on the community.” The individuals at that St. Louis meeting became the founders of the Missouri State Teachers Association.

MSTA found its political voice quickly by successfully lobbying the 1870 Missouri legislature to approve funds for teacher colleges in Kirksville and Warrensburg. Since then, MSTA has been involved with nearly every piece of significant education legislation in Missouri. In fact, many times, the original legislation was drafted at MSTA headquarters. MSTA helped pass a teacher retirement system, teacher tenure, a foundation formula to fund public schools and many other important education bills.

Who we are today
A century and a half later, MSTA has grown to be Missouri’s largest teacher association. With more than 43,000 members, MSTA is also one of the largest independent teacher associations in the United States. MSTA’s headquarters is in Columbia. In addition, the association has offices in Lee’s Summit, Chesterfield, Jefferson City, Springfield and Cape Girardeau.