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Legislation

Legislation

MSTA Action

2010 Legislative Priorities

STATE ISSUES
Funding

MSTA supports full funding of the foundation formula. Increases in general revenue should go first toward the school foundation formula program and second to categorical programs.

MSTA supports continued full funding for the Career Ladder program. Funding the program in arrears creates problems for students, teachers and school districts. MSTA supports efforts to forward-fund the program so participants will know the funding status prior to the start of the school year.

MSTA supports local boards of education adopting a policy that outlines a process for input and feedback from school employees at all levels regarding salary, working conditions, employment benefit issues, personnel policies and appropriate student-related issues. The process should result in written agreements and written statements of unresolved issues.

Any proposed legislation should require local school board policy to outline procedures to recognize employee representatives of their own choosing for the purpose of meeting and negotiating. Nothing shall preclude a school district from working with more than one employee organization. In addition, such legislation should stipulate that at no time shall membership in any organization be a condition of employment or continued employment, nor may any fee for representation be required of an employee.

MSTA supports a strong retirement system. MSTA supports the current process for choosing members of the PSRS Board of Trustees through an open election by the membership. MSTA opposes consolidation of PSRS/PEERS funds with other state retirement systems for investment purposes.

MSTA supports alternative methods of selecting members of the State Board of Education by adding some practicing educators to the State Board of Education, and limiting the length of terms for all members.

MSTA opposes any state or federal proposals to group the teachers' retirement system funds with Social Security. In addition, the association opposes provisions that deprive teachers of their earned benefits accrued by participation in the Social Security system, including the offset provision and the windfall benefits law.

As Missouri and other states compete for increased federal funding under the Race to the Top grant program, MSTA is concerned the increase in money will bring an increase in responsibilities for teachers, who are already burdened with completing other state and federal mandates.

MSTA opposes federal supersession, including No Child Left Behind, over state and local responsibility for public education, including assessments that set standards and drive curriculum.

MSTA supports existing and future increases in federal dollars be delivered to the local school district whenever possible and should be focused on distributing federal dollars back to the classroom.

MSTA supports allowing states flexibility in which to design accountability systems that go beyond scores on statewide assessments. Systems could include local assessments, teacher-designed classroom assessments, portfolios, graduation/dropout rates, in-grade retention, percent of students taking AP classes/exams, and college-enrollment rates.

MSTA opposes schemes to allow for open enrollment for students in Missouri.

MSTA opposes school vouchers or education tax credits that would divert public funds to pay for private-school tuition.

MSTA opposes merit pay, including the use of standardized test scores or other subjective criteria as a measurement of teacher performance or to determine future salary increases.

MSTA strongly opposes strikes, "blue flu" and other tactics that could interrupt the instruction of students.

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