Senate approves budget with increased education funding
The Missouri Senate approved its version of the state budget Tuesday, giving approval to a $45.1 billion spending plan.
Fueled by unexpected growth in tax revenue and billions of dollars in federal pandemic stimulus aid, the massive blueprint includes more than $800 million in spending over what was approved earlier by the House.
The largest increase in funding for K-12 education includes an additional $214 million for school districts to cover the state’s share of transportation costs. The House did not include an increase in transportation funding in the version of the budget that they sent to the Senate.
The Senate also added a provision that Governor Mike Parson included in his budget proposal to increase teachers’ salaries to $38,000. In fact, the Senate increased funding for this program by $10 million. The Senate budget has delegated $31 million for this program, which would be voluntary, where the state would reimburse districts 70% of the cost difference between current salary and $38,000. Districts would provide 30% of the cost difference between current salary and $38,000. The House did not include this program in the budget that was sent to the Senate. These are two of the largest items that will have to be worked out in a conference committee made up of members of both the House and Senate.
The Senate also added programs that were not in the House’s version of the budget. Those provisions are $25 million for the Evidenced-based Reading Fund to help districts improve literacy in our schools and $2 million for Competency Based Education Grant Program.
The Senate did not fund the Close the Gap Program that was included in the House’s version of the budget. This program would make direct payments to families of kindergarteners through 12 graders to support qualifying educational enrichment activities. The bill requires that a third-party administrator run the program instead of local districts or DESE.
Larger items that won’t be brought before the conference committee are funding for the Career Ladder Program and full funding for the Foundation Formula. Both the House and Senate have approved $37 million to re-start this program as well as enough money to fully fund the Foundation Formula. Because both of these funding items were passed by the House and Senate, they will not be debatable when the legislative bodies meet to work on differences between each chamber’s version of the budget.
The committee report that they agree to will then have to be approved by both chambers by Friday, May 6..
House passes suicide awareness bill
The House passed HB2136 (A. Kelley), which establishes the "Jason Flatt/Avery Reine Cantor Act." Beginning in the 2023-24 school year, each school district may offer at least two hours of suicide prevention training for all practicing teachers. All teachers, principals and licensed educators may attend such training or complete training on suicide prevention through self-review of suicide prevention materials.
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education may develop materials to be used for such training or may offer districts materials developed by a third party. The legislation requires public schools, charter schools and public institutions of higher education that issue pupil identification cards to have three-digit dialing code that directs calls and routes text messages to the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 988 printed on them.
This bill also establishes the "Tricia Leann Tharp Act" and states that the Board of Pharmacy shall recommend two hours of continuing education in suicide awareness and prevention for all licensed pharmacists. The two hours of suicide awareness and prevention education would count toward the total continuing education requirement for license renewal for every pharmacist. The Board of Pharmacy is authorized to develop guidelines suitable for training materials.
MSTA Adopted Resolutions support providing student programs which appropriately support students in the aftermath of student suicide, in suicide prevention and identification/awareness of the signs of suicide.
The bill will now go to the Senate for consideration.
Parents bill of rights legislation voted out of Senate Education Committee
HB1858 (Baker) was presented to the Senate Education Committee this week and voted out without any changes. HB1858 was filed as a Parents Bill of Rights Act and includes additional requirements placed on school districts.
Parental involvement is essential in the success of students and MSTA Adopted Resolutions support communication that increases parental involvement and accountability in their children’s education; however, parental involvement in evaluation, assessment and curriculum should be through the local board of education.
This proposed legislation has several flaws, many of which include vague language that are contrary to current state and federal laws. Current language in the bill requires burdensome requirements for written permission of students’ parents for any involvement in school assemblies, field trips or other extracurricular activities.
HB1858 requires each school district and public school to notify parents, in a timely manner, of all reported incidents pertaining to student safety. It is uncertain if this legislation would require the notification of any child abuse and neglect reporting done by school employees as mandated reporters to be transmitted on a school wide basis, possibly further endangering vulnerable students.
The legislation allows parents or the attorney general to bring a civil action against school districts for violations to the law and if there are repeated violations, DESE is required to withhold state funding from the district. The bill outlines that the funding to be withheld until the school district or charter school provides evidence that they are in compliance. While these actions could have huge costs to public education, the bill is not clear if the evidence of compliance is to be presented to the court or DESE.
A large cost driver in the bill requires DESE to develop an online platform to provide access to every school district’s curriculum and professional development materials. The database must include all curriculum taught by the school district as well as all documents used by a school district in the professional development of the district’s faculty and staff including, but not limited to, administrators, teachers, counselors and classroom support staff. It is not clear if this pertains only to district-lead professional development or any professional development approved by the district, including outside vendors or conferences that may be attended by teachers or staff.
The fiscal note on the bill, which indicates the cost to implement the legislation estimates an additional $3.5 million cost to the state if the bill is passed and an additional 18 new state employees would need to be hired. The bill has been placed on the Senate calendar where it could be brought up for debate in the near future.
Virtual education expansion awaiting House action
Last week, the Missouri Senate gave approval to HB1552 (Richey) with sweeping changes from the version that was passed by the House. The House has not yet taken action on the bill. The House will need to either accept the changes that were made in the Senate, including a massive expansion of virtual education that has never been debated by the House, or send the bill to a conference to work out differences between the bill passed by the House and the Senate.
The original bill was filed to address funding issues for Missouri’s charter schools. Under the foundation formula, charter schools received less per pupil than the traditional school districts where they operate. This legislation is designed to address the issue, with the difference now being made up from state funding.
This new funding calculation would not take money away from local school districts where charters currently exist and would only apply to charter schools where they currently operate under law. It is estimated that this change would add an additional $62 million cost to the foundation formula.
The bill includes sections that are designed to increase accountability for charter schools. Charter schools operating outside of the locally elected school board are required to have governing board members who are residents of the state of Missouri. Charter school management companies will now be required to be nonprofit corporations. The schools must provide lactation accommodations and will be required to publish their annual performance reports on their school websites.
A large section of the bill that was added by the Senate would allow for an expansion of the Missouri Course Access and Virtual School Program (MOCAP).
There are still several problems with this unvetted expansion of virtual education.
Accountability: Full-time virtual providers are paid on a per-student basis. This creates a financial incentive to recruit students regardless of if it is in the student’s best interest to enroll. Increased recruiting for online programs could increase student mobility, affecting their academic achievement.
According to the 2020‐21 Missouri Course Access and Virtual School Program (MOCAP) Annual Report published by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, only 77 percent of students enrolled in virtual courses completed them.
Good Government: The bill removes a provision of the 2018 law that allows districts to negotiate a lower rate from the provider than the state education dollars paid to the district.
Local Control: The bill removes the ability of local districts to work in collaboration with parents to ensure that online programs are suitable for the student and that services entitled to the student under state and federal law are available and accessible.
MSTA opposes the virtual education expansion in HB1552. MSTA adopted resolutions oppose public funding of virtual education without the oversight of a local education authority.
Bill Summaries
Senate Education Committee
Executive Session
SB835 (O’Laughlin) school districts shall not be a member of, or remit any funds to, a statewide activities association that prohibits a home school student from participating in any event or activity offered by the school district or an attendance center of the school district in which the student resides for any reason relating to such student's home instruction or that requires a student to attend more than one class directly related to, and necessary for, participation in an event or activity in order to participate.
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education may withhold state aid payments until the district provides satisfactory proof to the State Board of Education that the school district has ceased membership in the association and has ceased remission of any funds to said association.
A statewide activities association shall not prohibit or restrict any member school district from participating in any events with any school that is not a member of the association. School disciplinary policies shall apply to all participants in events or activities offered by the school district. Voted do pass
HB2365 (Shields) removes the label of pilot program from the early learning quality assurance reporting program and authorizes the program to provide continuous improvement and ongoing updated consumer education. The bill also removes the sunset provision. Voted do pass.
HB2366 (Shields) requires that by July 1, 2024, school districts shall establish a state-approved gifted program if 3% or more of the students are identified as gifted. By July 1, 2024, district schools with average daily attendance of more than 350 students are required to have a teacher certificated to teach gifted education. In districts with an average daily attendance of 350 or less any teacher providing gifted instruction shall not be required to be certified to teach gifted education but must participate in six hours per year of professional development regarding gifted services and the expense of the training will be paid by the school district. Voted do pass.