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Missouri NEA Legislative Update
Week 4, No. 2, January 24, 2012
By Otto Fajen
MNEA Legislative Director

CHARTER SCHOOLS

The House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee will meet on January 25 to hear HB 1228 (Tishaura Jones), and the Senate Education Committee will meet later that same day to hear SB 576 (Bill Stouffer). Both bills expand the authority for charter schools to cover the entire state, expand the list of entities allowed to sponsor charter schools, create a statewide chartering commission and make several changes designed to improve the accountability and transparency of charter sponsors and charter schools.

The Association believes that charter schools need to meet the same standards of accountability, transparency and respect for the rights of students, parents and staff as apply to district-operated public schools. Currently, serious remedial action is needed to improve that accountability for sponsors and charter schools, and the state should adopt and implement those reforms and verify that they are working to ensure charter schools meet those standards before considering expansion of charter school territory or sponsorship. Accordingly, the Association opposes both bills and will seek to limit charter school legislation to correcting those deficiencies without concurrent expansion of either charter school geography or sponsorship.

STATE INTERVENTION IN UNACCREDITED DISTRICTS

The House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee will also hear HB 1174 (Mike Lair) when it meets on January 25. The bill revises the law regarding the timelines and options for State Board intervention when it classifies a district as unaccredited. The bill would allow the State Board to conduct a hearing regarding the status of the district at any time after the district is classified as unaccredited. Current law requires the State Board to intervene when a district has been classified as unaccredited for two full years, and for districts other than St. Louis Public Schools, requires the State Board to lapse the district.

Missouri NEA believes that the law should be revised to ensure that the State Board intervenes only to the extent necessary, and State Board intervention should seek to support, rather than disrupt, school district efforts to improve outcomes for all students. The Association will seek revisions to the bill to remove the presumption that a school district should lapse after two years in every such situation and to ensure that DESE convenes a hearing in the district to support local plans and efforts for school improvement.

BUDGET COMMITTEES

The House Appropriations-Education Committee will meet on January 25 to begin the review of the DESE budget books for the K-12 schools budget. The meeting will provide committee members an opportunity to ask questions regarding the various programs in the DESE budget.

JOINT COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

The Joint Committee on Education, Senate Education Committee, and House Higher Education Committee will meet jointly on January 25 to hear the annual report by staff from the Midwest Higher Education Compact regarding the work of the Compact.

IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT BY SCHOOLS

The Senate General Laws Committee voted to approve SB 590 (Will Kraus) on January 24. Among other provisions, SB 590 requires all public schools to determine whether enrolling students are born outside of the United States or are children of an unlawfully present alien. In such cases, the bill requires the parent or guardian to notify the school of the citizenship or immigration status of the child. Missouri NEA opposes this unnecessary paperwork requirement on school personnel.

WORKPLACE DISCRIMINATION AND WHISTLE-BLOWER LAW

The House Workforce Development and Workplace Safety Committee completed the hearing on HB 1219 (Kevin Elmer) on January 23 and then immediately voted to approve the bill by a nearly party-line vote. The Association opposes HB 1219. The bill makes several harmful changes to the state’s anti-discrimination law in employment, disability and housing and significantly limits and weakens “whistle-blower” protections.

VOTER ID

HB 1104 (Shane Schoeller) is implementing legislation for SJR 2, regarding voter photo ID requirements, should it be approved by voters. The House Elections Committee heard HB 1104 on January 24 and then immediately voted to approve the bill (Do Pass vote). The bill requires a person seeking to vote in a public election to provide election officials a photo identification. Missouri NEA believes voting is a constitutional right that should not be restricted by unnecessary voter photo identification requirements or other additional barriers to the voting franchise. The Association opposes the bill.

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Missouri NEA Legislative Update
Week 4, No. 3, January 25, 2012
By Otto Fajen
MNEA Legislative Director

WORKPLACE DISCRIMINATION AND WHISTLE-BLOWER LAW

The Senate again took up SCS/SB 592 (Brad Lager) for floor debate on January 25, but did not bring the bill to a first round or Perfection vote.  The bill was again placed on the Informal Calendar, a sort of parking lot for legislation that may be brought up again later this year whenever the Senate is in session.

The Association opposes SB 592. The bill makes several harmful changes to the state’s anti-discrimination law in employment, disability and housing and significantly limits and weakens “whistle-blower” protections.

PUBLIC SCHOOL TRANSPARENCY

The House gave final approval (Third Reading vote) to HCS/HB 1140 (Jason Smith) on January 25 by a vote of 113-42.  This bill requires the Office of Administration to maintain public school, city and county government accountability information on the Missouri Accountability Portal. School districts and public charter schools must annually provide detailed employee compensation data, operating budget and bonded indebtedness to the Office of Administration for inclusion on the Portal.

The Association supports HB 1140.  Missouri NEA supports accountability and transparency that fosters confidence and investment in public education and promotes economic prosperity for all Missourians.

PLAN TO ATTEND YOUR MNEA LEGISLATIVE BRUNCH OR DINNER!

Legislative involvement is close to home at your MNEA Legislative Brunch or Dinner. The event is a great opportunity to visit with local area legislators and hear a legislative briefing.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE WILL BE NO JEFFERSON COUNTY LEGISLATIVE DINNER ON FEBRUARY 16.

Area legislative dinner/brunch schedule:

  • Kansas City  Jan. 28, 2012
  • St. Louis    Feb. 9, 2012
  • St. Charles Feb. 23, 2012
  • Springfield Mar. 17, 2012