MNEA sets 2008 legislative priorities

Missouri NEA maintains that every child has a basic right to attend a great public school. MNEA’s legislative platform contains a proactive agenda that strengthens public education and public educators for the benefit of Missouri’s children. MNEA also continues to lead the fight to defeat the many harmful proposals pushed by out-of-state, extremist groups and other opponents of public education.

Investing in public education
MNEA believes public schools are a great investment.

1. MNEA supports common sense, data-driven revisions to the state’s school funding formula to adequately and equitably provide teachers and education support professionals the tools and resources to get the job done.
2. The new formula will not provide adequate funding to meet the needs of Missouri’s students.
3. The new formula base-level funding and student-need weighting factors should be raised to research-based adequacy figures.
4. Local property assessments should be accurate and uniform across the state, and local property taxes should be deducted at a level all districts can reach.

MNEA supports tax reform to provide fair and adequate taxation that supports investment in public education and promotes economic prosperity for all Missourians.

1. Tax cuts and tax limitations have reduced the state’s ability to invest the common wealth for the common good.
2. Improved corporate tax accountability will ensure that tax incentives are used responsibly.

Collective bargaining
MNEA supports collective bargaining rights for all education employees.

1. Teachers and other employees are better able to ensure they have adequate resources in schools and classrooms when they have an equal voice, through collective bargaining, in establishing their working conditions.
2. A recent Missouri Supreme Court ruling grants bargaining rights to all public employees in Missouri.
3. Such legislation should provide for exclusive recognition and the right to binding arbitration for grievances and settling impasse.
4. The Association opposes efforts to limit the right of school employees to bargain with their employers.

Tax credit vouchers
MNEA opposes the out-of-state, extreme agenda to impose tax-credit vouchers that would divert public funds to private schools and undermine the state’s capacity to maintain great public schools for every child.

1. Tax-credit voucher legislation would have diverted up to $40 million per year from public schools to support vouchers to private, religious and home schools.
2. Tax-credit vouchers confiscate public funds for private and religious schools without public accountability for those funds and with no obligation to serve all students.
3. Tax-credit vouchers divert funding Missouri needs to support proven, positive programs to help ?struggling students and parents and close achievement gaps.

Teaching standards and ABCTE
MNEA supports high standards for all teachers and opposes efforts to lower teaching standards.

1. Missouri should adopt rigorous teaching standards that serve as a basis for mentoring programs and professional development.
2. Teacher certifications that do not adequately access teaching practice, such as ABCTE, would lower standards and put both students and new teachers at risk.

Stronger accountability
MNEA supports accountability that fosters confidence and investment in public education and promotes economic prosperity for all Missourians.

1. Missouri should establish open access to salary information for all school employees, all adopted salary schedules, all extra-duty compensation, all employee benefits, the school calendar, the district budget and local school board policies.
2. The legislature should be held accountable for making Missouri’s taxes fair for all taxpayers and adequate to meet Missouri’s needs for K-12 and higher education and other vital services.

Salaries and so-called‘performance pay’
MNEA supports adequate salaries to recruit and retain the quality teachers and school personnel students need.

MNEA opposes mandatory performance pay and repeal of the salary schedule law.

1. Missouri ranks 43rd in the nation in average teacher salaries.
2. MNEA supports adequate funding for districts and local control of salary schedules through collective bargaining.
3. Performance pay based on student test scores is a proven failure in districts across the country and leads to perceived subjectivity of the compensation process.
4. Performance pay based on student test scores sacrifices the supportive environment of teacher mentoring and collaboration and creates stronger incentives to teach to standardized tests.

Due process
Teachers and ESPs can better serve students when their rights as employees are respected. MNEA supports substantive due process for all education employees.

1. Real due process protects education employees from potentially arbitrary and capricious hiring and firing decisions.
2. Due process ensures a fair hearing on an employee’s employment status made by an impartial hearing officer.

Access to quality higher education
MNEA supports adequate and equitable funding for all state community colleges, technical colleges and four-year institutions and increased funding for student financial aid to help all Missouri students reach their educational potential and lead successful and fulfilling lives.

1. State funding cuts have forced students to face large tuition increases at state universities, colleges and community colleges.
2. If the K-12 school funding lawsuit orders increased spending and the legislature fails to increase revenues, higher-education funding is certain to see devastating budget cuts.

Protecting fair courts
MNEA believes fair and impartial courts are vital to democracy and the preservation of our rights, including the fundamental right of access to a great public school.

1. The Missouri Nonpartisan Court Plan is essential for the state to select qualified judges in a way that limits partisan politics in the selection process.
2. Recent extremist attacks on individual judges and an organized campaign attacking the Missouri Plan have brought the issue to the forefront.
3. MNEA opposes efforts to substantially change the Missouri Nonpartisan Court Plan.

Strengthening elections and voter participation
MNEA supports broad access to voting rights and reform of the initiative process to protect Missouri.

1. So-called “Voter ID” provisions would suppress voter turn out among the most vulnerable of Missouri citizens.
2. Recent signature-gathering efforts by out-of-state extremist groups on TABOR and other issues highlight the importance of adequate standards for signature gatherers.
3. Signature gatherers should be U.S. citizens and Missouri residents and should be held accountable for any fraudulent, deceptive or misleading signature-gathering activities.
4. Signature gatherers should not be paid on a per-signature basis, as this creates a financial incentive that encourages fraudulent practices.

Find a copy of MNEA’s legislative platform at www.mnea.org. For information about MNEA legislative issues, contact MNEA Legislative Director Otto Fajen at Otto.Fajen@mnea.org.

sb, winter '07