By Otto Fajen, MNEA Director of Legislative Policy
HOUSE PERFECTS BUDGET BILLS
The House approved next year's state budget bills on March 26. The bills now procede to the Senate for its consideration. The budget bills must be approved by both chambers in final form by 6 p.m. on May 8th.
The House version of HB 2002 for K-13 education was narrowly approved by a vote of 85-70, just over the minimum of 82 votes required to pass a bill. The bill still underfunds the school funding formula by $190 million for next year. The bill also removes the new proposal of $7.5 million for funding public school open enrollment. The bill also replaces $64 million in general revenue funding with a one-time fund sweep of unused Blind Pension Funds. The bill also moves $10 million in Title I federal funds for professional development into a newly proposed competitive grant program for public school improvement.
The House version of HB 2003 for higher education passed by a vote of 83-66. The bill includes a sweeping shift to aid for colleges and universities. The HCS eliminates institution core funding and immediately replaces it with a per FTE student funding amount for each institution. Some institutions will retain similar budget totals, but other institutions would see large reductions or increases. Several House amendments were offered to revise or eliminate this scheme, but none of these amendments were adopted. The Association is concerned that this immediate funding change will be disruptive to students, programs, and staff.
The House version of HB 2012 for statewide officials was approved by a vote of 84-61 The bill continues to divert $60 million in general revenue to fund private schools through the state's tax credit voucher scheme. The Association opposes this provision. The House failed to adopt the amendments offered by Rep. Betsy Fogle to eliminate general revenue diversion to private schools or to ensure that no public funds are used for scholarships to schools that discriminate against student enrollment based on race, sex, ethnicity, religion, or disability.
SCHOOL LETTER GRADE
The Senate Education Committee heard HCS/HB 2710 (Dane Diehl) on March 24. The bill would create an A-F school report card for public schools based primarily on state-mandated, standardized tests. The Association opposes the bill.
The Association believes effective and fair school accountability systems must align assessment policy with goals for high-quality curricula and instruction, provide for reciprocal accountability, ensure community members play a meaningful role in the system, include a broad array of school quality indicators, produce interpretable and actionable results, and evolve and improve. The Association believes the bill fails to meet these criteria and undermines local control.
STUDENT SCREEN TIME IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
The House perfected HCS/HBs 2230 & 2978 (Tricia Byrnes) on March 25. The bill requires board policies that specify applicable limits on the use of technology for student learning practices in elementary schools, leaving the specific provisions of the policies under local control. The Association appreciates the concern and recognition of the impact of screen use on learning and child development and supports the bill.
AGRICULTURE EDUCATION IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
The Senate passed SS/SCS/SB 1383 (Barbara Washington) on March 25 by a vote of 31-1. The bill would expand the current agricultural education pilot program to be a statewide program for all participating elementary schools. The SS is the same as HCS/HBs 2097 & 1905 (John Martin). The Association supports the bill.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
The House approved HCS/HB 2748 (Bishop Davidson) on March 26 by a vote of 82-65. The bill would increase requirements for physical education in schools. Schools would be required to have a period of daily physical education for all students.
The Association believes that regular physical activity provides an active form of learning that encourages a healthy lifestyle and promotes physical, mental, and emotional wellness. This physical activity should be provided through developmentally appropriate physical education classes, recess, and movement activities scheduled throughout the day.
While supportive of the concept of this measure, the Association believes progress on increased physical activity will be best achieved as a part of a broad effort to restore local control and remove other state requirements that conflict with these best practices. Rep. Davidson acknowledged that many representatives had strong opposition to the activity mandates on high school students and promised that he would seek to have the Senate eliminate all requirements on high school activities.
ANTIBULLYING POLICIES
The House approved HCS/HBs 2120 & 1698 (John Black) on March 26. The bill would revise antibullying requirements for school districts. The bill addresses restrictions on consequences for victims of bullying and requires consideration of student statements regarding self-defense when a student responds to an act of violence against the student. The bill also includes requirements for incident and investigation reports.
ADULT VIRTUAL HIGH SCHOOL
The House perfected HCS/HB 3239 (Josh Hurlbert) on March 25. The bill would move the current state adult virtual high school program into the Missouri Course Access Program (MOCAP). The bill limits funding for the adult virtual high school program to $4 million.
SCHOOL SAFETY PERSONNEL
The Senate perfected SS/SCS/SB 905 (David Gregory) on March 25. The bill would establish a training program for Missouri Rangers. The Rangers would receive various law enforcement training and could be employed by public or private schools with limited school-related law enforcement powers.
SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT PARTICIPATION
The House General Laws Committee heard HB 2933 (Brad Christ) on March 25. The bill would allow individual St. Louis County school districts to vote to withdraw from the Special School District while enacting a new special education tax levy. The proposal would be approved by the district board and submitted to district voters for approval.
The Association opposes the bill. The Special School District was created with the approval of the entire county, changes over time have been ratified at the county level, and current law provides an ongoing process to consider and approve necessary changes to governance or operations at the county level. The Association is concerned that this measure is likely to be detrimental both to students in any district that may withdraw from the Special School District and those students who continue to be served by the Special School District.
INDEPENDENCE SCHOOL BOARD
The House Special Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs heard SB 1351 (Joe Nicola) on March 23. The bill changes the term of office for members of the Independence School District school board from six years to three years. The Senate adopted Sen. Washington's amendment to ensure that a student shall not be considered absent from school while the student accompanies his or her parent when the parent is voting in a scheduled election. The Association supports the bill.
AGRICULTURE EDUCATION IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
The Senate perfected SS/SCS/SB 1383 (Barbara Washington) on March 24. The bill would expand the current agricultural education pilot program to be a statewide program for all participating elementary schools. The SS is the same as HCS/HBs 2097 & 1905 (John Martin). The Association supports the bill.
Read past issues of the Legislative Update at www.mnea.org/legupdate.