By Otto Fajen
MNEA Legislative Director
LEGISLATURE RETURNS FROM EASTER HOLIDAY BREAK
The House and Senate reconvened on April 22 after an extended holiday weekend.
OPEN ENROLLMENT BILL
The Senate did not debate SCS/HCS/HB 711 (Brad Pollitt) this week but is now expected to take up the bill early next week. The bill would create a public-school open enrollment program. The Association believes that public school choice plans with state funding may harm students and our public schools unless essential criteria are in place for implementing, monitoring, and evaluating their effectiveness. The Association opposes HB 711 based on this concern. The SCS version raises additional concerns by removing transportation support for low-income students and allowing open enrollment to charter schools.
HONESTY IN EDUCATION
The Senate debated HB 742 (Ben Baker) on April 23, but did not bring the bill to a vote. The House version of the bill would ban state agencies from spending funds on diversity, equity, or inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Sen. Brattin offered a Senate Substitute version to add the language of his SB 115. SB 115 pertains to both honesty in education and parent access to school information. The Association has concerns that the bill would adversely affect the freedom of teachers to provide the honest education our students deserve and could interfere with existing policies respecting student and school privacy. The Association opposes SB 115 and SS/HB 742.
Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern offered an amendment to remove the problematic "divisive concepts" language from the bill, and the bill was later laid over with the amendment and substitute pending.
MINIMUM WAGE AND SICK LEAVE
The Senate again engaged in protracted debate on HCS/HBs 567, 546, 758 & 958 (Sherri Gallick) on April 23 but did not bring the bill to a vote. The bill would repeal provisions approved last year by voters to increase the state's minimum wage and guarantee paid sick leave. The bill blocks future increases to the minimum wage and repeals the sick leave provisions. The Association opposes the bill.
HOUSE PASSES MASSIVE OMNIBUS EDUCATION BILL
The House approved a massive HCS version of SS/SCS/SB 68 (Mike Henderson) on April 24 after adopting thirteen amendments. The Senate version requires local educational agencies to report school safety incidents to DESE. The Senate bill also requires school districts to adopt policies restricting student use of cell phones and other personal electronic communication devices during the school day. The HCS version of the cell phone provision is similar to HCS/HBs 408 et al (Jamie Gragg) and requires restriction of cell phone use during instructional time and mealtime.
The Association supports this provision restricting student cell phone use, along with the provisions of HB 32, HB 116, HB 232, HB 267, HB 305, HB 331, HB 332, HB 368, HB 712, HB 1039, HB 1262, HB 1287, HB 1386, HB 1413, and the new provisions relating to pupil suspensions, access to out-of-state providers for students with a disability, and profession development for administrators, as listed below.
The House version also now includes the following provisions:
HCS/HB 32 (Bishop Davidson) to lower the adult high school attendance age 18 years of age.
HB 33 (Bishop Davidson) to establish the STEM Career Awareness Activity Program.
HB 116 (Jim Murphy) to require DESE to establish a pilot program on media literacy and critical thinking. The program will develop strategies for student learning in classroom curricula and demonstrate various literacy strategies used.
HB 220 (Ed Lewis) to create standards for virtual schools or programs to administer statewide assessments.
HB 232 (Sherry Gallick) regarding cardiac emergency response plans.
HB 267 (Brenda Shields) to repeal the sunset on provisions governing teacher externships.
HB 305 (Kathy Steinhoff) to extend eligibility of a child identified as a young child with a developmental delay through first grade.
HB 329 (Willard Haley) to increase the 80% lifetime COLA cap up to 1% per year for any year where the Systems' investments exceed the assumed rate of return by 2% or more. The lifetime COLA cap cannot exceed 100%.
HB 331 (Ann Kelley) to create a Career Tech certificate program to allow A+ eligible students to use A+ funds for certificate programs such as EMT, CDL, and LPN certificates that are not currently A+ eligible.
HB 332 (Ann Kelley) granting additional flexibility in required staff training in schools.
HB 351 (John Black) regarding school anti-bullying policies.
HB 368 (Brad Banderman) to clarify requirements for the 1% increase in state aid for a school calendar of at least 169 school days.
HCS/HB 416 (Brenda Shields) regarding school safety provisions, except that the committee adjusted conflicting staff training provisions to reflect the language of HB 332.
HB 454 (Ian Mackie) banning district use of "zero tolerance" discipline policies.
HB 538 (Dane Diehl) regarding school bus driver background checks and move age-related restrictions for school bus drivers to 75 years of age.
HB 607 (Ed Lewis) to remove the minimum salary requirement for a master's to be in the area taught.
HCS/HB 712 (Brad Pollitt) requiring DESE to determine a student's grade-level equivalence on the MAP test.
HB 792 (Ed Lewis) to allow recipients of teacher recruitment and retention state scholarships to use the funds for educational costs other than tuition.
HCS/HB 941 (Ed Lewis) to limit school districts from primarily using a "three-cueing system" model of reading instruction.
HB 995 (Jeff Knight) to consolidate provisions governing lead in school drinking water.
HB 1017 (Chris Brown) to require in-state public educational institutions to grant undergraduate course credit for students who score four or higher on international baccalaureate examinations.
HB 1039 (Stephanie Boykin) to extend the option for PSRS retirees to work as a substitute teacher while receiving their PSRS pension.
HB 1153 (Cecilie Williams) to require the state Board of Education to issue certificates of license to teach upon certification by Teachers for Tomorrow.
HCS/HB 1238 (Willard Haley) regarding pupils attending non-resident public schools, including charter schools, where the pupil's parent is a regular employee or contractor.
HCS/HB 1262 (John Black) to require public schools to post a statement relating to religious freedoms for students and school employees. The Association believes that schools should teach the rights and responsibilities associated with the freedom of religion and supports the bill.
HCS/HBs 1287 & 744 (Ed Lewis) regarding parent and educator rights and student conduct.
HB 1386 (Ben Keathley) to allow charter schools and private schools to apply to the Commissioner of Education to host regional recovery high schools for students seeking to recover from substance use. Any such application will be reviewed under the same process now available for school districts.
HCS/HB 1413 (Ann Kelley) to remove the sunset for the law requiring the Governor to appoint an active classroom teacher as a non-voting member of the State Board of Education.
A provision exempting districts from competitive bidding requirements for construction projects over $50,000 when using a cooperative procurement service, state procurement services, a design-build contract, or other purchasing processes authorized by state or federal law.
A provision that pupil suspensions shall not adversely affect a district's score under MSIP nor reduce school formula aid to the district.
A provision that ensures a student with a disability can be served by a provider in an adjacent state if no in-state provider can provide an appropriate service and setting.
A provision creating new structure for professional development for superintendents and principals.
A provision stating that a statewide activities association, such as MSHSAA, shall not require any student who is on active military duty to attend a minimum number of practices as a condition of the student's membership on any group or team overseen by the association.
HOUSE HIGHER EDUCATION BILL
The House approved HB 606 (Willard Haley) on April 24. HB 606 contains higher education clean up provisions, including the repeal of obsolete sections of law for programs that no longer exist. The House adopted amendments to include the following provisions:
1) a revised version of HB 616 (Melanie Stinnett) to remove certain restrictions regarding the conferring of doctoral, professional, and certain other degrees by Missouri State University.
2) HB 331 (Ann Kelley) to create a Career Tech certificate program to allow A+ eligible students to use A+ funds for certificate programs such as EMT, CDL, and LPN certificates that are not currently A+ eligible. The Association supports HB 331.
3) HB 1017 (Chris Brown) to require public educational institutions to grant undergraduate course credit for students who score four or higher on international baccalaureate examinations.
4) HB 1272 (Bill Owen) to limit the Missouri state income tax deduction for contributions to qualified Section 529 tuition programs to those contributions made to the Missouri MOST Program and not to similar investment plans from other states.
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE
The committee met on April 23 to hear three bills:
HB 232 (Sherri Gallick) pertaining to school safety. The original HB 232 requires cardiac emergency response plans in public schools. The Association supports this portion of the bill. The House version also includes the provisions of HB 416 (Brenda Shields). HB 416 adds various school safety requirements on school districts and charter schools. HB 416 addresses emergency operation plans, blood loss protocols, MSIP safety standards, physical standards for doors, transfer of behavior risk assessments of enrolling students, notifications from juvenile courts, agreements with law enforcement, CPR resuscitation training, and active shooter training. The House version also includes the language of HB 454 (Ian Mackie) to prohibit school districts from maintaining zero-tolerance discipline policies.
HB 875 (Darin Chappell) to prevent a public college from denying official recognition to belief-based student associations that require leaders to adhere to their beliefs, practice requirements or standards of conduct.
HCS/HBs 1363, 1062, & 1254 (George Hruza) to prohibit municipalities from creating or enforcing rules preventing school district property from being sold, leased, or transferred to a charter school.
The committee also voted to approve SB 594 (Jamie Burger) on April 23. The bill would require school districts and charter schools to display the Ten Commandments in every building and classroom under their authority. The committee adopted an amendment that made a minor wording change to the version of the Ten Commandments that would be required to be posted.
The Missouri NEA believes that freedom of religion is a fundamental human right and that instruction in religious doctrines and practices is best provided within a family setting or by religious institutions. The Association opposes state legislation that would promote religious doctrines and opposes the bill.
HOUSE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION COMMITTEE
The committee met on April 23 to hear two bills:
SS/SB 266 (Travis Fitzwater) to create standards for virtual schools or programs to administer statewide assessments.
HB 1269 (Barry Hovis) pertaining to proprietary schools. The bill specifies that the security deposit held by Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development will be used to support students affected by closure of the proprietary school if the student suffers loss, is not able to complete a course or is not refunded the cost of the course.
The committee also voted to approve two bills on April 23:
HCS/HB 1146 (Doyle Justus) to require public library boards and school boards to have a policy governing the reconsideration of materials in a public library or public school library. The HCS removes public school libraries from the bill and applies only to public libraries.
HCS/HB 1180 (Philip Oehlerking) to require DESE to develop a curriculum on personal finance to be used by school districts. The HCS adds the provisions of HB 968 (Ed Lewis) to create the Missouri Financial Empowerment Commission within the Office of the State Treasurer.