May 2025 Agenda
New Board Members Sworn In & New State Board Leaders Elected
The State Board swore in three new board members who were appointed by Governor Kehoe and approved by the Gubernatorial Committee in the Senate this session.
- Michael Matousek - Kansas City
- Kenneth "Brooks" Miller Jr. - Sunrise Beach
- Jon Otto - Kansas City
History, Sponsorship, and Development of Charter Schools in Missouri + Sponsorship Renewals (SLU, UMSL, and KCPS) + Genesis Schools Inc. Application Renewal
The DESE Office of Quality Schools staff–Jocelyn Strand and Shanika Williams–presented for much of the meeting, addressing first a general history and overview of Charters in Missouri, and for sponsorship and school renewals.
Charters were initially permitted, via 1998 legislation, to operate in Kansas City and St. Louis; the first charter school opened in Kansas City in the 1999-2000 school year. The first charter school in St. Louis started in 2000-2001. The Missouri Charter Public School Commission (MCPSC) was established in 2012 (160.425 RsMo) as Missouri's sole-purpose charter sponsor. Lawmakers, charter school advocates and education reformers wanted an independent sponsoring entity with the authority to sponsor high-quality charter schools throughout Missouri” (MCPSC). MNEA supports charters that are authorized and held accountable by a local school board.
The following entities can be charter school sponsors in Missouri: School districts, 4-year colleges or universities, Private colleges, Community Colleges, and the MCPSC.
The State Board’s authority is to approve rules that govern oversight of sponsors, evaluate sponsors and authorize continuation of their sponsorship activities, and gives final approval to new charter schools and charter school renewals, based on sponsor recommendation and statutory requirements.
DESE’s responsibilities include: sponsor evaluations every 3 years (or as needed); provide application and contracting processes for new sponsors; publish an APR and report card for report card for charters; retain sponsorship fees from each charter school and remits payment to sponsors; and ensure sponsor expenditure of 90% of sponsorship funds.
Sponsors that were approved for renewal of their sponsorship were SLU, UMSL, and KCPS. DESE recommended renewal as each sponsor was in compliance with standards (160.400.17, RSMo & 5 CSR 20-100.260).
Finally, Genesis Schools, Inc. was renewed for 5 years, but must undergo a review by the State Board by year three. For the 2023-2024 school year, and the third year in a row, Genesis “Did Not Meet” their contractual agreements for academics. Their attendance rates were also low and of concern for the State Board. SLU’s Prime Center Executive Director, Dr. Collin Hitt, was in attendance and spoke to Genesis’ high Growth Scores within the Missouri Growth model in APR Calculations. Dr. Hitt’s presence and extra contextual knowledge on Genesis’ scores provided nuances that gave the State Board confidence in approving their renewal. It is important to note that no Missouri Public School is offered the opportunity to provide these nuances when the APR scores from MSIP are presented to the State Board of Education each year.
“The Association is committed to rigorous learning standards, decentralized and shared decision making, diverse educational offerings, and the removal of restrictive requirements within the public schools.
Charter schools serve students and the public interest when they are authorized and held accountable by the locally elected school board. Charter schools should be authorized or expanded only after a district has assessed the impact of the proposed charter school on local public-school resources, programs and services.
Public charters, like all public schools, must provide students with a free, accessible, non-sectarian, quality education that is delivered subject to the same basic safeguards and standards as every other public school…
Funding for charter schools should not diminish funding for the school district in which a charter school operates. State law should hold charter schools and sponsors accountable, make the operations of schools transparent and protect the rights of schools, parents, teachers and other school employees. For-profit management companies should not operate charter schools…(A-6).”
Missouri School for the Severely Disabled Long Range Planning Advisory Committee Recommendations
Mark Wheatley, Assistant Commissioner for the Office of Special Education, presented on the long-range planning recommendations for the School for the Missouri School for the Severely Disabled (MSSD). The recommendation included a complete restructuring of MSSD infrastructure and model of services; this would take 10+ years and an estimated $182.6 million to complete. The board has not yet voted on this recommendation; they will have action during the June 2025 meeting.
State Board: Fiscal Year 26 Budget Update
Dr. Kerri Monsees, Deputy Commissioner, and Pam Victor, Chief Budget Officer, gave a report on the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget that the Legislature has now moved to the Governor’s desk. The Truly Agreed Upon and Finally Passed budget includes fully funding DESE’s request of $500 million. The $50 million for vouchers in Missouri was left in the budget, which Missouri NEA opposes.
Next, the Governor has until the end of June to determine if he will sign or veto the budget; any line-item veto can be reconvened in September 2025 with the legislature’s veto session. It’s important to note the Missouri Constitution, Article IV Section 26, at this time, which outlines the “power of partial veto of appropriation bills — procedure — limitations…The governor shall not reduce any appropriation for free public schools” (Mo. Const. art. IV, § 26.).
As stated above, “The Missouri NEA believes that equitable and adequate funding is critical to the future of public education in Missouri” (A-11).
State Board: Governmental Affairs Update
Perry Gorrell, Chief of Government Relations, gave the State Board a recap and, at the time of his report on Tuesday, a forecast for the final few days of the session. He noted how DESE has been more involved in the Legislative process than in the past–from bringing staff to speak with legislators, to drafting legislation, and impacting the movement of education-related bills. Gorrell gave a high-level view of all Truly Agreed to and Finally Passed (TAFP) legislation from the 2025 Session.
For frequent, reliable, and relevant education legislative updates, sign up for MNEA Legislative Update Listserv by MNEA Legislative Director, Otto Fajen
MNEA believes that every student and educator deserve the best experience possible in schools. That is why we are the only educational organization that is consistently present at every meeting of DESE, the state board of education, and the Missouri Legislature. We are your eyes and ears where decisions are being made about your schools.
The next meeting of the Missouri State Board of Education will be held on April 8, 2025, in Jefferson City, Missouri. If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact Samantha Hayes at 800-392-0236 or Samantha.Hayes@mnea.org.