Missouri Senate takes on education
JEFFERSON CITY — The Senate spent all morning talking education, and it still hasn’t gotten through the whole discussion.
It was debating a bill, sponsored by President Pro Tem Charlie Shields, that would allow virtual classes and change how the school funding formula deals with new Prop A money, the method proposed by Sen. Rob Mayer, R-Dexter.
But because the bill is so broad, senators scrambled to add their own education-related bills to Shields’. And because so many senators had so many things to add, they hadn’t finished the bill by the time they broke for lunch. Word around the press table was that they won’t pick it back up this afternoon.
These are the amendments that were approved and their sponsors:
- Language that would ensure private, parochial or home school students could access these virtual classes (Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles)
- A requirement that school districts develop teaching standards (Originally from Yvonne Wilson, D-Kansas City; modified by Jane Cunningham, R-Chesterfield and Shields)
- Creation of a pilot program aimed at preschool-aged children that live in unaccredited districts. (Jeff Smith, D-St. Louis)
- Corrects some calculation mistakes said to have been made by former Riverview Gardens superintendent Henry Williams. If the bill passes, the district should see $13.9 million extra over the next four years (Tim Green, D-Spanish Lakes)
- Modifies requirements about government-appointed administrative boards, but this would not apply to St. Louis city, according to the sponsor. (Rita Heard Days, D-St. Louis)
- Two amendments would only affect specific areas outside of St. Louis: one from Jolie Justus, D-Kansas City, and one from Chuck Purgason, R-Caulfield.
Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia, sponsored an amendment that would make Access Missouri pay equal amounts to public and private schools. Shields ruled his amendment was ruled out of order, so they didn’t vote on the measure.
When they ended, they were talking about an amendment from Brad Lager, R-Savannah, to allow school districts to move to a four-day school week.
Cunningham had also spoken about open enrollment for foster children and children of firefighters and police officers, but she took back the amendment in order to tweak it after criticism from Shields.
Several amendments had been printed but not heard, including topics such as charter schools and information for parents of children with individualized education programs.
Why don’t the Senators deal with the unfunded mandate of IDEA? Local school districts must pick up a HUGE amount of the tab for educating, arguably, the toughest kids. This also includes specialized transportation, like BD/ED kids that cannot behave on a bus. They have to be picked up and dropped off by taxi cabs at taxpayer expense.
The Democrats are the true believers in the power of the people. The GOP is not. Back in November, Missourians loudly and firmly threw blunt & co out of office. In another year and a half, we will toss the rest of the people-hating GOP majority out the door. It is ghastly to see just how cruel the GOP is. They pick on the most vulnerable with no regard whatsoever. Any legislation given to them, they find the vulnerable and attack. It is absolutely unbelievable. This legislative session is a joke, and most of the GOP should be deeply embarrassed. They have nothing to offer and are repulsive and disgusting.