Mo. House passes bill to facilitate between-district enrollment
Ted Hoskins
JEFFERSON CITY — The House of Representatives passed a bill today that would require accredited school districts who reject a student from an unaccredited district give the parents a reason.
Bill sponsor Rep. Ted Hoskins, D-Berkeley, said this would help prevent school districts — except in Kansas City — from cutting a deal to keep students (and their tax money) in unaccredited districts.
“I think these kids are hungry for receiving a good education,” he said.
Hoskins was critical of schools for, in his opinion, not putting students first.
“I think you think that a lot of school districts are in the business of educating kids, that’s not necessarily true,” he said to Rep. Ann Zerr, R-St. Charles.
He found some support on her side of the aisle. “Really, aren’t you kind of keeping them honest?” Zerr said.
And Rep. Tim Jones, R-Eureka, said the bill was a “common-sense solution.”
But not everyone agreed. Rep. Margo McNeil, D-Florissant, said the real issue is funding, and others agreed that this isn’t the best solution.
“Are we continuously going to divert students out of these school districts?” asked Rep. Brian Yates, R-Lee’s Summit, and added, “Why don’t we focus on making these school districts better?
The Cooperating School Districts of Greater St. Louis opposes the bill.
Mr. Hoskins needs to quit playing the victim card. School districts have budgets set up for each year like any other business. He needs to join with other supporters and concentrate on bringing the “non” accredit schools into compliance. His answer is not a long term solution. He could focus on why there is virtually no parental support for these students. Check out the meetings for the STL schools….maybe 40 people show up and most of them work for the board. Where are the parents demanding that their children get a good education? Wake up, Ted,and quit trying to blame other people. Be part of the solution, not the problem.
Ms. Soderberg,
Perhaps you’re not aware of the reasons Rep. Hoskins introduced this bill. Missouri law currently says that if students are living in a district that does not provide accredited schools, that district must pay for them to attend accredited schools in nearby districts. Thus, when SLPS lost accreditation a couple of years ago, dozens of parents immediately tried to get their kids into schools in the county. Unfortunately, at the request of SLPS every single county district refused to admit ANY of the St. Louis City kids who requested transfers under that legal provision - leaving the kids stuck in unaccredited schools with no way out, despite a law designed to help in just such a circumstance. Rep. Hoskins is promoting this bill in an effort to put teeth in the currently existing law, forcing the county schools to explain themselves and giving at least the hope of appealing the county schools’ refusals. His effort is admirable, and he should be commended for it.