On the opening day of the 2012 Legislative Session Speaker Steven Tilley (R-Perryville) outlined his vision for improving Missouri’s education system. Two of those issues are at the heart of what CECM believes to be the most crucial issues facing Missouri this year. Read what Speaker Tilley discussed here.

The two issues Speaker Tilley mentioned that CECM will focus on this legislative session are:

1. Student Transfers
Missouri Revised Statute 167.131 allows for students who live in an unaccredited school district to transfer to a neighboring accredited district at the expense of the unaccredited district.  While this law was passed in 1993, signed by Mel Carnahan and ruled clear and unambiguous by the Missouri Supreme Court, school district officials are refusing to adhere to this law.

The Children’s Education Council of Missouri expects that there will be many attempts during the 2012 legislative session to “fix” this law. CECM believes that this law should not be altered unless it is for real reform such as statewide open enrollment and scholarship tax credits.

CECM cannot support any legislation that would lessen a family’s right to choose a better school for their child. For example, there is already a bill filed by Senator David Pearce (R-Warrensburg) and Representative Rick Stream (R-Kirkwood) that would strip students in these failed districts of their right to transfer.

CECM will continue to work hard this session to ensure that no child is stripped of his or her rights to leave a failed district.

2. Missouri Quality Teacher Act
The Missouri Quality Teacher Act will reform teacher tenure so that good teachers are allowed to stay in classrooms where they can do the most good and bad teachers can be dismissed.

It is still unclear who will introduce this legislation, but rest assured it will move quickly and hopefully with the full backing of the majority of the House and Senate.

To stay updated on these issues and other issues that CECM is tracking, please subscribe to our weekly Missouri Education Reform Legislative Update.