A massive education bill that expands a private school scholarship program and opens up Boone County to charter schools squeaked out of the Missouri House and to the governor’s desk on Thursday, winning the bare minimum number of votes needed for passage.
The 153-page bill, sponsored by Republican state Sen. Andrew Koenig of Manchester, is estimated to cost taxpayers $468 million when fully implemented. It passed 82-69 and heads to Gov. Mike Parson. Three Democrats joined with 79 Republicans in support of the bill, with 45 Democrats and 24 Republicans voting against.
State Rep. Phil Christofanelli, a St. Peters Republican, carried the Senate bill and sponsored the legislation in 2021 that created the tax-credit scholarships, called MOScholars.
He said during Thursday’s debate that the bill combines his interest in the MOScholars program with investment in rural schools.
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“We put together a package that serves all the diverse interests in education,” Christofanelli said.
The original bill was 12 pages, but negotiations in the Senate led to the inclusion of over a hundred pages of education legislation.
“We’re all going to take a step together,” Christofanelli said Thursday. “This is the most substantive investment in public education that this state has ever seen.”
Lawmakers filed 53 amendments prior to the vote, but none were allowed by GOP leadership to offer them for consideration.
Rep. Paula Brown, a Democrat from Hazelwood, said during debate that the Senate was controlling the process.
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“This is an esteemed chamber, and we’re acting like we don’t matter,” she said.
Christofanelli said the Senate had listened to concerns, and amendments were made to another bill Wednesday to smooth over issues with the larger package.
“My concern was that if I did those changes on this bill and sent it back into the Senate, it would get caught in the abyss and we would never have a law at the end,” he said.
He gathered input from key lawmakers, and delivered suggestions to the Senate. Then, Wednesday evening, the Senate introduced and passed a new version of Christofanelli’s bill on full-time virtual schools.
The House passed this second bill, with the fixes, after approving the larger education package.
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Although the bill has measures to boost teacher salaries and school-district funding, Democrats had concerns. Many focused on the estimated cost.
“This is a bill that has some great, shiny things that we like in exchange for some really bad (things),” said House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, a Springfield Democrat. “But as we’ve talked about, the real problem with this bill is the amount of money we have.”
Democrats from Boone County also spoke against the addition of charter schools in their community.
State Rep. David Tyson Smith, a Democrat from Columbia, called the bill “poison” to Boone County.
“Our schools are accredited. We don’t need this bill,” he said. “We are hanging on by a razor’s edge financially already. You bring charter schools into Boone County, which is what this bill specifically does, and it hurts us.”
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As the final votes rolled in and the bill’s passage was assured, Koenig sat on the House dais, smiling as the bill he has called his top legislative priority made it across the finish line.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – A fallen Kansas City police officer will be honored by Missouri leaders.
The names of Ofc. James Muhlbauer and K-9 Champ will be among the fallen officers whose names will be added to the Missouri Law Enforcement Memorial’s Wall of Honor Saturday in Jefferson City.
They will also be honored during a candlelight vigil at the memorial Friday evening.
Muhlbauer and Champ died on Feb. 15, 2023, while on patrol. Jerron Lightfoot, 20, was speeding and ran a red light before he hit Muhlbauer’s police vehicle. The collision also killed 52-year-old Jesse Eckes, who was walking nearby.
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Last week, a Jackson County judge sentenced Lightfoot to 10-years in prison.
Before Lightfoot was sentenced, he took full responsibility for the tragedy and he hopes that the families can forgive him.
There are three other officers who will also be honored during the weekend’s ceremonies.
Hermann Police Department Detective Sergeant Mason E. Griffith was shot and killed by a gunman after Griffith while responding to a call at a convenience store. Griffith died March 12, 2023.
Kelly Rolando died in a head-on crash Oct. 22, 2023. He worked for the Missouri Department Corrections at Northeast Correctional Center in Bowling Green, Mo.
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Missouri Department of Corrections Functional Unit Manager Jason Pulliam died on Oct. 15, 2021. He passed away after contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.
Friday’s candlelight service will take place at the Law Enforcement Memorial at the Missouri State Capitol on North Capitol Drive in Jefferson City. The service begins at 8 p.m.
Saturday’s memorial service will be held at the same location. The service begins at 10 a.m. and will also be livestreamed on the Department of Public Safety Facebook page.
83 Missouri high school graduates earn perfect ACT score
Missouri’s high school graduating class of 2023 included 83 students earning a perfect ACT score of 36. According to the ACT organization, about 66% of Missouri’s graduates took the test to measure whether they are ready for college.
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Missouri’s average ACT score for 2023 graduates was 19.8, eclipsing the national average of 19.5.
The ACT data shows that about 54% of Missouri’s 2023 graduates were college ready in English, 30% in Math, 42% in reading, and 33% in science. Roughly 21% me all four benchmarks.
The scores show a continuing decline in performance since the pandemic.
Missouri law allows a block of 42 credit hours to transfer between the state’s public colleges and universities. Rep. Cameron Parker, R-Campbell, is sponsoring a bill that would expand the number of college credits that can transfer in-state to possibly 60 hours.
“By statute, that four-year institution is only required to take the 42 hours,” Parker told Missourinet. “So, what we are seeing is problems with one, parents paying for duplicate classes, which is expensive to the student if they’re paying for it themselves. It’s expensive to the parent if the parent is having to assist. Also, they’re repeating classes.”
Parker is proposing to have Missouri’s Coordinating Board for Higher Education work with the public colleges and universities to increase the block of transferable hours for at least five degree programs.
“You know, we want a seamless transfer,” said Parker. “I mean that’s what we’re trying to do – a transition from a community college to a four-year (college) where you don’t pay extra money. It helps your students; it helps your parents. And I think it’s good for colleges to be able to work together to say, ‘we’ll take your students.’”
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The block is for lower-division courses.
“You’re taking 60 anyway with a community college,” said Parker. “That’s your requirement. That’s the magic number to get out of a community college with an AA degree, or an Associate’s degree. We’re trying to make all of those hours transfer over.”
Paul Wagner, executive director of Missouri’s Council on Public Higher Education, said the bill could exclude students outside of popular degree programs. He also he would prefer the bill to be broad because he said getting each college to agree on a 60-credit-hour program would be a big chore.
With the House unanimously passing Parker’s bill, the next order of business is Senate debate.
Fewer than three weeks remain in the Missouri Legislature’s regular session and many bills are waiting on the Senate to make a move.
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For more information on House Bill 2310, click here.
