Missouri Association of Rural Education

Legislative Platform

2007-2008

State Issues:

 1.  Supports increased appropriations for the public schools, which are sufficient to fully fund the foundation formula and further equalize support of each child in Missouri.

2.  Supports increased funding for transportation to address the increased fuel and other state mandatory obligations.

3.   Supports equal and adequate educational resources (funding) for the newly adopted foundation formula and on going evaluation of the effectiveness of the Dollar Value Modifier on rural school districts.

4.  Supports legislation to increase Small Schools Grant and to expand the program to include districts with an ADA of 351 to 450+ with consideration being given to a District Size Modifier in the formula.  

5.         Supports legislation requiring the State to provide assistance to rural provisionally accredited and unaccredited school districts to aid those districts in returning to full accreditation status.

6.       Supports legislation that defines the parameters of collective bargaining for public school employees while preserving the local boards’ authority to make final decisions in the best interest of their respective districts.

7.         Supports legislation to provide adequate educational resources (funding) for district summer school programs.

8.         Supports legislation to expend the prohibition of punitive damages against political subdivisions; Extension of Sovereign Immunity protection to all employees and volunteers of political subdivisions, and legislation to Reverse the consequences of the Schoemhl Decision (Supreme Court ruling that spouses of claimants who die subsequent to their injury and whose death had nothing to do with the original compensated injury are entitled for continuation of benefits).

9.         Supports legislation to assist districts (through funding) wishing to share staffs or programs.

10.     Supports legislation exempting public schools from paying state motor fuel tax for fuel consumed by buses.

11.     Supports legislation that would mandate the utilization of seat belts on school buses on the basis that scientific evidence can demonstrate a marked increase in student safety and such a mandate would be totally funded (by the State) to include all costs associated with such legislation.  (Funding to include additional equipment, equipment upgrades, personnel, etc.)

12.     Supports legislation restricting any political subdivision from abating existing taxes or re-directing potentially new taxes to another subdivision.

13.     Supports legislation preventing further erosion of and shifting of tax burdens from business to individual taxpayers forcing school districts to adjust levies upward to recover revenues lost due to the adverse decisions of the State Tax Commission.

14.     Supports legislation removing school districts from prevailing wage requirements.

15.     Supports legislation that would allow Missouri voters to amend the State Constitution to provide for a simple majority approval of public school general obligation bond issues.

16.     Supports legislation that provides state funding for mandated increases in the minimum teacher's salary in Missouri.

17.     Supports legislation that would reverse/eliminate the newly enacted statutory legislation for all funding penalties related to summer school programs.

18.     Supports legislation not allowing a school board member to file for re-election if the required 16 hours of board training had not been completed within three years.

19.     Supports legislation allowing the local school district the option to provide a hiring incentive or salary schedule modification to attract/retain teachers based upon demonstrated need for teachers certified in identified shortage subject areas.

20.     Supports the maintenance of a strong Public School Employee Retirement System (PSRS/PEERS).

21.     Supports legislation for increased funding for the use/upgrade of technology in the public schools to. (In particular "two-way interactive television".)

22.     Supports legislation to create educational standards for home-schooled students and institutes procedures for enforcement of those standards.

23.     Supports the affordability/accessibility of healthcare.

24.     Supports legislation to address issues with the PSRS/PEERS COLA Cap.

25.      Opposes legislative/constitutional mandates that would interfere with the local board of education's efforts/responsibilities to operate the school district. (Example: 65% Solution)

26.     Opposes any attempt to change the current non-partisan process for appointing the Commissioner of Education. (As recommended by MO State Government Review Commission.)

27.     Opposes legislation mandating that school districts educate students who have been suspended or expelled.

28.     Opposes legislation restricting school administrators from prior review of student publications.

29.     Opposes legislation forcing non-voluntary school consolidation.

30.     Opposes legislation forcing non-voluntary open enrollment between school districts

31.     Opposes legislation allowing state funding (tax dollars) in the form of vouchers /scholarships/tuition tax credits, for non-public schools.

32.     Opposes legislation creating any new property tax relief programs by freezing, reducing, limiting, eliminating or exempting the current property tax base.

33.     Opposes legislation mandating new programs without appropriating the necessary funds to implement and maintain the programs.

34.     Opposes legislation removing the local board of education authority to set salaries/benefits for any member of the district staff.

35.     Opposes legislation restricting/changing the basic governance, policies and services provided by educational support organizations to the local school district (i.e. MSHSAA, MUSIC, etc.).

Federal Issues:

1.         Supports assessments to improve student achievement, but opposes the expansion of testing under No Child Left Behind to grades 9 through 11.

2.         Supports the critical role that career and technical education plays in preparing rural students for the workforce and further education.

3.         Supports the expansion of the definition of a high-need school district to include rural school districts in addition to high-poverty districts, recognizing the unique staffing needs and shortages of geographically isolated districts.

4.         Supports maintaining E-Rate as an element of the Universal Service Fund.

5.         Supports the fulfillment of Congress' promise of mandatory funding of IDEA at 40 percent of the National Average per Pupil Expenditure for every child in special education.

6.         Supports the reimbursement of rural districts for medical expenses attributed to Medicaid eligible students.

7.         Supports the use of poverty indicators in place of census poverty as the measure of student poverty within rural school districts.

8.         Supports the continuation of the Rural Education Achievement Program.

9.         Supports the continued funding of Title I dollars in meeting the needs of poor rural districts.

10.     Supports fully funding of the authorized amounts promised under NCLB.

11.     Supports legislation to repeal the WEP and GPO provisions for Social Security.

12.     Opposes the use of Federal funds to fund private schools through vouchers, scholarships, or tuition tax credits.

13.     Opposes the federal government issuing any un-funded mandates within education.

14.     Opposes legislation that would force mandatory Social Security for new teachers.

(Adopted August 4, 2007/ Revised December 3, 2007)