Missouri Association of School Administrators

Each year, the MASA Legislative Committee meets during the summer and fall to draft a proposed legislative platform for the new session of the Missouri General Assembly. This proposed platform is submitted to the MASA membership for approval at the MASA business meeting which is held during the MSBA Fall Conference at Tan-Tar-A.

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Printable Platform

Legislative Priorities for 2007-08

Missouri public school administrators have been working diligently to improve student learning.  As a result, we believe the public schools are better than ever.  Student achievement has improved steadily, and more students are completing school with the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed than at any time in the history of this country.  In an effort to continue this improvement, MASA proposes four key areas of need to strengthen Missouri public schools and to build upon the progress of recent years.

Early Childhood Education:  Quality “Parents as Teachers” and preschool programs have proven to be effective in preparing students for entry into kindergarten.  MASA supports funding for school-sponsored preschool programs and a funding mechanism for Parents as Teachers which will provide additional funds for serving high risk children.  MASA supports expanding the Kindergarten Plus program.

Collective Bargaining:  MASA supports legislation that will define the parameters by which employees may collectively bargain.  These parameters include: (1) establishing the Board of Education as the decision making body on any issue that may reach an impasse between administration and a bargaining group; (2) identifying issues and topics which may be the subject of bargaining negotiations; (3) establishing a process that does not exclude any teacher organization; (4) setting stringent and significant penalties for anyone participating in a school strike; and (5) defining “good faith bargaining”.

Modernization of Public Schools:  MASA supports legislation that will provide students with access to state-of-the art schools including:  (1) creating a state-funded pool for providing facility replacement and/or improvement assistance; (2) increasing the bonding capacity for school districts; (3) providing additional funding for technology, MOREnet, math and science equipment, Safe Schools grants and alternative education programs; and  (4) allowing voters to approve bond issues with a simple majority.

Special Assistance for Priority Schools:  MASA supports a process under the leadership of DESE by which provisionally accredited and unaccredited school districts are evaluated by an outside team of education experts and a roadmap for improvement is prepared and mandated to be implemented.  MASA supports state funding assistance for the mandated improvements.

School Funding MASA believes that funding the public schools is the most important and the most complicated issue facing state leadership and local educators today.

MASA supports:

• Providing adequate and equitable funding for public schools to meet state and federal program requirements;
• Reducing the cost of school transportation through tax exemptions on bus fuel and funding the transportation categorical at 75% of the allowable costs;
• Increasing the minimum teacher’s salary;
• Reducing the state auditor fees for registration of district bond issues;
• Providing additional input for school districts on tax abatement proposals and placing restrictions on the use of tax increment financing for residential developments;
• Modifying the Circuit Breaker law to increase the number of eligible participants; and
• Providing additional resources for county assessors.

MASA opposes:

• Diverting state funds from the public schools by any means including tuition tax credits/vouchers;
• Mandating open enrollment of students;
• Expanding Charter schools;
• Mandating programs without appropriating the necessary funds to implement and sustain the programs; and
• Imposing property tax freezes or limits.

School Governance MASA believes that Missouri’s educational goals can best be achieved within the framework of a governance system in which elected community representatives have final authority over policies and practices directly affecting teaching and learning.
MASA supports:

• Maintaining the Board of Education’s local control of school districts and the education programs it provides;
• Amending Chapter 213, RSMo to eliminate claims of liability filed against individual employees and school board members when named parties in an employment action;
• Maintaining the current structure and governance of the Missouri State High School Activities Association;
• Maintaining safe transportation for students through compartmentalization practices;
• Maintaining local control of employment related decisions;
• Maintaining local control of student educational and disciplinary decisions; and
• Maintaining the current process for appointing the Commissioner of Education.

MASA opposes:

• Forcing consolidation of school districts; and
• Limiting the ability of school districts to seek civil, equitable and other legal remedies.

This Legislative Platform was approved at the MASA Business Meeting held Friday, October 26, 2007.