Jefferson City, MO. On Tuesday, the Missouri Senate Education and Workforce Development Committee spent time on Senate Bill 5.
Senator Andrew Koenig of Manchester says this measure seeks to allow the enrollment of nonresident students in public school districts:
The bill would create the Parent Public School Choice Fund, pulling $60 million from state appropriations.
Information was given during the hearing by Susan Pendergrass of the Show Me Institute, a conservative think-tank based in St. Louis, and Dr. Sean Kirksy, superintendent of the Camdenton School District, who returned to the school in 2021 after agreeing to leave the position of Camdenton middle school principal in 2013 following state assessment testing issues.
Multiple pro-charter speakers stood as witnesses for the bill such as lobbyist Tricia Workman of the Missouri Charter Public school association and Tashayla Person of the Quality Schools coalition. Witnesses against the bill included Gail Griswold of the Camdenton School district board of education and Mike Wood of the Missouri State Teachers Association.
Senator Doug Beck of St. Louis, who also serves on the Missouri Senate Education and Workforce Development Committee, talks about changes made to the education foundation funding formula:
Committee action has not yet been taken on Senate Bill 5.
