JEFFERSON CITY, Mo- Today the Missouri General Assembly moved forward in a bipartisan manner to pass the most far-reaching education reform measure in decades. For far too long, thousands of our kids have been trapped in failing school districts with little hope of receiving the education they deserve – offered only the false choice between mediocrity and leaving their community in the hopes of finding a better school. This is a choice no child should have to make. The status quo was simply unacceptable. However, I am pleased to say that with the passage of Senate Bill 493, we have provided a path forward that includes accountability for failing districts and a window of opportunity for kids to receive a quality education close to home.
Back in February, I called on the State Board of Education to recognize the Legislature’s prerogative to set public policy and to be mindful of its own statutory limitations before potentially moving forward with plans to make superficial, cosmetic changes to Missouri’s accreditation system. These changes could have simply called failure by another name and would have consigned yet another generation of Missouri’s kids to a substandard education.
To its credit, the State Board postponed plans to move forward with any such policy change, looking to the Legislature to lead on this issue. I am pleased to report that with the passage of this groundbreaking bill, we have done just that.
Yet scarcely before the ink was dry on this new proposal, which was the product of months of fruitful bipartisan efforts and countless hours of debate in the House and Senate, there are signals that the governor is hearing from the educational establishment groups that are asking him to veto it. These are the same groups whose answer to the problem is always more of the status quo. They have offered no solutions, yet they are attempting to pressure the governor to veto the Legislature’s hard work.
To be clear, the Legislature has fulfilled its promise to Missouri’s children. We have set forth a common-sense policy to give direction on this important issue and having done so, there is no room for the governor’s eight unelected members of the State Board of Education to substitute their judgment for the collective wisdom of an elected Legislature — regardless of the governor’s decision on a veto.
Additionally, I have grave concerns about talk of a special session should a veto occur. There is no reason to expect that the Legislature could improve upon the bill we just passed, which is the culmination of months of bipartisan negotiation.
There are few endeavors as worthwhile as providing children in our state an opportunity to receive a quality education. The passage of Senate Bill 493 is a significant step in this direction. I look forward to working with the governor and the State Board of Education as we move forward to implement this legislation. The governor, who led so effectively during last year’s special session in an attempt to bring jobs to Missouri, is the same governor I ask to now join us in the important mission of providing a quality education for all of Missouri’s children.
Senate Leader Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles
###
