One Petition Delivered, One Petition Fails

The deadline for initiative petitions was May 4.  Teach Great, an organization created by Rex Sinquefield, has turned in signatures to put its initiative petition on the November ballot which would eliminate teacher tenure in Missouri.  The anti-education group has indicated that they have more than 275,000 signatures which is well over the 160,000 minimum needed to put the issue on the ballot.

The proposal would limit certified contracts to three years and would base employment decisions on student achievement.

If approved by voters in November of 2014, the proposal would take effect in July of 2015.  At that time, school districts would need to develop evaluation standards which would rely on “quantifiable student performance data as measured by objective criteria” which would be used in “retaining, promoting, demoting, dismissing, removing, discharging and setting compensation for certified staff”.

This is an amendment to the Missouri Constitution and must be approved by a simple majority of voters.  Once approved, it can not be modified by the Missouri General Assembly.

Teach Great paid for the signatures to be collected.  MASA is opposed to this petition.

Another petition that was being circulated by the Missouri Catholic Conference did not gather enough signatures to put a tax credit program for private schools on the ballot.  This petition would have provided tax credits for individuals who donated to private or public school foundations.

The group relied upon volunteers to solicit the signatures.  A spokesman for the group told the Associated Press that they would try again in 2016.

Another petition was delivered to the Secretary of State’s office that would allow a six-week voting period for state and national elections.

Elections officials have until early August to verify petition signatures.

http://www.masaonline.org/vnews/display.v/ART/537283f012124