Senate Approves Student Transfer Measure

The Missouri Senate spent a substantial amount of time this week debating Senate Bill 1, which deals with unaccredited districts and the state’s school transfer law. The measure is a combination of bills from various senators from both caucuses that were rolled into one piece of legislation during the committee process. Together, the proposals aim to finally resolve the ongoing problems associated with the transfer law and how the state deals with unaccredited districts.

Lawmakers spent multiple days vetting each section of the bill and how it would affect not only those specific areas dealing with transfer issues, but all school districts throughout the state. While there were moments of frustration, an unavoidable symptom of dealing with such a massive problem, lawmakers remained committed to crafting the best possible bipartisan solution we can. This is no small feat.

When tackling this issue, we’re dealing with three main parties that are heavily invested in the outcome: the parents and students; the unaccredited districts; and the receiving districts. The students who are not receiving a quality education are our primary concern. For almost three years, these children have been caught in a legal limbo between the State Board of Education’s actions and subsequent court rulings on those efforts. That can’t continue.

Then, we have the unaccredited districts, which are faced with trying to address the problems that led to the loss of accreditation while paying tuition for students who have transferred to another school. And, there is the problem of unaccredited schools in general, an issue the state has struggled with for a long time.

Finally, we have the receiving schools, tasked with accepting an influx of students that the district is not prepared to handle. This puts an incredible amount of pressure on those schools, from the need for more teachers to increased space to accommodate a larger student-body.

Finding a solution is in many ways a balancing act between the interests of all those groups. As we saw last year, it takes a great deal of debate, and a willingness to compromise, to pass legislation that addresses all of these issues.

By the end of the week, after countless hours discussing the bill both on and off the floor, the Senate approved Senate Bill 1. The legislation allows charter schools in any county with an unaccredited or provisionally accredited district; permits receiving schools to set class-size ratios; single-building accreditation; creates the School Transfer and Improvement Task Force to continue monitoring the transfer situation and make recommendations to help failing schools; clarifies the intervention powers of the State Board of Education; creates more opportunities for students to utilize virtual education programs; and various provisions to support student achievement through training, tutoring and promotion programs.

I was proud to work with my colleagues on such a pressing matter. All lawmakers recognize the importance of education, which is why we invested so much time and energy into creating a piece of legislation that truly addresses the root of these problems and will give parents in unaccredited districts the peace of mind that their children will have every opportunity to receive a world-class education.