March 14, 2024

Missouri senators took up one of the bigger bills to be considered this session. This week, Senate Bill 727 was discussed, and ultimately, sent to the Missouri House of Representatives for consideration. This is a comprehensive education bill that could make major changes that would impact education in Missouri for years to come.

One of the provisions of the bill address Missouri’s Career Ladder program. This program is organized to encourage teachers to remain as teachers by providing opportunities for increased responsibility and compensation. Currently, public school teachers become eligible after two years of public school teaching in Missouri. This bill would waive the two-year requirement for a teacher who has served in the Armed Services, or whose spouse has served, has teaching experience in another state and has transferred to our state.

Another is teacher pay. If SB 727 were to become law, a teacher's base salary would rise based on experience, starting in the 2025-’26 school year. Good teachers are crucial, and this raise would go a long way to keeping them in our classrooms and finding the next generation of instructors for our future.

Our annual mid-session recess is underway. I am looking forward to spending time in the district and preparing for the final nine weeks of the 2024 regular legislative session.

This week’s visitors to the Capitol

Benton County 4-H
 Lexi Wynn, Alyssa Boyd, Sen. Crawford, Henry Adler,
 Amelia Roberts, Jesse Hash, Alia Hill and Connor Roberts

Senator Crawford and Miss Missouri Teen USA
 Agriculture Amelia Roberts (Benton County)

Travis Elliott received a gubernatorial appointment as
 a member of the State Fair Commission.
 Back row: Roua Elliott, Travis Elliott, Hadley Elliott,
 Kathy Elliott, Hollie Elliott and Sen. Crawford
 Front row: Hudson Elliott, Emerson Elliott and Sawyer Elliott

Senator Crawford, Benton County Superintendent
 Scott Gemes and Benton County Assistant
 Superintendent Shannon Deckard

Osceola Superintendent Troy Lentz and Sen. Crawford

Morrisville Senior Class (Polk County) with Sen. Crawford

Sarah Grupe, Sen. Crawford, New Orleans Saints Kicker
 Blake Grupe and Brad Grupe (Pettis County)

I am honored to serve as your senator in the Missouri Senate. If, at any time, you have questions, concerns or ideas regarding state government, please feel free to contact me at 573-751-8793 or Sandy.Crawford@senate.mo.gov.

If you would like to unsubscribe to this Capitol Report, please contact: Chrissy Bondurant