Weekly Update

April 14, 2023

Four days versus more days

Missouri Democratic Senator Doug Beck believes children should be in school five days a week and is taking legislative steps to ensure that districts in higher population areas can't implement a four-day week without a vote of the people. Beck was quoted in a Missourinet article saying, "I think the more contact we have, students have with their teachers, like 174 days compared to 142 days, is critical to learning.” He believes the 4-day week contributes to learning loss. Beck added his amendment to SB 411.

His colleague across the the aisle, Republican Senator Cindy O'Laughlin agrees. She told Missourinet, “One of the great topics of the day that seems to not be talked about is the continuing decline in the outcomes of our education system. We continue to spend more money on it, and we continue to have a downward trend in reading and math and the things that people need to know when they graduate from school.”

More than 1,600 schools nationwide have implemented shortened weeks in an effort to cut costs and recruit staff who prefer a more flexible schedule. However, recent studies have shown that cuts in instructional time have a negative impact on student achievement. Paul Thompson, a public policy research professor at Oregon State University, told Education Week that “Low time in school in conjunction with the four-day school week appears to be extremely problematic for academic achievement and school districts and states should be cognizant of these negative consequences.”

The Independence School District board voted to adopt a four-day week starting in the fall of 2023, making ISD the largest Missouri district to implement this policy. Students will have an extended school day to ensure that instructional time remains unchanged. Superintendent Dale Herl reported that the change has already improved teacher recruitment. He told KCUR that applications had increased 530% since the district announced the move to a shorter week.

Stay tuned on the progress of SB 411.

Editor's take: We have more students than ever who receive instruction from either substitutes or inappropriately credentialed teachers. Educator pay in Missouri is among the nation's lowest. Districts need tools to recruit. If we cannot raise teacher pay then perhaps we need flexible work environments as an option to recruit staff.

Senator Bill Eigel (R-St. Charles) and Senator Lauren Arthur (D-Kansas City) faced off this week over funding policies.

Missouri Update

Don't get mad, get even

With four weeks remaining in the session, floor debate time is becoming a precious commodity. This week, the Senate spent numerous hours debating several bills that were eventually laid over on to the Informal Perfection Calendar because of issue disagreements and personal feuds. Notably, on Tuesday, Senator Bill Eigel brought to the floor SS/SCS/SB 317 relating to creation of a special transportation fund for monies dedicated to rebuilding I-70. Senator Lauren Arthur (D-Clay County) immediately took command of the floor and introduced an amendment relating to child care requirements for road contractors. This was in retaliation of an incident a week ago in which Eigel sidelined a child care tax credit bill sponsored by Arthur, her priority for the session. She then proceeded to read a self-help book entitled “Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?” This lasted the entire afternoon and prompted the Senate to adjourn early. In all, the Senate Third Read and sent to the House only five bills this week.

Frustration with the slow-moving Senate continues to grow with House leadership. It is rumored that on Thursday Speaker Dean Plocher met with his committee chairs and instructed them to slow down passage of any additional Senate bills out of committees until the Senate begins to move on some of the House priorities, most notably initiative petition reform. This week, the House Perfected 16 House bills, Third Read 9 House bills and 1 Senate bill.

House Activity this Week

Women's Sports - On Tuesday the House Perfected HB183, sponsored by Rep. Jamie Burger (R-Scott), which establishes the "Save Women's Sports Act" governing athletic competition by gender.

Health Professional Loan Repayment Program - On Thursday the House Perfected HB542, sponsored by Rep. Kent Haden (R-Callaway), which expands the health professional loan repayment incentive program for physicians serving in high-need, rural, or underserved health occupations. The bill also includes a provision removing the cap on the Nursing Education Incentive Program.

Transitional Benefits - The House Children & Families Committee passed SB82, sponsored by Rep. Mary Elizabeth Coleman (R-Jefferson), which establishes a transitional benefits program for SNAP/TANF participants exceeding the maximum allowable income. The House companion, HB719, sponsored by Rep. Alex Riley (R-Greene), which includes 12 month postpartum coverage, also passed House Fiscal Review.

No Drag Shows - On Thursday the House General Laws Committee passed HB494, sponsored by Rep. Ben Baker (R-Newton), which restricts access to, attendance in, or viewership of adult cabaret performances or sexually oriented business deemed to be of "prurient interest".

Media Literacy & Critical Thinking - On Wednesday the House Elementary & Secondary Education Committee passed HB492, sponsored by Rep. Jim Murphy (R-St. Louis Co), which establishes the "media literacy and critical thinking" pilot program in certain Missouri schools.

Retired Teachers - This week Rep. Brad Pollitt (R-Sedalia) amended HB155 and HB934 (both retirement-related omnibus bills) to include language extending the length of time retired teachers can be employed by school districts beyond retirement.

Education Stabilization Fund - On Wednesday the House Elementary & Secondary Education Committee passed HB901, sponsored by Rep. Brad Pollitt (R-Sedalia), which establishes the "education stabilization fund" and provides authority to the General Assembly to transfer excess revenue to a fund established to provide additional education funding in the event of any shortfall

Senate Activity this Week

Lead Testing - On Wednesday the Senate Health & Welfare Committee heard SB507, sponsored by Sen. Elaine Gannon (R-Jefferson), which modifies practices governing lead testing in children under the age of 6.

Do Not Resuscitate - On Tuesday the Senate began initial debate on SB228, sponsored by Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman (R-Jefferson), which allows a minor to authorize a do not resuscitate directive with parental consent. During debate, amendments were offered which include:

Patient Examinations - Sen. Lauren Arthur (D-Clay) successfully added language prohibiting any anal, vaginal, prostate, or pelvic examination to be performed on an unconscious individual without prior written consent.
COVID-19 Vaccination Status - Sen. Jill Carter (R-Newton) successfully added language prohibiting any health care institution or professional receiving state funding from refusing care to any patient based solely on COVID-19 vaccination status.
COVID-19 Vaccination - Sen. Jill Carter (R-Newton) successfully added language prohibiting any COVID-19 or mRNA vaccine from being added to the schedule of required vaccinations for public school attendance.
Childcare Tax Credits - On Tuesday the Senate began initial debate on SB413, sponsored by Sen. Denny Hoskins (R-Johnson), a tax incentive omnibus bill. During debate, Sen. Lauren Arthur (D-Clay) successfully amended the language to include the childcare tax credit programs before the bill was laid over for future debate.

4 Day School Weeks - Sen. Doug Beck (D-St. Louis Co) was on a roll this week amending legislation to require metropolitan school districts wishing to transition to a 4 day school week to place the policy on the ballot for consideration by voters before enactment. On Tuesday he successfully added this language to SB411, sponsored by Sen. Ben Brown (R-Franklin), an educational activity participation omnibus bill which was later Third Read 32-2 and sent to the House for consideration.

Equal Custody - On Tuesday the Senate Perfected SB129, sponsored by Sen. Rick Brattin (R-Cass), which establishes a rebuttable presumption in determinations of child custody disputes and requires an initial arrangement of 50/50 custody between parents.

Mental Health Excused Absences - On Thursday the Senate Third Read SB122, sponsored by Sen. Karla May (D-St. Louis City), which creates provisions excusing school absences of students for mental or behavioral health concerns after receipt of documentation from a mental health professional.

Budget Update

The House Budget Committee finished work on HB's 17, 18, 19, and 20, which relate to capital improvements, supplemental spending, and ARPA programs, and we expect the bills to be debated by the House early next week. Meanwhile, the Senate Appropriations Committee will take up their versions of regular budget bills on Monday and Tuesday, likely voting them out on Wednesday and sending them to the full floor for debate the week of the 24th. As a reminder, the budget must be Truly Agreed between chambers by May 5.

Tidbits

The New York Times developed an infographic outlining how social services programs responded to the the COVID-19 pandemic
Hands-on experience helps college students stand out in the career search
A new study says LGBTQ+ youth are more than twice as likely to suffer from sleep issues
How crime and childcare shortages are affecting Missouri's businesses
A report from the National Federation of Independent Businesses says labor quality and workforce talent are hindering small businesses in MO
Ford Motor Company says its Missouri-build F-150 is the most-exported pickup truck from an American automotive manufacturer
BJC Healthcare is expanding its free gun lock program throughout the St. Louis Region due to increase in gun-related child injuries
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey announced new limits on medical providers and the gender affirming care process for children and adults

Upcoming Hearings / Action

Free School Meals - On Tuesday the Senate Education & Workforce Development Committee will hear SB321, sponsored by Sen. Angela Moseley (D-St. Louis Co), which requires all public schools to provide free breakfasts and lunches in the state of Missouri
Early Childhood Education Funding - On Tuesday the Senate Education & Workforce Development Committee will hear SB495, sponsored by Sen. Karla Eslinger (R-Ozark), which modifies provisions relating to state funding of early childhood education programs

Read our full legislative report for the week of April 14th.

Status Report - Aligned Priorities

Senate committee to hear Pre-K funding bill

Early Childhood

Next week, the Senate Committee on Education and Workforce Development will hear SB 495 (Eslinger), a bill that expands the current funding provisions for Pre-K to allow districts and charter schools to provide voluntary, free to all free- and reduced-lunch students.

HB 870 (Shields), a bill that includes multiple child care related tax credit provisions, was referred to the Senate Committee on Governmental Accountability which is chaired by Senator Karla Eslinger.

School Finance

HB 901 (Pollitt), a bill that allows the Governor to transfer any excess revenues into an education stabilization fund, was voted out of the House Committee on Elementary and Secondary Education.

Read the update for all Aligned Missouri priorities

Kansas Update

An update on where things stand

The Kansas Legislature left for a two-week spring break last Friday, officially adjourning the regular part of the 2023 Legislative Session just after 4:00 a.m. Lawmakers had a busy week of conference committees and floor debate, but left several larger items for the Veto Session, including education funding and tax policy.

The key to First Adjournment, however, was passing the main budget bill. When legislators return for the wrap-up session on April 26, they will have received the April Consensus Revenue Estimating Group’s new revenue projections and can make any adjustments in the “omnibus” budget at that time.

Despite what was left on the Veto Session table, a few big pieces of legislation were approved and are headed to the Governor’s desk. Below are highlights from last week, as well as an update where other key bills stand right now.

Bills moving this week include:

Workforce Education

The Legislature sent SB 123 to the Governor on last week, which contains several key education and workforce provisions. Specifically, the bill does the following:

Creates the Kansas Adult Learner Grant Act (Adult Learner Act) which establishes up to a $3,000 grant per semester based on household income for Kansans 25 years or older to assist with costs associated with obtaining a degree in a high need field of study such as education, science, or healthcare.

Creates the Workforce retention incentive income tax credit for $1,500 for graduates who stay in Kansas or serve in the military for 2 years post-graduation.

Establish the Career and Technical Education Credential and Transition Incentive for Employment Success Act which requires school districts to pay for 9th-12th students seeking an industry sought credentialing test.

Address the residency status of veterans, their spouses, and dependents regarding postsecondary tuition and fees.

Amends the Kansas Promise Scholarship Act to include the additional fields of study of Information technology and security, mental and physical health care, advanced manufacturing and building trades and early childhood education.

K-12 Education Funding

On Thursday, by a vote of 17-20 the Senate voted down a much negotiated and debated K-12 school funding bill House Sub for Senate Bill 83. The bill, often described as a school voucher program, proposed to create the Kansas Education Enrichment Program (KEEP). Specifically, the bill would allow for awards/grants for qualified students to receive up to a $1,000 grant for supplemental educational materials or up to 95% of base state aid to attend nonpublic school. The bill also appropriated almost $600 million in additional special education aid. It is expected the bill will be reworked and the topic considered again during the Veto Session.

Childcare Regulatory Reform

A large coalition of both business and healthcare interests are advocating for the Kansas House to debate a bill that would significantly change the regulatory requirements for childcare facilities and care workers in Kansas. Senate Sub for House Bill 2344 passed the Senate by a vote of 21-17. The House concurred with the Senate bill by a vote of 77-46. The Senate still needs to act on the bill during the Veto Session.

See all education bills we are tracking .

The thrill of a skill

Our national affiliate America Succeeds continues to produce tremendous work. We encourage you to read No Worker Left Behind. This report examines key trends in the current workforce climate, the impact of these trends on the talent pipeline, and how we can connect learners and potential workers to thriving career paths.

In this report, America Succeeds provides a wealth of data to underscore the urgency of connecting employers with untapped talent, and recommendations for action to help businesses, policymakers, advocates, educators, and innovators seize this opportunity. They also highlights leaders and models already doing great work in the skills-based hiring space.

We are loving this gorgeous Spring weather. Hope you are too!