Missouri lawmakers returned to Jefferson City to kick off the second regular session of the 101st General Assembly. House leaders are furiously referring bills and noticing up hearings. The House Committee on Elementary and Secondary Education will tackle some of the more controversial bills that focus on parental rights in public schools, election recall provisions for school boards, and curriculum implementation related to critical race theory.

On the other hand, the Missouri Senate spent its first two days in session engaged in a filibuster that allowed for the airing of grievances related to inter-party frustrations leftover from 2021. Amid an atmosphere of dread, many lawmakers and lobbyists privately acknowledged that this session might be riddled with acrimony. For the first few weeks, expect legislators to focus on passing a new congressional map and a supplemental budget that includes spending authority for federal stimulus dollars dedicated to education.

Kansas lawmakers will return to Topeka next week with a record balance of $4.2 billion in the State General Fund. With tax revenues drastically exceeding estimates every month this fiscal year, expect to see some tension around how to spend that money.

Governor Laura Kelly has cautioned the Legislature not to overspend this session, warning that much of the excess revenue was one-time federal stimulus dollars that came to Kansas during the pandemic. She has, however, proposed a $900 million tax cut plan that includes the elimination of Kansas’ 6.5% sales tax on food. That is estimated to cost the state $450 million. The proposal also includes spending the other $445 million on a $250 per taxpayer bonus. The Governor’s State of the State address will be on Tuesday, January 11 at 6:30 p.m.

Other issues on the horizon include reapportionment of congressional districts and state legislative districts, vaccine mandates, Medicaid expansion, and expansion of school choice provisions.

Our priorities for 2022 focus on three key areas:

• Early Care and Education with an emphasis on system infrastructure, funding equity, and quality improvements;
• Teachers Shortages with an emphasis on alternative certifications and pay flexibility;
• Individualized Learning with an emphasis on competency-based credits.

We have identified three main problem areas that we recommend the Missouri General Assembly address.

Current Pre-K funding is insufficient to serve students.

Through our research over the interim, we learned that 66% of Missouri LEAs are not using available state aid due to utilization hardships that have resulted in inequity among districts and charters.

Our solutions:

• Increase the funding thresholds in the state aid calculation
• Offer public schools early childhood start-up grants
• Ease the process to blend and braid funds

Teacher certification not keeping pace with demand

For example, DESE issued seven teaching certificates for physics in 2019, while at the same time, there are 256 educators teaching physics without subject certification. Currently, 1,165 Missouri educators are teaching subjects they are not certified to teach. Specifically, demand exceeds supply in physics, biology, mathematics, general science, earth science, and chemistry.

Our solutions:

• Amend the Visiting Scholars legislation to allow the State Board of Education to grant temporary teaching certificates for hard-to-fill subject areas and hard-to-staff schools
• Allow schools to pay teachers based on expertise by giving school districts the authority to create differentiated salary schedules.

Missouri awards credits based on seat time

Counting the hours students spend in a "seat" locks them into constrained learning environments.

Our solution:

• Create a competency-based education task force to study the issue and fund a competency-based grant program for districts and charters. We believe course completion based on student achievement will drive greater academic outcomes for Missouri learners.

Click here to see the current status of Aligned Priority legislation.

Our priorities for 2022 focus on two key areas:

• Early Care and Education with an emphasis on system infrastructure, funding equity, and quality improvements

• College and Career education expansion for all students by removing barriers and awarding credit for real-world learning experiences

Aligned supports legislation designed to ensure equitable access to quality childcare for all Kansas children by expanding childcare subsidies.

High-quality childcare and healthy kids are critical to the future of Kansas. When parents know their children are in a safe environment, they can focus on learning and work. In addition, quality early care and education help children establish self-sufficiency, boost local economies, and lift children out of poverty.

Kansas lawmakers and other stakeholders have acknowledged that now is the time to make significant changes to our child welfare system to keep more families together.

Our solution:

• Expanded access to childcare and food assistance is a massive step in the right direction. Passing new legislation can help Kansas children thrive in the short term and ensure responsible stewardship of Kansas taxpayer money.

Youth Education and Development

Aligned supports legislation that expands college and career education opportunities for all Kansas students.

Our Solutions:

• Awarding credits based on mastery and experiences

Aligned supports legislation which expands liability protections for real-

world learning programs in Kansas high schools by protecting employers and

businesses from liability when hosting students for real-world learning

programs.

• Expansion of apprenticeship programs

Aligned supports legislation/regulation expanding Kansas apprenticeship

programs, including a bachelor’s degree at completion.

Aligned co-founder, current board member, and chairman of U.S. Engineering Tyler Nottberg penned an open letter asking business leaders and individuals to honor front-line workers on Wednesday, January 19th at 7:00 p.m. with a full five minutes of joyful noise.

"As business leaders, we know that community health is what makes it possible for us to operate our businesses, serve our customers, and ensure that our employees can provide for their families. The work you are doing each day makes that possible. So we are saying THANK YOU for doing more than just your job. THANK YOU for working longer hours, covering for co-workers, and being beacons of hope in all our community."

Click here to read the rest of Tyler's statement and sign the support letter.

We are grateful for Tyler's leadership and community spirit.

All our best,

Torree Pederson

President

Aligned

Torree@WeAreAligned.org

(913) 484-4202

Linda Rallo

Vice President

Aligned

Linda@WeAreAligned.org

(314) 330-8442