Sunday, April 8, 2018
MNEA Call to Action!
ACTION ALERT: PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATOR CONCERNING CHARTER SCHOOL EXPANSION
Dear CMNEA friends,
I share the following link with you about a bill being sponsored by Rep. Rebecca Roeber, from House Dist. 34. Although a retired school teacher from the Raytown School District, her bill- if passed into law, would allow for charter schools to operate across Missouri. As you know, this will hurt many of our school districts in rural areas, as well as take monies away from all public schools.
MNEA takes the stance that charter schools do not have the same standards as public schools follow to ensure the education and protection of the students attending public schools. MNEA would like to see charter schools have the same/similar standards, as well as be held accountable to an elected body such as school boards.
If you are interested in writing to your legislator about this bill or write to oppose this bill, then please feel free to write to your elected official. The link will provide the name. Please write soon.
House majority party leaders have been working recently to urge caucus members to support HB 2247 (Roeber). The bill would allow charter schools to be sponsored by outside entities (other than the local school board) and operate in many districts around the state.
The bill is likely to come up for House floor debate very soon. The Association opposes the bill and asks that you contact your State Representative using the link below.
Guided by the revised MNEA Position Paper on charter schools, the Association believes that charter schools should be sponsored by and accountable to the local community through the elected school board and approved only after an impact study is conducted by the district to consider the proposal. School board sponsorship ensures that the board can plan the use of all school funds and implement the services and programs that meet the needs of all students in the community.
All charter schools should be subject to the same standards of accountability, transparency and respect for the rights of students, parents and staff as are applicable to traditional public schools. HB 2247 does not enact these reforms, and the Association opposes the bill.
ACTION NEEDED: IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY DONE SO, please call, write or use the link below to send an e-mail to urge your State Representative to oppose HB 2247.
The message can be edited, and your message will have GREATER IMPACT if you add your own comments.
New CPS Board Members to be Sworn in April 9th
Susan Blackburn and Teresa Maledy on Monday will be sworn in as new members at the start of the Columbia Board of Education’s monthly meeting, the first new board members since 2014.
Board members will also choose a new president and vice president.
Blackburn and Maledy were the top two vote-getters in Tuesday’s election. Incumbent board President Darin Preis didn’t seek re-election and incumbent Christine King was defeated.
Blackburn and Maledy were asked Friday how they would make their voices heard on a seven-member board.
“I’m not so worried about having my voice heard,” Maledy said. “I’m more interested in learning the nuances of Columbia Public Schools. I’m not concerned with not being heard, I’m more concerned with working with a team.”
Blackburn said she’s ready to get to work on the issues she campaigned on.
“I feel strongly about improving student achievement and improving safety and security in our schools,” she said. “I know other board members share those concerns.”
Research shows early childhood education improves student achievement during a child’s school career. CPS has some pre-kindergarten options for children ages three and four. Early Head Start, through Central Missouri Community Action, is available to children from families with the lowest income, but even then, space is limited.
Maledy has seen the research as a board member with the Cradle to Career Alliance, a not-for-profit organization made up of government officials and business and community leaders focused on improving educational outcomes for local students.
“I think we need to collaborate with different partners in the community,” Maledy said. “I believe Central Missouri Community Action Early Head Start offers the best path forward. Grant Montessori School is another example of a great public-private partnership, though it’s for ages three to five.”
Blackburn praised the strength of Columbia Public Schools’ Title I preschool program, which provides services to low-income families, and other initiatives targeting children before kindergarten.
“We have a strong Parents as Teachers program,” Blackburn said. “We need to find ways to expand these programs for more opportunities to reach preschool-age children.”
Parents as Teachers is a program in which CPS “parent educators” visit the homes of families with young children to track the child’s development.
Board members don’t talk freely about contract negotiations with Columbia Missouri National Education, the teacher’s union, when they’re happening, but before those restrictions are in place, both Blackburn and Maledy said as board members, they will always listen to teachers.
“My whole campaign has been about advocating for better pay and working conditions for teachers,” said Blackburn, a former reading recovery teacher and district coordinator. “I think probably we’ll be able to hear all points of view.”
Maledy during the campaign said attracting and retaining good teachers should be a district priority.
“Compensation is one component of that,” she said. “There’s a really strong relationship between CPS and CMNEA. Our goals are aligned. We have a strong relationship and we need to look for ways to strengthen the relationship.”
April 3rd Election Results
COLUMBIA BOARD OF EDUCATION
3-YEAR TERM, ELECT TWO
Christine King: 4,352
James “Ben” Tilley: 5,565
Tyler Francis Lero: 941
Susan Blackburn: 6,026
Teresa Maledy: 8,161
COLUMBIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOND ISSUE
Yes: 11,868
No: 2,426
Monday, April 2, 2018
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