Gasconade County R-2 School District’s top administrator is closely following Missouri’s spring legislative session again as the 100th General Assembly prepares a state operating budget for fiscal year 2020-21.

Dr. Chuck Garner recently attended the MASA Legislative Forum and on Monday gave R-2 Board of Education directors an written update.

Garner noted under “Funding update” that Gov. Mike Parson has requested $10 million to be added to the Foundation Formula to keep the SAT at its current level and an additional $10 million to be added to transportation.

“(This) will still leave transportation reimbursement dramatically underfunded,” Garner’s report noted.

He provided directors with a list of both legislative concerns and bills to be watched as the 100th General Assembly conducts its final session, which concludes the two-year election cycle. Session ends in May.

Legislative concerns include:

• Reading intervention plan bill which mandates a prescriptive program.

• Charter school expansion — taking all power away from state BOE, affecting potential loss of accountability and funding reductions.

• Education savings accounts: “vouchers called by a different name.” Statewide concerns the same (accountability, special interest financial benefits).

• School board elections moving to November and having one for four seats and then, two years later, one for three seats. Concerns are potential of making this a political partisan position.

• School start date (taking away local control — current legislation already has).

• A+ funding for dual credit courses.

Garner reported he made contact with State Sen. Cindy O’Lauflin (chair of the education committee), Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz’s office, State Rep. Tom Hurst, Sen. Mike Bernskoetter — who introduced SB 660  — and Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe.

“I plan on following up with another meeting on the process of SB 660,” Garner notes in his report.

Bills to be watched:

• Charter Expansion bills in many forms including tax credit (scholarship) multiple bills).

• Internet Sales Tax —SB 529: Caps on Property Assessments (multiple bills).

• Academic performance standards and learning standards to include instruction on the use and effects of vaping (HB 1808).

• Requirement the state board develop a Career and Tech education certificate (HB 1868). If DESE has additional money after the Foundation Formula is funded it would then be moved to Transportation instead of returning to General Revenue.

• SB 528: Allow schools on a 4-day week to start school earlier than statute allows.

• HB 1636: Caps on Property Assessment, multiple bills.

Garner will be attending the Missouri/Kansas Superintendent Forum Feb. 27-28 and a Missouri Association of School Administrators budget workshop March 11. He expects to have updated numbers for directors for their upcoming R-2 budget workshop which was scheduled Monday for March 24.  The district’s fiscal year runs from July 1 to the following June 30.