Missouri Governor Approves Education Legislation | KSNF/KODE

Missouri Governor Mike Parson signed two pieces of legislation today that will have a significant impact on teachers in the state. House Bill 2287 and Senate Bill 727 will permanently raise starting pay for teachers and ensure consistent raises year after year. Additionally, there will be increased funding for head start programs.

While the Joplin School Board initially urged the governor to veto the bill, board president Rylee Hartwell now expresses full support for the teacher pay increases. However, Hartwell does have concerns about some aspects of the legislation, particularly the Education Savings Account tax credit program, which he believes could harm public education in the long run.

Hartwell argues that the MOScholars Program, part of SB 727, is essentially a school voucher program disguised as a tax credit. He believes that diverting tax dollars to private schools could negatively impact public schools’ ability to provide quality education for all students.

Governor Parson, on the other hand, emphasizes the positive aspects of the legislation, such as salary increases for all Missouri teachers, increased funding for early childhood education programs, and the establishment of various scholarship and grant programs to support educators.

Overall, the signing of these bills represents a significant step towards improving teacher pay and education funding in Missouri. However, the debate over the potential impact of certain provisions continues among education stakeholders.