JC/DC ACTION ALERT: the Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program

** PLACED ON CALENDAR FOR COMMITTEE HEARING** Please Contact the House Ways and Means Committee now!

SB 160 has been placed on the Senate Ways and Means Calendar.

SB 160 would establish the Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program.

The Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program is a particular concern for PTA because this program would create an account that would allow taxpayers to make a qualifying contribution to an educational assistance organization and claim a tax credit, as described in the act. The tax credit is for one hundred percent of the amount of the contribution. The tax credit may be carried forward for four years and may be transferred, sold, or assigned. The scholarships will be used in private schools effectively creating a voucher system in Missouri.

Missouri PTA encourages you to send emails the Senate Ways and Means Committee to let them know your feelings on this bill.

Dear Senators,

The Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program is not good for students and parents, taxpayers and Missouri’s public schools for the following reasons:

Irresponsible expansion of tax credits when the state is facing massive shortfalls in the current budget.

This is a voucher in a bad disguise. This bill attempts to funnel public funds to private schools and home schools. It also allows these funds to be spent on for-profit schools, including virtual schools, with no oversight. This bill is not about seeking quality education for students. This bill is not about choice but about killing public education as we know it, with no assurances that education will be delivered at all.

Lack of financial oversight of the schools receiving the funds. There is no accountability required of the schools receiving these funds. These entities are not required to be located in Missouri or governed by Missouri residents. These entities can be for-profit institutions created solely to earn money off of the backs of Missouri students. They could be fly-by-night organizations that deliver no actual education, but profit at the expense of Missouri taxpayers.

Lack of educational oversight of the schools receiving the funds. These schools are not required to administer the MAP, identify or educate students with disabilities, or be accredited by any organization. Missouri tax dollars will be spent for students to be taught by teachers without certification or the specialized knowledge to identify learning disabilities, dyslexia, etc. The teachers and education providers receiving the funds are not even required to undergo a criminal background check. Missouri tax dollars could be spent on services and therapies that are not educationally sound. The bill states that a school “shall not be required to alter its creed, practices, admissions policy, or curriculum in order to accept students” under a scholarship, which means students with disabilities could be denied enrollment and students with disabilities can be refused specialized education. Schools could deny enrollment based on economic status or grades.

Expands education beyond the age of 21. Unlike free public education, which expires once the student turns 21 or graduates high school, parents and students may continue to receive these scholarships indefinitely as long as the student does not complete high school or passes a test for admission to college. 166.705.2

Please oppose SB 160 by voting no.

Sincerely,

You name and PTA

Not sure how to contact the Ways and Means Committee? Click here

Carla Wiese

President Elect

Missouri PTA

NEWS: CloroxPro Seeks Nominations for Champions of Clean Contest

CloroxPro Launches Champions of Clean National Contest

Contest celebrates commercial cleaning professionals on the front lines who go above and beyond to help keep facilities clean and healthy.

PLEASANTON, Calif., Jan. 8, 2019: CloroxPro announces the Champions of Clean contest encouraging facility managers and cleaning professionals to nominate themselves or someone they know who goes above and beyond to create clean and healthy environments that building staff and patrons can trust. The contest will run from January 8 through February 20, 2019, and winners will be notified in early March. CloroxPro will announce the winners this spring.

Cleaning professionals play a critical role in enabling clean and healthy shared spaces, like schools, hospitals and offices and everywhere in between. In places like these where clean means everything, their work means everything.

In recognition of their efforts, two winners – one from a healthcare facility and one from a commercial facility – will receive a three-night vacation for two to New York City, Orlando, Las Vegas or Nashville. The person who nominated each winner will also win a home technologies prize package.

“Cleaning professionals and their teams work hard all year long to keep facilities clean and healthy, facing a lot of pressure to do more with less, but still do the job right,” said Brad Ferris, Brand Engagement Lead – Marketing, CloroxPro. “During cold, flu and norovirus season when they’re faced with more than everyday messes and routine germs, their work takes on even greater urgency. We hope this contest gives facility managers, cleaning professionals and their colleagues a chance to acknowledge this hard work and say thank you for everything they do to help keep us healthy throughout the tough winter illness season and beyond.”

CloroxPro is launching the Champions of Clean contest to celebrate cleaning professionals who are on the front lines of cold, flu and norovirus season, embody the where clean means everything motto and put it all on the line each year to maintain clean and healthy environments.

To nominate an outstanding cleaning professional, view current nominees or find more information on the Champions of Clean contest, visit www.CloroxProChampionsofClean.com and follow @CloroxPro and #ChampionsOfClean on Twitter. For contest details, see the Official Rules.

About CloroxPro
Building on a century-long legacy in cleaning and disinfecting, CloroxPro offers some of the industry’s most recognized and trusted brand names for commercial cleaning, including its Clorox Healthcare products and technologies for healthcare facilities. Whether it is schools, offices, restaurants, hotels, hospitals or other commercial facilities, CloroxPro is committed to meeting the demands of industry professionals. For more information, visit www.CloroxPro.com or follow @CloroxPro on Twitter.