JC/DC ACTION ALERT: Vouchers & Charter School Expansion
Time sensitive action needed! Missouri PTA needs you contact your Senator now and ask them to OPPOSE Vouchers and Charter School Expansion without accountability!
Missouri PTA is opposed to SB 581, SB 525, and SB 292!
SB 581
This Bill is known as the “Show Me a Brighter Future Scholarship Program” and gives school vouchers to low-income students to attend private schools. The bill pays for the scholarships by offering tax credits to people or corporations that make contributions to the scholarship fund. Missouri PTA and other public-school advocates are opposed to voucher programs as they divert funding from public education and lack oversight and accountability that public schools offer to all students.
SB 515 & SB 292
These bills work to expand Charter schools without ensuring that those schools are held accountable and run by a board of locally elected individuals. Missouri PTA opposes expansion of Charter Schools without public accountability, inequitable enrollment practices, unaddressed performance issues.
Missouri PTA advocates are called to ensure your senators understand that you are paying attention and that these issues are important to you!
ACTION NEEDED: PLEASE CALL OR E-MAIL and urge your State Senator to oppose SB 581, SB 515, and SB 292 and all Vouchers and Charter expansion programs that lack oversight, accountability, and divert public education funding!
MOPTA Advocates are invited to utilize the letter below to guide your calls, emails, and social media contact with your lawmaker(s).
Dear Senator,
As a community, we prioritize the education standards of our kids. We have evaluation standards that must be met for public schools to remain accredited and we oppose efforts to divert funding from public education.
SB 581 gives school vouchers to low-income students to attend private schools and pays for the scholarships by offering tax credits to people or corporations that make contributions to the scholarship fund. Missouri PTA and other public-school advocates are opposed to voucher programs as they divert funding from public education and lack oversight and accountability that public schools offer to all students. This would allow for the potential for children to not have the quality of education they receive in Missouri public schools. SB 581 “Show Me a Brighter Future Scholarship Act” is not good for students and parents, taxpayers and Missouri’s public schools and is a voucher in a bad disguise.
SB 292 and SB 525 Charter School expansion bill would expand Charter Schools without vital performance requirements, efficiency and fiscally efficient practices, public accountability and equitable enrollment for ALL children. Under SB 292 & SB 525, Charter Schools receive special treatment and applying students can be turned away for any reason. These bills attempt to funnel public funds to private schools that lack of financial and educational oversight.
Under both bills, these schools could be controlled by non-public organizations and sponsored by outside entities. These schools would not have to be held to the same evaluation standards public schools are held.
Please support our children and our public schools by OPPOSING SB 581, SB 525, and SB 292!
Sincerely,
Your name and PTA
Not sure how to contact your state legislators? Click here and insert your street address or 9-digit zip code.
Kristina Wilmoth
Vice President & Director of Legislation and Advocacy
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I Support Public Schools! Join me and contact your Senator now and ask them to OPPOSE Vouchers and Charter School Expansion without accountability.
Missouri PTA is opposed to SB 581, SB 525, and SB 292!
#MOPTA2020 #MOPTAAdvocates @MissouriPTA