***JC/DC ACTION ALERT: Open Enrollment ***

Missouri PTA needs you to contact your Representatives now and ask them to OPPOSE this tactic to change the feel of community schools.

Missouri PTA is opposed to HB 253 This bill has been voted out of committee and has been placed on the calendar for debate soon.

Missouri PTA advocates for all children and for the improvement of public education. It believes that any changes in school structure or funding should be measured by the likely outcomes for all children in accord with the obligation to prepare all children to become effective, productive adult citizens.

The focus should be on supporting and improving our schools and all populations in each of our communities rather than tearing them apart. Each community is unique and to say that open enrollment would benefit all students is misleading and grossly misunderstood. However, the impact will be felt by all due to the financial hardship it will cause for districts.
Missouri PTA advocates are called upon to ensure your Representative understands that you are paying attention and that this issue is important to you!

ACTION NEEDED: PLEASE CALL OR E-MAIL and urge your Representative to oppose HB 253.

MOPTA Advocates are invited to utilize the letter below to guide your calls, emails, and social media contact with your lawmaker(s).

Dear Representative,

Open enrollment has the potential to impact the financial resources of the school districts that gain students and those that lose students. Missouri does not provide the same level of funding for any two school districts and local tax rates vary greatly among school districts. As students move among Missouri school districts, open enrollment could create financial chaos.

Less Money in classrooms is a concern for me. HB 253 will pit public schools against one another. School districts will compete for students and large sums of money that should be utilized for the education of children will instead be used for marketing and other recruitment materials. Schools will also be forced to “one up” one another for the best facilities and best sports programs which will further deplete money going into the classroom.

Loss of Community Support is another concern. If HB 253 is passed, school districts should expect less community support and involvement. If individuals are living within their resident district but sending their children to a non-resident district, those individuals will be less likely to support ballot measures to increase their taxes in the resident districts.

The legislation allows districts to deny students based on special education status. This is outlandish and as this text stands appears to permit school districts to discriminate against special needs children. 

Open Enrollment changes the feel of the community/neighborhood school.

Sincerely,
Your Name and PTA

Not sure how to contact your House Representative? Click Here and enter your street address and City. 

Paula McKinney
Vice President of Legislation and Advocacy 
Missouri PTA
Vice President & Director of Legislation and Advocacy
[email protected]

***JC/DC ACTION ALERT: Open Enrollment ***

Missouri PTA needs you to contact your Senators now and ask them to OPPOSE this tactic to change the feel of community schools.

Missouri PTA is opposed to SB 5 This bill has been voted out of committee and has been placed on the calendar for debate soon.

Missouri PTA advocates for all children and for the improvement of public education. It believes that any changes in school structure or funding should be measured by the likely outcomes for all children in accord with the obligation to prepare all children to become effective, productive adult citizens.

The focus should be on supporting and improving our schools and all populations in each of our communities rather than tearing them apart. Each community is unique and to say that open enrollment would benefit all students is misleading and grossly misunderstood. However, the impact will be felt by all due to the financial hardship it will cause for districts.
Missouri PTA advocates are called upon to ensure your Senator understands that you are paying attention and that this issue is important to you!

ACTION NEEDED: PLEASE CALL OR E-MAIL and urge your State Senator to oppose SB5.
MOPTA Advocates are invited to utilize the letter below to guide your calls, emails, and social media contact with your lawmaker(s).

Dear Senator,
Open enrollment has the potential to impact the financial resources of the school districts that gain students and those that lose students. Missouri does not provide the same level of funding for any two school districts and local tax rates vary greatly among school districts. As students move among Missouri school districts, open enrollment could create financial chaos.
Less Money in classrooms is a concern for me. SB 5 will pit public schools against one another. School districts will compete for students and large sums of money that should be utilized for the education of children will instead be used for marketing and other recruitment materials. Schools will also be forced to “one up” one another for the best facilities and best sports programs which will further deplete money going into the classroom.

Loss of Community Support is another concern. If SB 5 is passed, school districts should expect less community support and involvement. If individuals are living within their resident district but sending their children to a non-resident district, those individuals will be less likely to support ballot measures to increase their taxes in the resident districts.
The legislation allows districts to deny students based on special education status. This is outlandish and as this text stands appears to permit school districts to discriminate against special needs children.

Open Enrollment changes the feel of the community/neighborhood school.

Sincerely,
Your Name and PTA

Not sure how to contact your Senator? Click Here and enter your street address or zip code.

Paula McKinney
Vice President of Legislation and Advocacy
Missouri PTA
Vice President & Director of Legislation and Advocacy
[email protected]

***JC/DC ACTION ALERT: Parents’ Bill of Rights Act of 2023 ***

Missouri PTA needs you to contact your Senators now and ask them to OPPOSE this tactic to change the feel of community schools.

Missouri PTA is opposed to Senate Bill 4 This bill would put more pressure on our already strained educators and ultimately have a detrimental effect on Missouri’s children.

Missouri PTA advocates for all children and for the improvement of public education. While we fully support parents’ rights, this bill is an attempt to undermine public education.

Missouri PTA advocates are called upon to ensure your Senator understands that you are paying attention and that this issue is important to you!

ACTION NEEDED: PLEASE CALL OR E-MAIL and urge your State Senator to oppose SB4.

MOPTA Advocates are invited to utilize the letter below to guide your calls, emails, and social media contact with your lawmaker(s).

Dear Senator,

Missouri PTA opposes bills that essentially ban curriculum and education around diversity, equity, and inclusion.  All students benefit from the ability to critically reflect upon our nation’s history.  Parents do have a right to know what their kids are learning in the classroom, but most public school handbooks already allow for parents to review and choose to have their student participate or not in any curriculum. 

Giving parents the opportunity to enter a classroom at any time unannounced threatens the stability and safety in the classroom and school.  Parents entering classrooms without notice would provide a disruption to students and teachers, and extra parents in the school would necessitate more security and screenings.  If a parent became disruptive and upset, would it be up to the teacher to deescalate the situation and protect themselves and their students?  

Missouri PTA supports measures that ensure the privacy of our student data. Student data should never be given to outside organizations or groups. A minor is unable to give legal consent for sharing data. School districts and organizations should take necessary protections to protect students’ privacy.

This bill would put more pressure on our already strained educators and ultimately have a detrimental effect on Missouri’s children.

Sincerely,

Your Name and PTA

 

Not sure how to contact your Senator? Click Here and enter your street address or zip code. 

Paula McKinney
Vice President of Legislation and Advocacy
Missouri PTA

[email protected]

JC/DC Action Alert: Urge Congress to Pass Bipartisan Safer Communities Act

PTA members have been urging Congress to work across the aisle on gun safety and gun violence prevention, including taking to Capitol Hill just last week on June 15 demanding Congress prioritize the safety and well-being of all of our children. Additionally, nearly 45 state PTAs have also now endorsed a letter by our President, Anna King, addressed to House and Senate Leadership and shared widely amongst Hill offices insisting that the time is long overdue for action following the tragedy in Uvalde, TX.

On June 21, a group of Republican and Democratic Senators introduced the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, legislation representing an important, historic step towards protecting all of our children from gun violence. The legislation includes key priorities that PTA members have been fighting for, including investments in community violence intervention and crisis intervention programs, strengthening of the federal background checks process and enhanced background checks for buyers under 21, supporting state red flag laws, and expanding access to mental health services for children and families. Thanks to the efforts of PTA members like you, the final bill also includes significant funding to address the shortage of mental health professionals in our nation’s schools and invests in mental health education and training for school staff.

We are hearing this bill will be considered THIS WEEK! Contact your Senators TODAY to urge them to vote YES on the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act! Safety cannot wait any longer, and our priority as a nation must be our children. Senator Blunt was one of the 10 senators to draft this legislation so make sure you thank him. Senator Hawley voted “NO” to the initial draft so I encourage you to urge him to vote “YES” to keep ALL children safe.

Click HERE to take action now!

Carla Wiese

President, Missouri PTA

JC/DC ACTION ALERT: Open Enrollment in Missouri Public Education

**FULL HOUSE VOTE THURSDAY**

 

Missouri PTA needs you to contact your Representatives now and ask your Representative to VOTE NO on HB1814 Open Enrollment Bill

 

Missouri PTA is opposed to HB1814

 

House Bill 1814 creates open enrollment throughout Missouri and it will have a final House vote Thursday.

Missouri PTA is concerned about this bill’s negative impact on school consolidation, special education and school finances. PTA believes that any changes in school structure or funding should be measured by the likely outcomes for all children in accord with the obligation to prepare all children to become effective, productive adult citizens.

Missouri PTA advocates are called upon to ensure your Representatives 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 Representative to oppose HB1814 

MOPTA Advocates are invited to utilize the letter below to guide your calls, emails, and social media contact with your lawmaker(s).

Dear Representative,

I am writing today to add my voice with the dozens of parents and educators who express opposition to HB1814.  

The open enrollment policy created in this bill will harm Missouri students, schools, and communities.  This legislation could lead to school consolidation across the state making it more difficult to serve Missouri’s most vulnerable students.  It will also lead to many districts struggling to maintain educational programs they offer such as choir, band, and athletic programs.

Missouri PTA and other public school advocates are opposed to bills that will pit school districts against each other to compete for students and the funds associated with them. Funding that would normally go toward student learning would be spent on recruiting and competing with neighboring districts.

HB1814 allows districts that engage in open enrollment to discriminate against special education students, denying their participation in the program based on their needs.

The focus should be on supporting and improving our schools and all populations rather than tearing them apart. The focus needs to turn to supporting and building stronger schools in each of our communities. Each community is unique and to say that open enrollment would benefit all students is misleading and grossly misunderstood. However, the impact will be felt by all due to the financial hardship it will cause for districts.

I strongly encourage you to oppose HB1814 and vote against this legislation. 

Sincerely,

Your Name and PTA

Not sure how to contact your legislators? Click Here and enter your street address or zip code. 

 

Paula McKinney
Vice President of Legislation and Advocacy 
Missouri PTA

Vice President & Director of Legislation and Advocacy

[email protected]