Latest news with #MissouriSchoolFundingModernizationTaskForce
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Missouri governor calls for task force to keep state education funding flat
State Sen. Rusty Black, R-Chillicothe, chairs the Missouri School Funding Modernization Task Force meeting Monday afternoon (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent). A group of state officials and business leaders tasked by Gov. Mike Kehoe with creating a new formula to fund Missouri's public schools gathered for the first time on Monday under an expectation that funding should be below what lawmakers approved earlier this year. Halle Herbert, the governor's incoming policy director, told the group that Kehoe seeks funding 'consistent with what is provided in the state fiscal year 2025 budget.' Last month, lawmakers signed off on public education funding that was $300 million higher than what the governor recommended. 'A lot of times when you ask a school superintendent, 'where are the problems?….' They ask for more money,' Kehoe told the group Monday. 'That is not a great answer to me… That can't always be the answer to every problem.' Between fiscal year 2025 and 2026, a multiplier in the formula called the 'state adequacy target' increased. This number is the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's estimate of proper per-pupil funding and is calculated by looking at top-performing schools in the state's annual performance reports. The change was driven by a new iteration of the state's accountability system, called the Missouri School Improvement Program, which was introduced in 2022 and became more 'rigorous' for districts to score high and produced a smaller number of districts that could be deemed top performers. The program is required by law to be phased in, making fiscal year 2026 the first year with the updated state adequacy target. This change requires an additional $300 million to fully fund the foundation formula. Kehoe's proposed budget this January did not include the $300 million increase, and his comments in Monday's meeting show an intention to tamp down the rising costs of public education. Kari Monsees, deputy commissioner of financial and administrative services, said part of Kehoe's intention with calling for a change to the formula comes from the 'unpredictability' of the state adequacy target. State Rep. Ed Lewis, a Republican from Moberly and former educator, pointed out that there was a 12% increase in the multiplier this year — but before now, it had only increased 4% in 16 years. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Superintendents have been asking for a formula that responds to inflation for years, arguing lawmakers 'manipulated' the formula to keep funding flat. A study commissioned by the department and released in 2023 concluded that the current formula hurts districts with more low-income students. Multipliers for serving sensitive student groups were 'not based on any empirical analysis,' the study determined. The study recommends looking at other states and the cost associated with desired performance outcomes to determine whether the per-pupil funding is enough. But Kehoe is seeking financial incentives for high performance. Monsees said there aren't many states with performance in school funding formulas and alluded to a lack of information on that model. The group that met Monday was created by an executive order Kehoe shortly after taking office. He appointed members representing public schools, agriculture, business and charter schools. One member is to represent 'a non-profit organization that works on expanding school choice in Missouri,' according to the order. Kehoe chose Chris Vas, a senior director with the Herzog Foundation. The foundation 'advances K-12 Christian education primarily,' Vas said Monday. There was some discussion that the formula, which was previously intended to fund public districts, should also be responsible for funding charter schools and vouchers for private education. Committee member Michael Podgursky, an economics professor at the University of Missouri–Columbia, said there 'was an active discussion of interdisciplinary school choice.' 'How do you design a funding mechanism with school choice, which really means thinking about tying it more to kids,' he said. Podgursky has served as a fellow with various conservative research groups, such as the Fordham Institute and the George W. Bush institute and is a director at the conservative think tank the Show-Me Institute. The group must come up with recommendations to deliver to the governor by Dec. 1, 2026.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Gov. Kehoe forms task force to overhaul the way Missouri funds public, charter schools
A Springfield business leader is among 16 task force appointees charged with overhauling the state funding structure for K-12 education. Through executive order, Gov. Mike Kehoe created the Missouri School Funding Modernization Task Force. 'To secure a better future for Missouri students and schools, we must rethink how we fund Missouri's foundation formula,' Kehoe said as part of the May 12 announcement. 'We need a modernized funding model that rewards outcomes, encourages innovation, and ensures fairness for all Missouri students. These Task Force members bring the experience, perspective, and commitment needed to make responsible changes at business-speed. We look forward to reviewing their recommendations.' A final report due Dec. 1, 2026 is expected to recommend a formula for how state dollars will flow to K-12 public and charter schools. Changes are expected to ensure the following: Equality of opportunity for all students, regardless of geographic location, socioeconomic status or other factors that cause disparate opportunities; Sustainability based on realistic state and local revenue forecasts, including bounds for realistic changes in funding on an annual basis; Incentives are based on performance of schools and educational outcomes; Adequate funding to sustain school operations and address reasonable educational costs. The proposed model will be based on amount allocated as part of the fiscal year 2025 budget. The last major update of the school funding formula was approved in 2005. There was one created in the mid-1970s, which was updated in the early 1990s. The current formula is based on what is necessary or adequate to provide a quality education. To figure that out, the state looked at the average amount that successful districts — those meeting state expectations — spent to educate their students. In the formula, they are referred to as "performance" districts. The calculation also uses students' average daily attendance, a state adequacy target, a dollar value modifier (a way of adjusting for cost of living in a particular community or part of the state), and local effort. The "local effort" looks at how much funding each district can generate to provide an education. In general, the more money a district can generate in property taxes, the less it may receive from the state. The composition of the task force that will recommend a new funding model was outlined in the executive order. Missouri Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O'Laughlin and Missouri House Speaker Jonathan Patterson have appointed four lawmakers to the task force: State Sen. Rusty Black, a Republican who represents Andrew, Atchison, Caldwell, Carroll, Chariton, Clinton, Daviess, DeKalb, Gentry, Grundy, Harrison, Holt, Linn, Livingston, Mercer, Nodaway, Sullivan, Worth and part of Buchanan counties. State Sen. Travis Fitzwater, a Republican who represents Callaway, Lincoln, Montgomery, Pike and part of St. Charles counties. State Rep. Ed Lewis, a Republican from Moberly. State Rep. Marlene Terry, a Democrat from St. Louis. Black, a former educator, will chair the task force. 'As a former educator, I know firsthand the challenges our teachers face and the importance of ensuring that every dollar we invest in education has a meaningful impact,' he said as part of the announcement. 'I'm honored to help lead this important work as we build a funding model that supports student success in every corner of Missouri.' The group will be supported by the governor's office and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. More: Missouri budget negotiators agree to $50 million for private school scholarship program Commissioner of Education Karla Eslinger may participate on the task force as a non-voting member. Here are the other appointees: James "Jim" Meats, of Springfield, is vice president of sales and marketing at Loren Cook Company and a licensed professional engineer. Meats will represent the business community. Jeremy Tucker, superintendent of the Liberty district, previously served as an adjunct professor for Evangel University and Southwest Baptist University and was superintendent of the Logan-Rogersville district. Tucker will represent superintendents from large urban districts. Matt Davis, of Eldon, spent 17 years as superintendent of Eldon district. He also led career and technical education programs and secured grants and funding to enhance program offerings and facilities at Eldon Career Center. Davis will represent small rural districts. Noah Devine, of Kansas City, is executive director of the Missouri Charter Public School Association. He led the implementation of the sixth iteration of the Missouri School Improvement Plan (MSIP) standards for DESE. Devine will represent charter schools. Emily LeRoy, of Hermann, is senior advisor at Missouri Farm Bureau, serving on a leadership team that advocates for the diverse interests of farmers. She was also legislative and budget director at Missouri Department of Agriculture. Mike Podgursky, of Columbia, is the Chancelor's Professor of Economics at the University of Missouri–Columbia and an affiliated scholar at Sinquefield Center for Applied Economic Research. He is also the author of several peer-reviewed articles and the book, Teacher Pay and Teacher Quality. Donald 'Don' Thalhuber, of Columbia, is policy director for the Senate Minority Caucus. He drafted Missouri's most recent public school funding formula in 2005. Chris Vas, of Kansas City, senior director for the Herzog Foundation, was the previous executive director of Liberty Alliance USA. Vas will represent non-profit organizations that work on expanding school choice in Missouri. Casey Wasser, of California, deputy executive director and chief operating officer for the Missouri Soybean Association, previously served as legislative director for the Missouri Department of Revenue. Wasser will represent the agriculture industry. David Wood, of Versailles, a former state lawmaker most recently served as a policy analyst and liaison for the Missouri State Tax Commission, and taught math and computer science in Morgan County. He will represent teachers. Kerry Casey, of Chesterfield, recently retired as vice president of Exegy and was a founding board member of the KIPP Charter School in St. Louis. She is a member of the Missouri Board of Education. Pamela Westbrooks-Hodge, of Pasadena Hills, is a former vice president of the Normandy Schools Collaborative Joint Executive Governing Board and recently retired general partner from Edward Jones. She is a member of the Missouri Board of Education. This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Kehoe appoints task force to change how Missouri funds public schools
