Legislative Advocacy

The Lee’s Summit R-7 School District’s tradition of excellence is the result of a collaborative effort among its supportive stakeholders.  A persistent focus on meeting the needs of each student will result in a legacy unparalleled by our peers in public education.  This legacy of excellence cannot be left to chance and requires ongoing advocacy on behalf of the close to 18,000 students served by the R-7 School District.  It is our responsibility.

In the interest of public education, we ask the Missouri General Assembly to: Key Legislative Priorities

• Support appropriations to fully fund the Missouri Foundation Formula and maintain the integrity of the existing Formula. This includes full funding of early childhood education through increased appropriation in the Formula as well as ensuring there are no decreases to the Formula’s State Adequacy Target.
• Support increased school board oversight of income tax credit program reform and comprehensive corporate income tax credit program reform.
• Oppose legislation that impairs or reduces the authority of local school boards and their ability to be accountable to district stakeholders.
• Oppose K-12 withholdings to balance the state budget.
• Oppose efforts to adopt vouchers, tuition tax credits and scholarship tax credits, all of which would reduce revenue needed to fully fund the Foundation Formula.
• Support establishment of a visiting scholar certificate for teaching.
• Support legislation that requires all charter schools to be held to the same standards as public schools, including determination of accreditation status with tax funds designated for charter schools placed under control of a publicly elected board.
• Support legislation to expand the state’s A+ program to include funding for tuition for high-school students earning qualifying dual college credit during their high-school years.

• Support fully funding the transportation formula, including modifying the provision that penalizes school districts when they transport highly mobile students back to their original school of attendance.
  
• Support the creation and development of a system of interventions and support that leads to improvements in achievement for provisionally accredited and unaccredited school districts.  
• Support legislation that requires the unanimous support of all taxing jurisdictions for any tax abatement project or otherwise provide an opt-out provision.  
• Support the full funding of education mandates in accordance with the Missouri constitution.
• Support the continuation of existing property tax relief for senior citizens within reasonable income limitations as well as legislation stipulating the enactment of sound and timely property tax assessment practices.
• Support funding for intensive professional development that provides a comprehensive and sustainable approach to improving district staff members’ effectiveness in raising student achievement.  
• Support the provision of a simple majority for the passage of local school district bond issues as well as increasing the bonding capacity for school districts.
• Support legislation that provides for continuing flexibility with MSIP resource and process standards, salary compliance and the professional development allocation.
• Oppose legislation which reduces the benefits provided by the current state public school retirement systems (PSRS and PEERS).
• Oppose legislation that authorizes any statewide mandate regarding open enrollment.  
• Oppose any legislation that would reduce summer school funding.
• Oppose legislation that sets percentages for school district fund balances.
• Oppose any amendment to the Missouri Constitution to allow the distribution of state monies directly or indirectly to non-public educational entities or organizations.