Common Core Standards In Place in Missouri Schools November 8, 2013

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – A new survey shows Missouri school districts are beginning to put into action a set of uniform benchmarks for reading, writing and math.

The new Common Core standards have been fully adopted by all but four states nationwide. They replace a hodgepodge of educational goals that had varied greatly from state to state.

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Educations says about 6,000 teachers and administrators from across the state completed the survey. Seventy percent of the respondents reported they have or are currently in the process of implementing the standards.

Most teachers who were surveyed reported that they are receiving necessary training.

Missouri Commissioner of Education Chris Nicastro says she is pleased with the results. She called the standards “crucial” to preparing students for postsecondary education and careers.

Nixon Calls for Medicaid Expansion , School Money and Campaign Reform in State of State Speech January 28, 2013

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon laid out his call for expanding Medicaid in Missouri, as expected in his fifth State of the Speech.
Nixon kept with tradition by delivering the speech to a joint session of the Missouri Legislature in the House Chamber.
Since Dember, the Democratic Governor has been calling for an expansion of Medicaid to up to 300,000 Missourians. The move is response to an element in the new health care law, sometimes called ‘ Obamacare’ that will reduce some Medicaid payments.
Nixon acknowledge the health care is unpopular in Missouri.
“This isn’t the time to re-open the debate or reargue the merits of the President’s health care plan. I had some problems with it, and I know many of you did as well. But Congress passed it – the President signed it – and the Supreme Court upheld it.”
Missouri Speaker of the House Tim Jones gave the Republican Response to Nixon’s speech. He all but declared the Nixon plan dead on arrival at the lawmaker’s door.
“It’s a path Republicans will not follow,” Jones declared..
The Speaker says lawmakers will develop their own option to take care of low income Missourians and the State’s rural hospital..
Many of this facilities rely heavily of Medicaid payments because so many of their patients are in the program.
Nixon added a wrinkle to the Medicaid debate.
He pledged to roll the program back if Washington does not follow through with money to help pay for the expansion.
Governor Nixon also proposed spending an additional $150 million on Missouri public schools.
It includes more money for early childhood,$100 million for early childhood programs and money for higher education.
Nixon also want to tie the money to increased academics performance.
Jones, in his response, ripped Nixon for saying one thing about school spending, but ultimately cutting school money through budget withholdings.
The Democratic Governor also renewed Shia called for a returned to campaign contribution limits in Missouri. There are none, since a court struck down the limitations a few years ago.
Nixon says that lack of control erodes public trust..
With campaign limits Nixon predicts, “eventually, if we continue on this path, there will be no trust left at all.”
The Governor says if the Republican Legislature does not make campaign finance reforms, he’ll try to. Put the issue on a statewide ballot. He is confident it would be approved.
As he did in his Inaugural Speech, Nixon appealed for bipartisanship with the veto-proof GOP majority in both Chambers during his speech.

Suburban Districts Lose First Round in. Court Battle Over KC Student Transfers December 30, 2011

A Jackson County Circuit Judge has blocked an effort by Kansas City suburban school districts to halt transfers out of the troubled KC District.
The Kansas City schools lost its accreditation earlier this year. That means starting next month,according to state law, KC students may transfer out of the then-unaccredited district at Kansas City’s expense. Kansas City would also have to pay transportation costs, too.
The Blue Springs School District, and four others, asked a judge to stop that. But Judge Brent Powell denied the request for a halt to the process. Judge Powell’s order, however, was clear in stating this does not block the suburban district’s existing student transfer policies.
That means it is unlikely any suburban districts accept Kansas City student transfers until the matters are settled in court. There is another hearing set for January 12.
The suburban districts have two main
points they’re trying to raise.
One is they don’t feel that can accept
Many student fleeing from Kansas City because they don’t have the room or the additional resources.
Second, they maintain the Kansas City offer of $3,733 per student does not cover the true cost of educating a student.
The $3,733 figure is the amount of state aid each Kansas City student receives from the state. But there are more funds than that spent per pupil. Kansas City says the total per pupil cost, counting federal money, special program money and local funds, totals to more than $14,000 per Kansas City student.
The state per pupil average in Missouri is $9,016. Many of the districts involved in the have per pupil costs that range from about $9,000 to $12,000 for each student. Kansas City students return to class January 9, nine days after the district is officially stripped of it’s state approval.