This could turn out to be “education week” in the state senate, and it might be a long one. Senators who have been saying throughout this session that education is a priority finally have gotten to the first education bill with seven weeks to go. The senate has tentatively approved a bill letting the state take immediate control of the unaccredited Kansas City school district. It took three hours to find a way to keep St. Louis issues out of the bill.
Senate floor leader Tom Dempsey knows other bills covering such things as teacher tenure and school funding might take even more time…
St. Louis has been under state-appointed board control for some time. so has Riverview Gardens. The Wellston School District closed in 2009 and its students were transferred to Normandy. Some other school districts are only provisionally accredited and could slip into unaccredited status if they do not show improvements in test scores.
The senate starts work today on a bill ending teacher tenure. Later it will look at changing the way the state sends money to local districts and changing the ay students from unaccredited districts can enroll in districts ins good standing..
Dempsey expects “extensive debate.” He says this is one of those weeks when the senate might have some long work days.
