A transfer bill aimed at helping both students and officials in two St. Louis County school districts has been filed by a mid-Missouri state lawmaker.
State Representative David Wood (photo courtesy; Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)
State Rep. David Wood (R-Versailles) has filed a bill that addresses student transfers. Wood notes his bill would apply only to the Normandy and Riverview Gardens School Districts. Riverview Gardens is now provisionally accredited.
“Provides the process for the transfer of students, and lets those students who have already transferred stay in those buildings, even if the school district becomes accredited,” says Wood. “Because right now with Riverview Gardens becoming provisionally accredited, all those students that transferred out when they were unaccredited could have been called back.”
Wood has discussed the concept of a school transfer bill with House Speaker Todd Richardson (R-Poplar Bluff). Wood tells Missourinet that Speaker Richardson realizes other provisions, such as charter and “virtual” schools, could be added by other lawmakers. Wood says they’ve discussed taking the small bill approach.
“We have not talked about the technique yet as to how we’ll approach those, whether it ends up as one omnibus bill and we put it all together under one title or we attack it as separate bills and then combine them at the end,” Wood says.
Wood’s 22-page bill would only impact the Normandy and Riverview Gardens School Districts, which are both in St. Louis County.
Wood says the best way to handle the transfer issue is to improve the schools. The Normandy and Riverview Gardens School Districts are being praised for their improvements by Wood.
“I’ve toured both Riverview Gardens and Normandy, and the improvements they’ve made over the last few years is tremendous and I want to commend their hard work,” says Wood. “And a lot of students have come back because of that.”
Wood has sent copies of his bill to both districts.
Wood, who was first elected to the Missouri House in 2012, is starting his third term. He represents Morgan, Moniteau and Miller counties. He’s the Joint Committee on Education Vice Chair.
The 2017 Missouri legislative session begins Wednesday at noon at the State Capitol in Jefferson City.
