Gov. Parson signs controversial education bill

New legislation establishes “Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program”
 
Gov. Mike Parson signed HB 349, which provides scholarships for parents wanting to send their children into school districts outside of where they live, into law on Wednesday, July 14. The law establishes the Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program. Tax credits Under the law, any Missouri taxpayer will receive a tax credit equal to a contribution when they make to an educational assistance organization (EAO). The tax credit is limited to 50-percent of the taxpayer’s tax liability, but any remaining credit from a donation can be
carried forward for up to four years.
Currently, the law limits the number of tax credits given for donations to EAOs at $50 million statewide, but that amount will be increased annually to allow for inflation based on the Consumer Price Index, up to a total maximum amount of $75 million.
Scholarships will allow students to attend school outside of the district where they live EAOs are to distribute grants into the scholarship accounts of “qualified students.” First priority is to be given to “students with Individualized Education Plans and students who qualify for free and reducedprice lunch, and second priority to students whose households do not exceed 200% of the standard used to qualify for free and reduced-price lunch.”
Parents of qualified students may establish scholarship accounts for the students by entering into a written agreement with an EAO. The law requires “that the student shall be enrolled in a qualified school, as described in the act, and that the student will not be enrolled
in a public school or charter school in the student’s district of residence.” Funds deposited into the students’ accounts are to only be used for educational expenses. Scholarships are renewable annually until a student completes high school.
Republic Superintendent Pearce warns of “strain on education funding”
Last month, the Republic R-3 School Board sent a letter to Parson, urging him to veto the HB 349. Dr. Matt Pearce, superintendent of the Republic R-3 School District, said the new law would pull state funds from schools in Greene County and send them to Kansas City and St. Louis instead.
“This bill will impact the district by shifting state funds to focus on areas where charter schools are currently located,” he said. “In effect, more financial resources will be directed to Kansas City and St. Louis. We also expect anti-public school legislators and interest groups to push for expansion of HB 349 to more areas across the state. This has the potential to duplicate educational services across the state, which is terribly inefficient and puts further strain on education funding.”
Pearce also said the law will be harmful to students in other ways.
“We were obviously disappointed that HB 349 passed and was signed,” he said. “At the end of the day, the bill permits discrimination of students with disabilities, allows charter schools to operate without the regulations and accountability that public schools have to abide by, and as previously stated, reduces and moves state general revenue that will negatively impact schools.”