Deadline for Missouri budget approaches as lawmakers still can’t agree on public education funding

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Missouri lawmakers are on the clock to balance the state budget, but the two chambers cannot agree on public education funding.

Lawmakers from both chambers plan to meet late Wednesday night to work toward a compromise. This meeting has already been delayed several times. Constitutionally, the general assembly has to finish work on all budget bills by 6 p.m. Friday.

The total budget is just under $50 billion. House and Senate budget leaders have different ideas on what’s right for public education. The Senate’s version gives Missouri public schools $300 million more, for a total of $500 million as requested in the foundation formula. The House’s version puts an additional $50 million toward private school scholarships, but only allocates $200 million toward public schools.

Gov. Mike Kehoe said public schools are underperforming, and Missouri families should get the choice to attend other schools on the state’s dime.

But while the majority party is working out their differences behind the scenes, Missouri Democrats know what they want. Teacher-turned-lawmaker Rep. Kathy Steinhoff wants to fully fund public schools. She said public money should go toward schools that are available to everyone.

“I know myself as a taxpayer, it bothers me to know that my taxes are going to a school when there’s a public school system for every kid out there that our taxpayers should be supporting,” Steinhoff said.

Matt Michelson with the Missouri State Teachers Association is concerned about negative impacts on students if public schools aren’t given the full amount requested.

“If they’re not seeing full funding, they’re going to have to make changes to their budgets that they’ve lined out, and if that’s a cut in staff, if that’s a cut in services, it will impact students across the state,” Michelson said.

While budget leaders are trying to come to compromises, some education bills are getting sent to the governor’s desk. These include things like putting restrictions on cell phone use during instructional time or requiring defibrillators in schools. While they’re popular ideas, Michelson explains that every new law is a new expense for schools.

“Every law that they pass there, every requirement that they place on a school, someone has to implement those things,” Michelson said. “And so, that’s either a classroom teacher that takes away from their classroom period instruction time, or their planning time if they even have any planning time, or it’s the hiring of an additional administrator to do that.”

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