MoASBO 2023-24 Legislative Priorities
Missouri Association of School Business Officials (MoASBO) 2023-24 Legislative Priorities
The Missouri Association of School Business Officials (MoASBO) represents superintendents, business officials, and other central office staff whose expertise covers every aspect of school district administration. MoASBO is the most diverse educational administrative organization in the state. The following legislative priorities for 2023-2024 reflect the very diverse nature of the membership.
MoASBO supports efforts of the Missouri Legislature to increase state revenues to educate Missouri’s children. MoASBO opposes efforts to eliminate the personal property tax, or any other revenue streams for school districts without introducing new, equivalent revenue sources. MoASBO opposes legislation that creates new unfunded mandates for school districts.
- MoASBO supports legislation that protects taxpayers and provides relief for Missouri’s senior citizens as long as there is consideration for replacement revenue sources to offset potential reductions.
- MoASBO supports collaboration when these bills are introduced so that we can provide additional perspective and insight in regard to the potential impact on Missouri Public School Districts. It is important to have input from the taxing entities as well as all of the supporting data in order to accurately project the impacts of potential tax relief programs.
- MoASBO believes the Missouri Legislature should support public education by rejecting any legislation that would further limit the state’s ability to generate revenue or create limits to state spending.
MoASBO supports prioritizing the safety and mental health of all Missouri students and school staff. Furthermore, we support the introduction of additional funding and resources that address the overall safety and well-being of all students and staff.
- The ability to fund these types of programs will help to address teacher retention as well as improve the overall mental health of our students.
- MOASBO supports any grants or additional funding opportunities that will allow us to strengthen and improve our current security protocols.
MoASBO supports full funding of the Foundation Formula and the Transportation Formula, as well as funding for other categorical appropriations that have been reduced significantly for the past decade. The State of Missouri plays a significant role in properly funding all Missouri school districts with over 100,000 staff serving the educational needs of approximately 900,000 children.
- The SAT represents the “adequate” cost to educate children in Missouri. The calculation of the SAT needs to be adjusted annually to account for inflation as well as annual increases in the overall operations of school districts. MOASBO supports the adjusted SAT proposed by DESE for FY25.
- MoASBO acknowledges and appreciates the increased funding for Transportation during FY2023/2024 and believes that fully funding transportation should remain a priority in the State’s annual budget.
- MoASBO acknowledges and appreciates the increased funding allocated for Career Ladder as well as the grant to support increasing the minimum teacher salary to become competitive with surrounding states. As an organization, we believe that this funding and additional funding should be a priority as we all work together to address the teacher shortage.
MoASBO opposes any legislation that would divert revenue from traditional public schools to non-public educational entities.
- MoASBO supports legislation that provides a balanced approach to granting economic development incentives with no more than 50 percent abatement for a project that does not have local school district support, regardless of the incentive tool utilized, or provides an option for school districts to opt out of such abatement plans.
- MoASBO opposes vouchers and the diversion of State and local funds to non-accredited educational entities. Diverting these funds could lead to a reduction in school district programming. MoASBO supports accountability for all entities, including approved MOCAP providers, charter schools, and any “non-public school” entities receiving State and local funding granted for supporting the education of Missouri students.
- MoASBO opposes open enrollment as we believe it would create an unhealthy culture among neighboring school districts and communities. MoASBO supports funding all school districts equitably and encourages collaboration between Districts in sharing resources and programming as opposed to competing for the enrollment of students.
MoASBO 2023-24 Additional Legislative Priorities
- MoASBO supports legislation that mandates a system of timely and accurate property assessments by County Assessors across Missouri. Additionally, MoASBO opposes attempts to arbitrarily cap or otherwise change the property assessment process. Further, MOASBO supports the taxing structures and methods currently provided for in the Missouri Constitution.
- MoASBO opposes new legislation that increases the number of non-public education students eligible under the current Foundation Formula unless additional funds are provided to maintain full funding of the formula.
- MoASBO opposes legislation that would reduce or limit the eligibility of summer school attendance hours for Foundation Formula reimbursement.
- MoASBO opposes any efforts to fundamentally change or disrupt the independent governing or funding structure of PSRS/PEERS. Further, MoASBO opposes efforts to merge PSRS/PEERS with any other entity.
- MoASBO supports legislation that provides maximum district flexibility on Work After Retirement (WAR) provisions to fill critical needs while protecting the financial integrity of PSRS/PEERS.
- MoASBO supports reforms to Missouri’s Tax Credit system that creates a sunset on all existing credits and makes all credits subject to annual appropriation.
- MoASBO supports legislation that would increase bonding capacity for school districts, and allow voters to pass a bond election with a simple majority.
- MoASBO supports legislation that increases local flexibility over matters such as approval of bills, disposing of surplus property, depository bidding, and hiring of personnel.
- MoASBO supports a fair and consistent set of standards to evaluate student and district performance, with less emphasis on standardized testing.
- MoASBO believes the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education must have the resources to provide comprehensive support for struggling districts before they become unaccredited. MoASBO supports efforts to improve struggling schools in Missouri, but believes transferring students from district to district is not in the best interest of Missouri students or the communities where they live.
