The following information was gathered from the School Board Agenda and the recording of the School Board Meeting.
Classified Employee Recognition Award
Dr. Tomlinson recognized Rhonda Stevenson, Recovery Room interventionist at Cornerstone Elementary, as the Classified Employee Award recipient for May 2022.
Ronda was nominated by Brian Sloan and Jessica Broadbent. They wrote that they wanted to recommend her for the award because of her outstanding service, and how she goes above and beyond reaching the student’s needs on a daily basis. She creates an environment in the recovery room where students are able to take breaks and de-escalate due to the safe and calm surroundings. She organizes, communicates, and they’re very lucky to have Ronda as part of the Cornerstone Elementary team, and they just want to let you know how much they appreciate you.
2021-2022 Retirees
Dr. Tomlinson recognized the following 2021-2022 retirees for their service and dedication to the District.
- Donna Petree, High School paraprofessional – 22 Years
- Randy Barnes, Career Center Carpentry & Construction Technology instructor – 25 Years
- Susan Hall, Activities Dept. assistant (absent)
- Vicky Goetz, Rockin’ Tiger Club (Latchkey) director – 36 Years
Report MSBA Monthly Board Report
Viewed MSBA May Board Report video.
Superintendent’s ReportEnrollment Update
Dr. Hux reviewed current enrollment data noting it remains steady.
Legislative Update
Dr. Hux reported on the following educational legislation:
K-12 Budget (HB 3002)
The constitutional deadline to complete the budget is May 6, 2022.
Of note, $214M was added by the Senate to fully fund transportation. This would mean
$450k to ESSD.
Mandatory Reading Intervention Legislation (SB 681)
Filed by Senator Cindy O’Laughlin (R – Shelbina), this bill currently sits on the House Calendar awaiting floor debate. SB 681 originally pertained to mandatory reading interventions. The bill text requires school districts to alter how they teach students to read as well as what accommodations will need to be provided to struggling and non-struggling readers. Also included in the bill before it was sent to the House was language taken from SB 662 which pertains to school innovation waivers.
Also, before the bill was voted out of the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee, numerous amendments (31) were added to the bill. Here is a link to those amendments: https://s3.hatchbuck.com/MediaFiles/178034ad7895279b5aa667cf6c52376339f58a5705feff d8fbd6d6de03239ebe.pdf
Charter Funding and Virtual Instruction Expansion (HB 1552)
Filed by Representative Doug Richey (R – Excelsior Springs), this bill was voted out of the Senate last week and is now back in the House. If the House brings the bill back up on the floor, they must either accept the changes that were made to the bill in the Senate and declare the bill Truly Agreed and Finally Passed or refuse to accept the changes and ask
the Senate to recede from their position or grant a conference thereon (meaning they go to conference and “hash out” any problems).
This bill now includes not only charter funding language but also modified bill text from SB 648, the virtual instruction expansion bill filed by Senator Caleb Rowden (R – Columbia). Thus, the Senate’s version of the bill now contains two major provisions: 1) charter funding and 2) virtual instruction expansion.
County Financial Statements/Omnibus Bill (HB 1606)
Filed by Representative Peggy McGaugh (R – Carrollton), this bill was given initial approval by the Senate. The bill was subsequently referred to the Senate Government Accountability and Fiscal Oversight (GAFO) Committee for a hearing. The GAFO Committee is scheduled to vote the bill out on Monday. Once the bill is voted out of GAFO, the bill will need to receive a final vote in the Senate before it is sent back to the House for the House to either accept the Senate changes or go to conference.
The underlying provisions contained within HB 1606 are not relevant to public schools. However, when the bill was brought to the floor, 20 amendments were added to the bill. Several of those amendments impact public education.
Section 137.115 – Text from SB 649 was added to the bill which seeks to eliminate the personal property tax in St. Charles County over a period of years. The School Administrators Coalition is adamantly opposed to this provision;
Section 137.115 – Text from SB 680 was added to the bill which states that the assessed valuation for residential real property cannot exceed the previous assessed valuation for such property, exclusive of new construction and improvements, by more than 10% or the percent increase in inflation, whichever is greater. Thus, the bill effectively places a 10% cap on the growth of assessed value for residential real property.
Section 137.103 – Text from SB 715 was added to the bill which allows a taxing jurisdiction (e.g., school district, county, etc.) to grant taxpayers who are sixty-five years of age or older and who meet other specific criteria detailed in the bill, a tax credit used to pay for increases in the assessed valuation of such taxpayer’s residential real property.
Section 164.450 – Text from SB 1034 was added to the bill which requires that if a school district located within St. Charles County has a construction project that exceeds the budgeted amount by 10% or more, the project must be halted immediately until the school district receives additional voter approval for the issuance of further bond indebtedness. Any taxpayer residing within a school district that has violated this provision may seek, and a court shall order, injunctive relief against the school district. Aside from this bill, this language can also be found in SB 724 which is also progressing through the Legislature.
Text was added to the bill which states that no public employee shall be required by any political subdivision to receive a vaccination against COVID-19 as a condition of commencing or continuing employment.
Parents’ Bill of Rights (SB 761, SB 741, and HB 1858)
An amendment that was added to SB 761 by Senator Bob Onder (R – Lake St. Louis) which creates the “Parents’ Access to Public School Records Act.” The language of the amendment is similar in nature to several Parents’ Bill of Rights measures that have been advanced this year. Senate Bill 761 passed out of the Senate two weeks ago and is currently waiting to be referred to a committee in the House. This language was also amended onto SB 741 which is waiting to be voted out of the Senate next week.
House Bill 1858, a bill filed by Representative Ben Baker (R – Neosho), that creates the “Parents’ Bill of Rights Act of 2022” was passed out of the Senate Education Committee on Tuesday of this week. The bill was subsequently placed on the Senate Calendar and sent to the Government Accountability and Fiscal Oversight (GAFO) Committee. Once it is voted out of GAFO, it can be brought up on the Senate floor for debate.
Property Tax Caps (SJR 39 and SB 680)
Filed by Senator Tony Luetkemeyer (R – Parkville), this joint resolution was heard in the House Special Committee on Public Policy. It is expected that the joint resolution will be voted out of the Committee early next week and be ready for floor debate late next week.
SJR 39 is a constitutional amendment that holds that, upon voter approval, the amount by which the assessed value of residential real property may increase over the assessed value of such property from the previous assessment may be limited by law.
Ballot Measure Modifications (HB 1583)
Filed by Representative Jim Murphy (R – St. Louis), this bill was voted out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee this week. The bill is now eligible to be placed on the Senate Calendar for floor debate.
This bill prohibits a political subdivision (e.g., a school district) or election authority from describing any proposed tax on property in a political subdivision as not increasing taxes, or any language to that effect, unless both:
Failing to adopt the proposed measure would cause an actual increase in the tax rate; and
Adopting the measure would cause the tax rate to stay the same or decrease.
It is believed this means that school districts would be prohibited from using the phrase “no tax increase bond issue.”
The bill also requires that if the voters in a political subdivision approve an increase to the tax rate ceiling prior to the expiration of a previously approved temporary levy increase, the new tax rate ceiling shall remain in effect only until such time as the temporary levy increase expires under the terms originally approved by a vote of the people, at which time the tax rate ceiling shall be decreased by the amount of the temporary levy increase unless voters of the political subdivision are asked to approve an additional permanent increase and such increase is approved.
And finally, the bill specifies that any ballot measure seeking approval to add, change, or modify a tax on real property shall express the effect of the proposed change within the ballot language in terms of the change in real dollars owed per $100,000 of a property’s market valuation.
Mandatory Computer Science/Omnibus Bill (HB 2202)
Filed by Representative Travis Fitzwater (R – Holts Summit), this bill was placed on the Senate calendar this week and is now ready for debate by the full Senate.
The underlying provisions of HB 2202 pertain to “computer science.” The bill requires public schools in all school years after July 1, 2023, to offer at least one computer science course in high school in either an in-person setting or virtual option.
Numerous amendments were added to the bill prior to it being voted out of committee. The following provisions are now in the bill:
An amendment added the bill text from SB 660 which establishes the Show Me Success Diploma Program, the Competency-Based Education Grant Program, the Competency-Based Education Task Force, and a competency-based credit system for high school students.
An amendment added the bill text from SB 681 which pertains to mandatory reading intervention. As you will recall, this bill text will require school districts to alter how they teach students to read as well as what accommodations must be provided to struggling and non- struggling readers. Also included in this amendment was language taken from SB 662 which pertains to school innovation waivers.
An amendment added the bill text from SB 1170 which states that a school’s agent, trained by a school nurse, and contracted for the transportation of school children, shall have the discretion to administer an epinephrine auto syringe on any student who is having a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction;
An amendment added the bill text from SB 703 which pertains to individual career plans and mandatory FAFSA applications for high school students.
An amendment added the bill text from SB 958 which permits districts to enter into ride-sharing agreements with individuals to transport students. The decision to enter into ride-sharing agreements is voluntary for school districts.
Discussion / Action Items
Approval of Architect Contract Renewal
The amended contract renewal with Incite Design Studio (iDS) was approved as presented by Dr. Hux.
Approval of Proposed 2022-23 Salary Increases
The following 2022-23 salary increases as outlined below and their accompanying salary schedules were approved as presented by Dr. Hux.
Certified: $39k Base ($1,500 which is a 4% increase) and a step
Admin: 4% Base and a step
PAT/Tech: 4% Base and a step
Latchkey: 4% Base and a step
Classified: 4% Base and a step (Maintenance, Nurse, Admin Assistant, LPN) & $12 Minimum Wage Base and a step (Custodian, Assistant, Cross Guard, Secretary-2)
Proposed Board of Education Session
A Board of Education work session was set for 5:30 PM on Monday, July 25th at Central Office.
Approval of Long Range Facility Plan
The Long Range Facility Plan Update was approved as presented by iDS representatives Aaron Harte and Patrick Smith. A copy can be found online at https://go.boarddocs.com/mo/es40s/Board.nsf/Public.
Approval of May Curriculum
The list of Middle School curriculum was approved as presented by Dr. Miller.
