EDUCATION FUNDING RALLY TO BE HELD MAY 1

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Education organizations are calling for one-third of Missouri's general revenue to be spent for public schools.

An alliance of education groups, called Coalition for Our Children's Future, is sponsoring a rally May 1 in Jefferson City to show support for a constitutional change. The coalition supports a proposed constitutional amendment requiring the state to require the level of spending on elementary and secondary education to be at least one-third of general revenue.

Now, the Missouri constitution requires that one-fourth of general revenue be set aside for public schools.

The coalition is comprised of Missouri Association of School Administrators, Missouri School Boards Association, Missouri State Teachers Association, Missouri Association of Elementary School Principals, Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals and Missouri National Education Association,

"We are not proposing anything new," said Carter Ward. "During the past 70 years, state support for public education has almost always been at or above the one-third level. However, during the 1980s that percentage began to slip. Now we're at around 27 percent of the general revenue and falling."

If the legislature does not approve the proposal this year and put it on a future ballot for a vote of the people, the coalition is prepared to begin an initiative petition campaign later this year.

James Englehart, interim superintendent for Cape Girardeau schools, said the district probably will not send a large delegation because teachers are administering the Missouri Mastery and Achievement Test that week.

"Certainly our school district and the organizations I belong to support the one-third amendment over all the other options," Englehart said. "Theoretically the constitution says education is supposed to be number 1 priority for the state, right after pay our debts."

He said the legislature has failed to "zero in on one item to support."

"This is a very specific idea that people in public education have been very supportive of."

The Day of Decision, sponsored by the Missouri State Teachers Association and the Missouri Association of School Administrators, was held to show concern about educational funding, Englehart said. "This is a specific proposal."

Oak Ridge superintendent Roger Tatum said, "Obviously we're in favor of the proposal, but our teachers haven't decided yet if they want to send a delegation."

Oak Ridge closed school to allow teachers to attend the Day of Decision.

"This is an important day also, but we're getting toward the end of the school year, and it gets a little difficult for teachers to take off and go."

Tatum said the Oak Ridge district supports this measure, but added, "Quite frankly, the way things are going in the state, we are looking at anyway to improve the financial situation for elementary and secondary education."

Scott City superintendent Robert Brison said a delegation of staff members from the school district will be attending.

"Several organizations support this notion and have been working actively to bring it to the attention of the General Assembly," Brison said.

Brison believes fewer people will attend this event than attended the Day of Decision, primarily because it is later in the school year and districts have less flexibility with calendars.

Wayne Maupin, superintendent at Jackson Public Schools, said he has not discussed the matter with the Jackson Board of Education or the Jackson Community Teachers Association yet.