SCHOOLS: MNEA CHIEF VIEWS FIGHT FOR FUNDING

The National Education Association in Missouri plans a fight for increased state funding for schools on two fronts in the legislature and in the courts.

Peggy Cochran, executive director of the Missouri National Education Association (MNEA), said lawsuits will likely prompt more action than legislation.

Cochran was in Cape Girardeau Tuesday to talk with teachers about MNEA. The organization has about 23,000 members in Missouri. Cochran said a small number are in Southeast Missouri, but the group is working to increase the membership locally.

The MNEA also lobbies for educational issues. Cochran said the legislature has recently begun work to revamp the foundation formula, the state's mechanism to fund school districts.

"Both the House and Senate have held works sessions to learn about the foundation formula," said Cochran, who attended the sessions.

"Two things were clear to me. Almost no one understands the foundation and no one can get beyond their own perspective.

"We need a statewide perspective to solve the problem. It's obvious that if someone gains, someone else loses. The senators and representatives seem unwilling to consider anything but how it would affect the schools in their districts."

As the legislature works through a variety of education-related bills being introduced this session, a number of education-related lawsuits are moving through the legal system.

"We have a lot of hope in the legal system," Cochran said.

The MNEA was among parties in a lawsuit challenging the governor's authority to cut state appropriations from schools. Local attorney's Joseph Russell and Diane Howard represented school districts in that same suit.

Judge Byron Kinder ruled that a second round of state budget cuts, amounting to $35 million, were inappropriate. The state has appealed, and the education groups have counter-appealed in hopes to have the first round of cuts restored. The governor in August cut $40 million from schools.

"This case is on an expedited trip to the Supreme Court," Cochran said. "We hope the Supreme Court will not only uphold Judge Kinder's ruling, but also award the first round of cuts also."

"We are also involved in another lawsuit, being called the adequacy and equity suit," she said.

This lawsuit was filed by a Committee for Quality Education, which includes 120 school districts and several education associations in the state.

"We do not believe state money is being funded adequately or distributed equitably," she said.

Similar lawsuits in Kentucky prompted an overhaul of the state's education finances.

"What happened in Kentucky is that not only did the judge order the state to fix the formula, but he also ordered the state to fully fund it. They had to raise the money, almost $1 billion."

Cochran said the MNEA's main focus this year will be on increasing school funding. But the organization has five other key issues for which is is working.

Make collective bargaining a choice for teachers. MNEA has stood alone in the education community calling for this legislation, she said.

Improve retirement benefits.

Develop statewide health insurance.

Reduce class size.

Establish a standards board, similar to those in place for the medical and legal professions.

The organization also supports a proposal to earmark one-third of the state's general revenue for education. She said education now receives about 27 percent of the state's general revenue.

And the MNEA supports a proposal to encourage higher local tax rates. Under the proposal now before the legislature, districts would have to raise their local levy to at least $2 in order to qualify for new state money, when additional state money is available. Now school districts must levy a tax of at least $1.25 to qualify for state funding.