Public education in Missouri

in Missouri

Fiscal Budgets Missouri state budget and finances Tax policy in Missouri Finance Financial regulation in Missouri Pensions Public pensions in Missouri Pension health in Missouri Civil liberties Affirmative action in Missouri Campaign finance requirements in Missouri Campaign finance requirements for Missouri ballot measures Nonprofit regulation in Missouri Education Charter schools in Missouri Higher education in Missouri Public education in Missouri School choice in Missouri Elections Ballot access Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Missouri Ballot access requirements for political parties in Missouri Political parties in Missouri Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in Missouri Redistricting in Missouri Voting in Missouri Energy and Environment Energy policy in Missouri Fracking in Missouri Oil and gas extraction on federal land in Missouri Endangered species in Missouri Environmental policy in Missouri Healthcare Healthcare policy in Missouri Medicaid spending in Missouri Effect of the Affordable Care Act in Missouri Immigration Immigration in Missouri

This article does not contain the most recently published data on this subject. If you would like to help our coverage grow, consider donating to Ballotpedia.

K-12 education in Missouri

Education facts

State superintendent: Margie Vandeven

Number of students: 917,900

Number of teachers: 66,248

Teacher/pupil ratio: 1:14

Number of school districts: 226

Number of schools: 2,406

Graduation rate: 85.7%

Per-pupil spending: $9,597

See also

Missouri Department of Education • List of school districts in Missouri • Missouri • School boards portal

Public education in the United States Public education in Missouri Glossary of education terms

Note: The statistics on this page are mainly from government sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics. Figures given are the most recent as of June 2015, with school years noted in the text or footnotes.

The Missouri public school system (prekindergarten through grade 12) operates within districts governed by locally elected school boards and superintendents. In 2013 Missouri had 917,900 students enrolled in a total of 2,406 schools in 567 school districts. There were 66,248 teachers in the public schools, or roughly one teacher for every 14 students, compared to the national average of 1:16. There was roughly one administrator for every 295 students, which was equal to the national average. On average Missouri spent $9,597 per pupil in 2013, which ranked it 30th highest in the nation. The state's graduation rate was 85.7 percent in 2013.^[1][2][3]

Common Core[edit]

Common Core, or the Common Core State Standards Initiative, is an American education initiative that outlines quantifiable benchmarks in English and mathematics at each grade level from kindergarten through high school. The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education adopted the standards on June 15, 2010. Full implementation is scheduled to be achieved in the 2014-2015 academic year. Under pressure from opponents to Common Core, however, the Missouri Legislature passed House Bill 1490, which was signed by Governor Jay Nixon on July 14, 2014. This bill will replace the Common Core standards by the 2016-2017 school year with new state standards, to be developed with recommendations from educators and parents in the state.^[4][5][6]

In 2015 a Missouri judge ruled that the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC), a group that administered standardized, Common Core-affiliated tests for a number of states, was an “unlawful interstate compact to which the U.S. Congress has never consented.” Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green ruled that SBAC’s existence and operation was unconstitutional due to the U.S. Constitution’s Compact Clause and that Missouri’s participation with SBAC was also unconstitutional. The ruling declared that paying any membership fees to SBAC was illegal and that no taxpayer funds could be disbursed to SBAC either directly or indirectly.^[7]

General information[edit]

See also: General comparison table for education statistics in the 50 states and Education spending per pupil in all 50 states

The following chart shows how Missouri compared to three neighboring states with respect to the number of students, schools, teachers per pupil and administrators per pupil for the 2012-2013 school year. The chart also displays that information at the national level. Missouri had the lowest teacher-to-student ratio (about 1:14) among its neighboring states.

Further comparisons between these states with respect to performance and financial information are given in other sections of this page.

Schools by type[edit]

Education policy on Ballotpedia
Education policy in the U.S.
Public education in the U.S.
Higher education by state
School choice in the U.S.
Education statistics
State information
Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming
School board elections portal Glossary of education terms School choice on the ballot Education on the ballot

See also: Number of schools by school type in the United States

Of the 98,454 schools in the United States, 89,031 were classified as regular schools. After regular schools, magnet schools and charter schools were the most prevalent non-traditional schools in the country, at 6,079 and 5,986, respectively.

The table below breaks down each of the different types of schools in Missouri and nearby states. Also listed are the numbers of schools in each state that are classified as "Title I" schools. These are public schools that have been specially targeted to correct achievement gaps in public schools.^[8]

In Missouri, there were 2,173 regular schools as of 2013. Alternative schools were the second most prevalent type of school in the state, with 105 schools classified as such.

Demographics[edit]

See also: Demographic information for all students in all 50 states

The following table displays the ethnic distribution of students in Missouri as reported in the National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data for 2012-2013.^[9]

During the 2012-2013 school year, just over half of all students in K-12 public schools nationwide were white. About a quarter of the students in the country were Hispanic, with black students making up about 16 percent of the student population.

In Missouri, the majority of students were white. White students totaled 676,377, which was about 73.7 percent of the student population in the state. There were 152,275 black students in Missouri, which accounted for about 16.6 percent of the population.

Enrollments by region type[edit]

See also: Student distribution by region type in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 30 percent of all public school students in the country attended city schools during the 2012-2013 school year. About 40 percent attended suburban schools. Approximately 11.5 percent of all students attended schools in towns, while about 18.7 percent attended rural schools.^[10]

A plurality of students in Missouri attended suburban schools during the 2012-2013 school year. Approximately 53.2 percent of the state's students attended city or suburban schools, compared to the approximately 46.7 percent who attended rural or town schools.

Academic performance[edit]

Education terms
For more information on education policy terms, see this article.
School board elections portal Glossary of education terms School choice on the ballot Education on the ballot

NAEP scores[edit]

See also: NAEP scores by state

The National Center for Education Statistics provides state-by-state data on student achievement levels in mathematics and reading in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The table below presents the percentage of fourth and eighth grade students that scored at or above proficient in reading and math during school year 2012-2013. Students in Missouri scored about the same as those in Arkansas and Illinois, but slightly lower than students in Iowa. The best scores in the state were earned by fourth graders in math, with 39 percent scoring at or above proficient.^[11]

Graduation, ACT and SAT scores[edit]

See also: Graduation rates by groups in state and ACT and SAT scores in the United States

The following table shows the graduation rates and average composite ACT and SAT scores for Missouri and surrounding states during the 2012-2013 school year. All statements made in this section refer to that school year.^[11][12][13]

In the United States, public schools reported graduation rates that averaged to about 81.4 percent. About 54 percent of all students in the country took the ACT, while 50 percent reported taking the SAT. The average national composite scores for those tests were 20.9 out of a possible 36 for the ACT, and 1498 out of a possible 2400 for the SAT.^[14]

Missouri schools reported a graduation rate of 85.7 percent during the 2012-2013 school year, second highest among its neighboring states.

In Missouri, more students took the ACT than the SAT in 2013, earning an average ACT score of 21.6.

Dropout rate[edit]

See also: Public high school dropout rates by state for a full comparison of dropout rates by group in all states

The high school event dropout rate indicates the proportion of students who were enrolled at some time during the school year and were expected to be enrolled in grades nine through 12 in the following school year but were not enrolled by October 1 of the following school year. Students who have graduated, transferred to another school, died, moved to another country, or who are out of school due to illness are not considered dropouts. The average public high school event dropout rate for the United States remained constant at 3.3 percent for both school year 2010–2011 and school year 2011–2012. The event dropout rate for Missouri was higher than the national average at 3.4 percent in the 2010-2011 school year. The dropout rate was lower than the national average at 2.9 percent in the 2011-2012 school year.^[15]

Educational choice options[edit]

See also: School choice in Missouri

As of June 2015, school choice options in Missouri included charter schools, open enrollment policies and online learning programs. In addition, about 11.50 percent of school-age children in the state attended private schools in the 2011-2012 academic year, and an estimated 2.67 percent were homeschooled in 2012-2013.

Developments[edit]

Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (2020)[edit]

Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue
Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue
Media coverage and commentary
U.S. Supreme Court 2019-2020 term
Blaine Amendment (U.S. Constitution)
Blaine amendments in state constitutions
School choice on the ballot
Education on the ballot

See also: Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue

On June 30, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, which concerned whether the government can exclude religious institutions from student-aid programs. The case related to Article X, Section 6 of the Montana Constitution, also known as Montana’s Blaine Amendment.^[16]

In its 5-4 opinion, the court held that the application of Article X, Section 6 violated the free exercise clause of the U.S. Constitution. The majority held Article X, Section 6 barred religious schools and parents who wished to send their children to those schools from receiving public benefits because of the religious character of the school.^[17]

The case addressed the tension between the free exercise and Establishment clauses of the U.S. Constitution—where one guarantees the right of individuals' free exercise of religion and the other guarantees that the state won't establish a religion—and the intersections of state constitutions with state law and with the U.S. Constitution.

Missouri is one of the states with a Blaine Amendment.

Education funding and expenditures[edit]

See also: Missouri state budget and finances

Breakdown of expenditures by function in fiscal year 2013
Source: National Association of State Budget Officers

According to the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO), states spent an average of 19.8 percent of their total budgets on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. In addition, the United States Census Bureau found that approximately 45.6 percent of the country's school system revenue came from state sources, while about 45.3 percent came from local sources. The remaining portion of school system revenue came from federal sources.^[18][19]

Missouri spent approximately 22.8 percent of its budget on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. School system revenue came primarily from local funds. Missouri spent a greater percentage of its total budget on public education than any of its neighboring states.

Revenue breakdowns[edit]

See also: Public school system revenues in the U.S. to compare all states.

According to the United States Census Bureau, public school system revenues totaled approximately $598 billion in fiscal year 2013.^[19]

In Missouri, the primary source of school system revenue was local funding during fiscal year 2013, at $4.9 billion. Missouri reported the second highest total public education revenue when compared to its neighboring states.

Expenditure breakdowns[edit]

See also: Public school system expenditures in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, public school system expenditures totaled approximately $602 billion in fiscal year 2012.^[20]

Public education expenditures in Missouri totaled approximately $10.2 billion in fiscal year 2012. Missouri reported the second highest total public education expenditures when compared to its neighboring states.

Personnel salaries[edit]

See also: Public school teacher salaries in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average national salary for classroom teachers in public elementary and secondary schools declined by 1.3 percent from the 1999-2000 school year to the 2012-2013 school year. During the same period in Missouri, the average salary decreased by 2.5 percent.^[22]

Organizations[edit]

State agencies[edit]

The mission statement of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education reads:^[23]

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is led by the Commissioner of Education. The Commissioner of Education is appointed by the Missouri State Board of Education. Margie Vandeven was sworn into the position in 2015.^[25]

The State Board of Education is responsible generally for "the supervision of instruction in the public schools." The board is composed of eight members appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state senate. The composition of the board must meet the following requirements:^[26]

• No more than four board members may belong to the same political party
• No more than one member may reside within the same county or congressional district

Board members are appointed to eight-year terms.^[26]

Unions[edit]

In 2012 the Fordham Institute and Education Reform Now assessed the power and influence of state teacher unions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Their rankings were based on 37 different variables in five broad areas: resources and membership, involvement in politics, scope of bargaining, state policies and perceived influence. Missouri ranked 38th overall for union power and influence, or "weak," which was in the fourth of five tiers.^[27]

The main unions related to the Missouri school system are the Missouri National Education Association, an affiliate of the National Education Association (NEA), and the Missouri Federation of Teachers, an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). For the 2003 tax period, the Missouri National Education Association had: $7.52 million in total revenue, $7.47 million in total expenses and $3.13 million in total assets.^[28] For the same period, the Missouri Federation of Teachers had: $373,550 in total revenue, $370,769 in total expenses and $82,638 in total assets.^[29]

List of local Missouri school unions:^[30]

• Missouri National Education Association
• Missouri Federation of Teachers
• AFT St. Louis, Local 420
• Kansas City Federation of Teachers
• Rockwood National Education Association
• Gladstone National Education Association

Taxpayer-funded lobbying[edit]

See also: Missouri government sector lobbying

The main education government sector lobbying organization is the Missouri School Boards Association.

Transparency[edit]

The Missouri Accountability Portal is the state's spending transparency database. It discloses information about state government spending, and includes data on state employee salaries, agency expenditures, and tax credit information. The Missouri Accountability Portal was created at the executive order of Governor Matt Blunt in July 2007.

Studies and reports[edit]

Quality Counts 2014[edit]

See also: Education Week survey

Education Week, a publication that reports on many education issues throughout the country, began using an evaluation system in 1997 to grade each state on various elements of education performance. This system, called Quality Counts, uses official data on performance from each state to generate report cards for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The report card in 2014 uses six different categories:

1. Chance for success
2. K-12 achievement
3. Standards, assessments and accountability
4. The teaching profession
5. School finance
6. Transitions and alignment

Each of these six categories had a number of other elements that received individual scores. Those scores were then averaged and used to determine the final score in each category. Every state received two types of scores for each of the six major categories: A numerical score out of 100 and a letter grade based on that score. Education Week used the score for the first category, "chance for success," as the value for ranking each state and the District of Columbia. The average grade received in the entire country was 77.3, or a C+ average. The country's highest average score was in the category of "standards, assessments and accountability" at 85.3, or a B average. The lowest average score was in "K-12 achievement", at 70.2, or a C- average.

Missouri received a score of 77.3, or a C+ average in the "chance for success" category. This was equal to the national average. The state's highest score was in "standards, assessments and accountability" at 78.9, or a C+ average. The lowest score was in "K-12 achievement" at 66.0, or a D average. When compared to its neighbors, Missouri had the lowest score for K-12 achievement. The chart below displays the scores of Missouri and its surrounding states.^[31]

Note: Click on a column heading to sort the data.

State Budget Solutions education study[edit]

See also: State spending on education v. academic performance (2012)

State Budget Solutions examined national trends in education from 2009 to 2011, including state-by-state analysis of education spending, graduation rates and average ACT scores. The study showed that the states that spent the most did not have the highest average ACT test scores, nor did they have the highest average graduation rates. A summary of the study is available here. The full report can be accessed here.

Issues[edit]

Stipend scandal in St. Joseph[edit]

Investigations into accounting and hiring practices[edit]

The St. Joseph School District faced investigations by the Missouri State Auditor, the United States Department of Education, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation related to stipends issued by former Superintendent Fred Czerwonka. The former superintendent, appointed in July 2013, allegedly used a rebate from the district's insurance provider to distribute $270,000 in stipends to 54 administrators without board approval. District policy required a report to the school board and a deposit of any excess funds including refunds from vendors. Czerwonka, district Human Resources Director Doug Flowers, and school board member Dan Colgan also faced accusations of using their positions to guarantee promotions within the district and raises for family members.

On January 20, 2015, both Czerwonka and Chief Operating Officer (COO) Rick Hartigan were placed on paid administrative leave. The board later voted in February 2015 to fire Czerwonka. Hartigan was fired a week later, and Flowers left the district with a severance package in July 2015.^[32]

Learn more about the St. Joseph schools
The story
2017 Debate over culture Business supporters Ethics complaint filed Understanding the sides Levy and the budget Contentious tax levy 2015 Ripple effect Board resignation Superintendent axed State audit and fallout 2014 Stipend scandal erupts
Former officials
Trustee Chris Danford Trustee Dan Colgan Supt. Fred Czerwonka HR Director Doug Flowers COO Rick Hartigan CFO Beau Musser
Background
St. Joseph School District 2018 school board election 2017 property tax levy 2016 school board election 2015 tax levy renewal 2014 school board election

Beau Musser involvement, suspension and departure[edit]

The flashpoint for the mismanagement allegations was a school board meeting on March 24, 2014. Board member Chris Danford presented information she received from district residents about the stipends offered by Czerwonka. Beau Musser, the district's chief financial officer (CFO) at the time, also revealed that he received a list of stipend recipients from Flowers. Musser was placed on paid leave on March 28, 2014, after the superintendent presented him with several accusations of sexual harassment against district employees. The CFO claimed in a lawsuit against the district that Czerwonka offered to drop the harassment claims if he resigned from his position. During Musser's time as CFO, he found that the district could not account for 4,000 gallons of fuel, failed to follow bidding procedures for district vehicles and approved $189,000 in consulting fees without board approval.

A press release issued by the district in November 2014 revealed that Musser would be returning to work, with the transitional assistance of OMNI Employment Management Services, an HR consulting firm. In addition, documents obtained by the St. Joseph News-Press stated that the district would conduct an investigation into whether the initial suspension of Musser by administrators was justified.^[33]

On March 26, 2015, in an executive session, the St. Joseph Board of Trustees voted 5-0 to settle Musser's lawsuit against the district charging wrongful termination, breach of contract, and slander. "We are relieved that we are at this point," said board member Chris Danford. On April 10, 2015, the district announced that it was paying Musser $450,000 to settle the slander lawsuit. The full agreement can be read here.

On September 10, 2015, Musser resigned from his position effective October 14, 2015. Initial reports stated he intended to keep his new job private.^[34]

Secret tapes, superintendent fired[edit]

It was revealed in a January 2015 Ballotpedia report that then-CFO Beau Musser had secretly taped conversations from crucial meetings with Czerwonka and other district officials. Those tapes were reviewed by lawyers involved in Musser's lawsuit, in addition to the FBI.

On January 20, 2015, after a closed door session, Czerwonka and Chief Operating Officer Rick Hartigan were both put on paid administrative leave by a vote of four to one. Board members Kappy Hodges, Lori Prussman, Chris Danford, and Brad Haggard all voted in favor of the two men being placed on leave. Dan Colgan was the only board member to vote against it. However, Martin Rucker was not present for the meeting and told News-Press he was working in Jefferson City and could not make it to the meeting. Dennis Snethen attended the meeting with members of the state auditor's office, after which he left and did not return for the vote about Czerwonka and Hartigan's leaves.^[35] Both exited the building without comment. On February 20, 2015, the school board voted 6-0 in a closed executive session to fire Czerwonka. Colgan was the only board member not present at the meeting. On May 2, 2015, Czerwonka sent his letter of resignation to the St. Joseph News-Press, skipping the appeals process allowed by his contract.

Dr. Jake Long served as the acting superintendent from Czerwonka's ousting through the end of the 2014-2015 school year. Shortly after taking the position, Long announced his intention to resign from the district and to take the superintendent position at Mountain Home Public Schools in Arkansas.

On June 4, 2015, the school board voted to hire Princeton Superintendent Robert Newhart as interim superintendent. Newhart took office on July 1, 2015, with a one-year contract and a salary of $174,500.^[36] Following the announcement, St. Joseph Board President Brad Haggard stated, "Dr. Newhart has all the qualities we are looking for in an interim superintendent. We will lean on his leadership and experience as we continue to focus on making key changes in the district." Chris Danford insisted, "I believe he's the right person to lead us as we continue to clean things up."^[37]

2015 financial audit report, "poor" rating[edit]

A sign at the Hi Ho Bar and Grill.

On February 17, 2015, a 53-page financial report was released by the Missouri State Auditor. Approximately 250 parents and community members attended its release at a new elementary school that opened in 2014. Missouri Auditor Thomas Schweich (R) revealed his findings to the crowd: a widespread lack of financial control. Schweich pointed to stipends unknown and unapproved by the school board, financial mismanagement that is now speculated to date back as far as 2000. The total number of dollars involved in the stipend system could range from $25 million over eight years to $40 million over 14 years. In either case, says Schweich, "a staggering amount of money" is involved.

At the forefront, the audit points to two of the district's top administrators, former Superintendent Fred Czerwonka and Chief Operating Officer Rick Hartigan, for adding thousands of dollars to their compensation without board approval and for other expenses charged to the district. For example, Czerwonka was given an additional $6,000 on top of his $190,000 salary for having a graduate degree. That degree is required for the position and was not listed anywhere in Czerwonka's contract. Hartigan’s base salary in 2014 was $97,700; however, he received an additional $35,343 in stipends for being on the superintendent’s council, night duty, longevity, and for something simply labeled "additional." According to Schweich, no one at the district could explain what this "additional" expense could be.

Schweich also rated the district’s performance as "poor." St. Joseph is the only Missouri school district to be rated that low by the state auditor’s office. According to school board member Chris Danford, the strain of this investigation hurt the district's students. "We don’t have textbooks for everyone. We have larger classes. I mean, we could have done so much more for our students. They don’t get those years back." The audit also said the district had too many no-bid contracts, did not have an adequate system for tracking district property such as cell phones and tablets, and had too many employees with credit cards.

Allegations of nepotism[edit]

Nepotism was also a significant problem in the district, according to Missouri Auditor Thomas Schweich (R). The audit singled out Human Resources Director Doug Flowers and school board member Dan Colgan, a retired St. Joseph superintendent. Doug's wife Tammy Flowers and Czerwonka's wife Wendy both received controversial promotions and raises in 2014. According to district sources, both women were recently interviewed by the FBI in their district offices.

In regard to Colgan, the audit criticized the district for providing him with medical insurance for life when he retired in 2005. In 2014, the amount paid for Colgan's medical insurance was $4,600. Additionally, Colgan’s son, Mark, also managed the district’s warehouse. In 2014, he was promoted, and given a $16,226 raise. The audit said no documentation detailing Mark Colgan’s additional duties was created. The position also required a master’s degree, which Mark Colgan did not have.

The audit stated that the district "has not established adequate policies and procedures for the hiring, supervising and tracking of related employees."

Reaction to financial report[edit]

Following the release of the audit, acting superintendent Dr. Jake Long said the district would continue to make improvements with regard to the auditor's recommendations. District officials said that many of the changes were underway since April 2014, when they were alerted to some of the financial issues. Those issues could not be discussed previously because of auditor investigation confidentiality issues. At the time Long stated, "[District officials are] not going to wait until the problem comes out to change it if it’s wrong and the wrong process to go about doing it.”

Then-CFO Beau Musser commented on the tough decisions the district would have to face in regards to payroll and accounting, as a result of the audit. Musser said he was in favor of adequate payroll staff so that oversight was provided for those concerns. "We have a $120 million budget and we have one accounts payable clerk. Any organization our size would be wise to have a purchasing manager and have a lot more control," he commented.

Board member Kappy Hodges stated the district would follow any budget recommendations set forth by the auditor and would also conduct a market analysis salary and expenditure study. Hodges thought accountability was the answer: "I think we need to hold people accountable that made bad judgment calls that are more than just a simple mistake," he said.^[38]

Audit by the IRS[edit]

In June 2015, the district was notified by the IRS that auditors from the agency would be arriving to examine "a wide variety of information."^[39] A press release from the district stated that the audit would include board minutes, organizational charts and termination agreements, among other documents. Board member Brad Haggard said that the district "[intended] to fully comply and answer each of the items addressed in the IRS request."^[39]

Initially thought to have been completed within three days, the IRS announced in mid-August 2015 that the audit would take a full year to be finalized. Along with this news, the board was also asked to move forward with recommendations put forth by the state audit released in February 2015. There was no statement from the IRS as the agency does not comment on ongoing audits.^[40]

Colgan resigns, charged with federal crime[edit]

After the state audit revealed many discrepancies in the financial records of the school district, the pension of former board member and superintendent Dan Colgan came under its own investigation by the Missouri Public School Retirement System (PSRS) in September 2015. On September 18, 2015, the board unanimously voted to "discontinue current and future health care coverage payments for Colgan," according to St. Joe Channel.^[41]

"Legally, he should have never been given this coverage. It is unlawful to extend this special privilege to one former employee over all other employees," said board member Lori Prussman. At issue was the fact that Colgan had been reimbursed for his insurance payments. All retired employees have the right to access the district's healthcare, but they are supposed to pay premiums to do so. Colgan "should have been required to pay premiums for the coverage and not been reimbursed for it by the district," according to W. Joseph Hatley, an attorney for the board of education.^[41]

Colgan worked for the St. Joseph School District for 38 years in various positions including teacher, human resources director and superintendent. He retired in 2006 and joined the board in 2010. After seeing news coverage of the state audit, the PSRS decided to review Colgan's retirement income. The FBI contacted the executive director of PSRS requesting results from the pension investigation once it was completed.^[42]

A school employee's pension is based on the three-highest years of compensation while employed by the school district. Colgan's compensation increased by approximately $35,000 in his last three years of employment in the district. Those final increases in compensation could have increased his annual retirement income from $132,000 to $162,000, according to News-Press Now. The PSRS investigation was initiated to determine whether the increases were approved by the board and in accordance with Colgan's contract.^[42]

As a result of the controversy surrounding him, Colgan resigned from his position as a board member on March 5, 2015. The resignation came after much speculation regarding his status, largely because as an elected member, Colgan couldn't have been ousted. There is no law that allows St. Joseph Board of Education members to be recalled by voters. Colgan sent a terse resignation letter to St. Joseph Board President Brad Haggard, calling his decision to resign difficult "as I dearly love the St. Joseph School District." The board took applications for the open seat, which board member Chris Danford said they hoped to fill by the April board meeting. In that meeting, the board voted unanimously to appoint local business executive Eric Bruder to fill the position.^[43]

In April 2016, the PSRS completed its investigation and ordered Colgan to return $660,000 in unearned retirement benefits. This was reportedly the most money the state's educator pension system had ever required to be returned.^[44] The FBI completed its investigation of Colgan soon thereafter in June 2016, and the bureau charged the former district superintendent with a federal crime. Colgan appeared before a district court judge regarding the charge on June 13, 2016.^[45]

Criminal investigation called for, changes in legislation[edit]

In the wake of the audit's release, a Missouri state senator is calling for a criminal investigation by the Missouri attorney general of those involved in the scandal. State Sen. Rob Schaaf (R) from St. Joseph deems the actions uncovered by Missouri State Auditor Thomas Schweich "illegal and greatly disturbing." Schaaf said in a statement that he has asked the attorney general to "closely examine the documents the auditor has compiled and bring charges against those responsible for the mishandling of the funds within the St. Joseph public schools." He is also calling for the Governor's Office and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to demand $3.5 million in state aid be returned from the school district.^[46]

In addition, Schaaf filed legislation that would shorten school board terms from six years to three years. That bill, Senate Bill 473, passed on April 2, 2015. According to Schaaf, longer terms foster a cozy relationship between the board and administrators, which can prompt the lack of oversight and accountability uncovered by the audit. The bill will also allow St. Joseph voters to recall school board members.^[47]

On April 8, 2015, the Missouri General Assembly overrode a gubernatorial veto of a bill that aims to keep superintendents from seeking a seat on the board of a district they previously served. Resigned board member Dan Colgan served as St. Joseph's superintendent for 14 years before he sought election to the board. Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon (D) vetoed the bill on April 3, 2015, saying that the law would prevent too many administrators from seeking office. Lawmakers are pledging to revise the bill to address the governor's questions. “We are committed to addressing the governor’s concerns in another bill and still have two provisions related to the St. Joseph School District we are continuing to work on,” Schaaf said.^[48]

Firings continue[edit]

A week after the St. Joseph board voted to fire Superintendent Fred Czerwonka, Chief Operating Officer Rick Hartigan was also relieved of his duties at St. Joseph on February 28, 2015. Hartigan had previously been in charge of all district vendor contracts. On the same day, the board demoted Human Resources Director Doug Flowers and offered him a teaching contract for the 2015-2016 school year. In July 2015, the board came to an agreement with Flowers and paid him a $32,000 severance package in order to leave the district.^[32] These three top administrators were roundly criticized in a report from the Missouri State Auditor. According to sources, all were interviewed multiple times by the FBI as part of the ongoing investigation.

Grand jury sends subpoena to West Plains School District[edit]

In late March 2015, the federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., sent a subpoena to West Plains School District, also in Missouri, where Czerwonka served as superintendent from 2009 to 2013. West Plains Superintendent Dr. John Mulford confirmed he received the subpoena in the mail. "The FBI made it clear that the West Plains District is not being investigated," Mulford said. "The subpoena is for records for a former West Plains employee now in St. Joseph." At the same time of the request, the jury sent a fourth subpoena to St. Joseph, with Czerwonka being the link between the two. Sources say the latest subpoena in St. Joseph demands expense reports and time sheets for some top administrators and contracts from certain district vendors.

Financial repercussions[edit]

In December 2014, it was disclosed in a report by Ballotpedia that the district could lose up to $2 million in state funding in addition to the slew of federal charges facing them. The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education notified the district that it was disallowing reimbursement for more than half of the district's summer school classes because they did not follow specific guidelines. Some of these offenses included the class was not being held in a district building and that parents were charged a fee for the class. The district has since disputed some of the charges. To add to the mix, a significant part of the district’s property tax levy sunsets this year. In early May 2015, the St. Joseph school board decided not to renew that levy.^[49] The district will lose $6.5 million at a time when the district is already deficit-spending and eating into its reserves. A poll indicated that if the levy had made it to the ballot, 48 percent would have voted against it, 39 percent would have voted to renew it and the remaining 14 percent were undecided.

Federal investigation culminates in prison time for Colgan[edit]

In conclusion to the two-year long investigation of the St. Joseph School District, Colgan stood before U.S. District Judge Dean Whipple in a Kansas City courtroom on June 13, 2016. He faced one count of wire fraud, a federal offense, tied to his improper collection of $660,000 from the Missouri Public School Retirement System (PSRS). Colgan pleaded guilty to the charge after reaching a plea bargain with U.S. Attorney Tammy Dickinson and will serve one year and one day in a federal prison facility.^[50] Colgan used the internet in his dealings with the PSRS, which meant information was transmitted across state lines as it hit various servers, according to KCUR.^[50] This made his actions a federal crime. "Today's criminal felony conviction brings to a conclusion an extensive, thorough investigation into fiscal wrongdoing in the St. Joseph School District. We do not anticipate charges against any additional defendants in the future," stated Dickinson.^[50] Colgan reported to prison in September 2016.^[50]

School districts[edit]

See also: School board elections portal

District types[edit]

Missouri contains multiple types of school districts. In addition to traditional school districts, the state also includes consolidated and reorganized districts, which were originally formed from two or more districts in the past. Consolidated districts are denoted with a "C" and a number in their legal name, while reorganized districts are denoted with an "R" and a number instead.^[51]

School board composition[edit]

Missouri school board members are generally elected by residents of the school district, although some board members are appointed. Missouri school board elections typically follow one of these two methods, or a mixture thereof:

• At-large: All voters residing in the school district may vote for any candidates running, regardless of geographic location.
• District: Only voters residing in a specific geographic area within the school district may vote on certain candidates, who must also reside in that specific geographic area.

School boards typically consist of seven or nine members. Board members in most districts serve three-year terms, although board members in Kansas City and St. Louis serve four-year terms and board members in Independence and St. Joseph serve six-year terms.^[51]

Term limits[edit]

Missouri does not impose statewide term limits on school board members.^[52]

Elections[edit]

See also: Missouri school board elections, 2021

Editor's note: Some school districts choose to cancel the primary election, or both the primary and general election, if the number of candidates who filed does not meet a certain threshold. The table below does not reflect which primary or general elections were canceled. Please click through to each school district's page for more information.

Path to the ballot[edit]

To qualify for the ballot as a school board candidate in Missouri, a person must be:^[51]

• 24 years of age or older
• A citizen of Missouri for at least one year prior to the election
• A resident of the school district
• A "resident taxpayer" of the school district

A person must not be:

• A current employee of the school district, unless they are an independent contractor
• Serving in another public office, unless they are a county administrator, county clerk or circuit clerk
• A registered sex offender or a required to register as a sex offender
• Someone who plead guilty or nolo contendere to or is convicted of a felony, unless the sentence or probationary period of the felony is completed
• Someone who plead guilty to or was convicted of a crime connected with the exercise of the right of suffrage
• A former candidate for public office who failed to file required campaign disclosures or to pay assessed fees from a previous election

The "resident taxpayer" clause is ambiguous regarding what constitutes "taxpayer" status. According to a pamphlet published by the Missouri School Boards' Association, it is possible but not certain that paying sales taxes in the district would qualify someone to meet that requirement. In the 1939 State ex Inf. Mitchell ex rel. Goodman v. Heath decision by the Missouri Supreme Court, the court ruled that paying property taxes would fulfill this requirement. In Columbia, Fort Zumwalt, Independence, Kansas City, Lee's Summit, St. Joseph and Springfield, board members are required to be "voters of the district" instead of "resident taxpayers."

The requirements for running as a school board candidate in St. Louis are more stringent. Candidates must be "residents and citizens" of the city both at the time of the election and for three years prior to the election. Candidates may not hold any other public office except for notary public, and candidates may not be involved or have a stake in any contract or claim against the board "either directly or indirectly."

The process of running for office as a school board candidate begins with filing a "declaration of intent" and a separate statement acknowledging that the candidate has received a written notice that they must file a personal financial disclosure statement and a copy of the summary of laws from the Missouri Ethics Commission. The latter two documents will be given to candidates when they file their declaration of intent. Candidates may file from the 16th Tuesday preceding the election to the 11th Tuesday preceding the election. The only exception to that timeline is for districts with boundaries that extend into Kansas City. The timeline for those districts begins on the 15th Tuesday preceding the election instead. Candidates must file their statements in person, although allowances may be made if a candidate is performing military service or has a disability preventing them from visiting the school district office.

Candidates may withdraw from the ballot at any time upon request before the district office has certified the candidate list. After certification and before the sixth Tuesday preceding the election, candidates may still withdraw from the ballot if they obtain a court order. There is no legal mechanism to allow a candidate to withdraw from the ballot after the sixth Tuesday preceding the election has passed.

The rules regarding write-in candidate filing requirements vary depending on the number of other candidates who filed. If no candidates filed for a position, write-in candidates are not required to file a declaration of intent. This is also true if fewer candidates filed than the total number of available seats. If neither of these circumstances are the case, then write-in candidates must file a declaration of intent with the appropriate election authority prior to the close of business on the second Friday preceding the election.^[51]

Campaign finance[edit]

The type of personal financial disclosure statement that candidates are required to file depends on the policies of each school district. If a school district's annual operating budget is equal to or less than $1 million, candidates are not required to file a statement. The filing deadline for these statements is 14 days after the filing deadline for candidacy. If candidates fail to file a statement within 21 days of the deadline, their names will be automatically removed from the ballot.

State law places no limit on the total amount of contributions that a candidate may receive. Candidates may not receive more than $100 in cash contributions per contributor, and any contribution in excess of $5,000 must be reported electronically to the Missouri Ethics Commission within 48 hours of its receipt. Anonymous donations are capped at $25 per donor, and candidates may not receive more than $500 in total anonymous contributions or one percent of all contributions received in that calendar year.^[51]

Recent legislation[edit]

The following is a list of recent education bills that have been introduced in or passed by the Missouri state legislature. To learn more about each of these bills, click the bill title. This information is provided by BillTrack50 and LegiScan.

Note: Due to the nature of the sorting process used to generate this list, some results may not be relevant to the topic. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation pertaining to this topic has been introduced in the legislature recently.

Education ballot measures[edit]

See also: Education on the ballot and List of Missouri ballot measures

Ballotpedia has tracked the following statewide ballot measures relating to education.

1. Missouri Affecting the Tax Rate for School Purposes Amendment, Issue 1 (1918)
2. Missouri Bonds for Educational Institutions, Amendment 1 (January 1956)
3. Missouri Cigarette Tax for Schools, Referendum 1 (October 1955)
4. Missouri County Board of Education Proposition, Issue 12 (1922)
5. Missouri Education Tax Increase, Proposition B (1991)
6. Missouri Free Public Schools Amendment, Issue 1 (1912)
7. Missouri Gambling Loss Limits, Proposition A (2008)
8. Missouri General Assembly Expenses, Issue 1 (1946)
9. Missouri Impeachment Powers within State Education Amendment, Issue 8 (February 1924)
10. Missouri Increase of School Taxes, Issue 1 (1950)
11. Missouri Issue 8, Tax Assessments, Bonds and Public Education (1938)
12. Missouri Kansas City School Operating Levy, Amendment 3 (April 1998)
13. Missouri Lottery Proceeds for Education, Amendment 11 (August 1992)
14. Missouri Maximum School Taxes Rate, Amendment 4 (August 1982)
15. Missouri Organization of Public Education Amendment, Issue 15 (1924)
16. Missouri Property and School Tax, Issue 8 (1938)
17. Missouri Public School Accreditation and Funding Initiative (2022)
18. Missouri Public School Fund Management, Issue 1 (1944)
19. Missouri Repeal Separate Schools for White and Colored Children, Amendment 5 (August 1976)
20. Missouri Revenue for School Purpose Amendment, Issue 2 (1918)
21. Missouri School District Bond Limit, Amendment 2 (August 1996)
22. Missouri School District Bond Limit, Amendment 4 (April 1998)
23. Missouri School District Debt Limit, Amendment 2 (1952)
24. Missouri School District Property Tax, Amendment 2 (January 1966)
25. Missouri School Foundation Program, Referendum 2 (October 1955)
26. Missouri School Operating Levy, Amendment 2 (1998)
27. Missouri School Taxes, Issue 1 (1942)
28. Missouri Student Assistance, Amendment 7 (August 1976)
29. Missouri Tax Increase to Support Public Education Amendment, Issue 9 (1912)
30. Missouri Tax Levy to Support Universities Amendment, Issue 11 (1910)
31. Missouri Teacher Performance Evaluation, Amendment 3 (2014)
32. Missouri Teachers Pensions, Issue 3 (1934)
33. Missouri Teachers Pensions, Issue 3 (1936)

In the news[edit]

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Missouri education policy. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

See also[edit]

• Historical public education information in Missouri
• Missouri state budget and finances
• Missouri Department of Education
• List of school districts in Missouri
• School choice in Missouri
• Charter schools in Missouri
• Missouri
• Education Policy in the U.S.

External links[edit]

• Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
• Missouri State Board of Education

Footnotes[edit]

	v • e State of Missouri Jefferson City (capital)
Elections	What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2021 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures
Government	Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy