The program begins at The Millbottom (400 W. Main St., Jefferson City, MO 65101) with speakers and a legislative overview. The program will conclude before lunch for the Student Showcase and visits at the Capitol. Contact your legislators and schedule a meeting for Tuesday, March 10:

Tentative Program:

9:00 am - Doors Open
9:30 am - Program Begins
11:30 am - Program Concludes for Lunch with Local Food Trucks
12:00 - 3:00 pm - Student Showcase and Legislator Visits at the Captiol

The registration fee is $75 per person and includes lunch. Register on the MSBA Portal or call 573-445-9920.

Property Tax Legislation Passes the House

This week the Missouri House gave first round approval of House Bill 2780, sponsored by Rep. Tim Taylor (R - District 48). Rep. Taylor served as chair of the House Interim Special Committee on Property Tax Reform, which held hearings around the state last year to get feedback on property tax systems in the state. Supporters said this sweeping property tax overhaul would stabilize tax bills, but critics warned the measure could create new complications for local governments and taxpayers. The proposal established separate (“siloed”) tax rates for residential, commercial, agricultural, and personal property; changed how taxable values would be calculated; and moved all local tax elections to November general elections. Backers argued the existing system had shifted tax burdens unevenly during reassessment cycles and that separating rates would make the process more predictable. However, the bill’s breadth and the number of technical changes involved raised concerns among some legislators that the overhaul could prove difficult to implement and might produce winners and losers among taxing districts.

The provision requiring tax elections to occur only in November drew particular skepticism. Supporters said consolidating elections could increase turnout and reduce the perception that local governments scheduled votes during low-participation elections to secure approvals. Opponents countered that limiting elections to a single date could reduce flexibility for school districts, fire districts, and other local agencies that sometimes needed funding on shorter timelines, and some lawmakers cautioned that long ballots crowded with statewide races could lead voters to skip local tax questions altogether. With only initial House approval secured, the proposal was expected to face continued debate as lawmakers weighed whether the promised stability justified the potential administrative and fiscal disruptions. MSBA is concerned about this legislation and continues to educate legislators about the implications of limiting school district’s ability to raise their revenue locally. As a state whose schools are so heavily funded by local revenue, changing property taxes can have serious and significant impacts on our public schools.

A-F Passes House Committee With Substantial Changes

The House Committee on Elementary and Secondary Education met Wednesday afternoon to consider passage of HB 2710, sponsored by Representative Dane Diehl (R - District 125), legislation that would direct the State Board of Education to develop a statewide report card system for all public schools. While supporters argued the framework would provide clearer accountability, several lawmakers and education stakeholders raised concerns about whether a single statewide scoring structure can accurately reflect the wide variation in local school contexts. The bill also establishes the proposed “Show-Me Success Program,” offering financial incentives to schools with high-performing students or those showing academic growth, though critics questioned whether performance-based funding could unintentionally disadvantage districts already facing resource constraints.

During committee deliberations, members adopted a House Committee Substitute that substantially revised the measure. The substitute requires a plain-language parent summary, adjusts report card release timelines, creates an appeals process, and replaces the automatic penalty for low test participation with separate reporting. It also makes performance funding subject to appropriation, expands eligibility criteria, and shifts some funding toward teacher recruitment and retention efforts. Additional changes include renaming the growth metric to “growth relative to grade level,” expanding post-graduation reporting categories, creating a statewide report card, and exempting certain special school districts. Even with these revisions, committee discussion reflected ongoing uncertainty about how growth and proficiency would ultimately be defined and implemented in practice before the bill advanced on a 16–6 vote.

MSBA Leadership Presents to State Board of Education

During the State Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, Melissa Randol, MSBA Executive Director, Katherine Hairston, Associate Executive Director of Leadership Development, and John McDonald, Chief Operating Officer, MSBA Center for Education Safety (CES), were invited to present information on training offered by MSBA. Hairston discussed MSBA’s New Board Member training, in which over 80% of newly elected school board members participated in last year, as well as Board Refresher Training and personalized board workshops offered by MSBA’s Leadership Development Department. The State Board was very engaged and was particularly interested in how MSBA can continue to support the critical role of school boards in driving student achievement around the state.

McDonald highlighted the critical role safety plays in successful learning and CES efforts to build a network of safety personnel that can prevent tragedy, not just respond. Additionally, the group discussed CES efforts to bring schools into compliance with provisions in 2025’s Senate Bill 68 and the importance of state appropriations to fund security measures contained in the bill.

Next Week: Hearings to Watch and Listen

Senate Education: 2/17/2026 - 12:00 pm Listen Live

SB 1194 - Establishes new accountability measures for public schools, charter schools, school districts, and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
SB 1653 - Establishes new accountability measures for public schools, charter schools, school districts, and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
SB 1238 - Creates provisions relating to instruction on the positive impacts of religion on American history
SB 892 - Requires the State Board of Education to cause its annual report to be published on the website of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
SB 1383 - Requires the agricultural education pilot program to be implemented at all elementary schools statewide

House Elementary and Secondary Education: 2/18/2026 - 12:00 pm Watch Live

HB 2304 - Special Education Records
HB 2913 - Immunity for Intervening in Certain Incidents of Violence
HB 3228- Immunity for Intervening in Certain Incidents of Violence

Important Dates

Advocacy Series Lunch and Learn #3: March 6
Advocacy Day: March 10 - Info
Legislative Spring Break: March 16 - 20
Advocacy Series Lunch and Learn #4: April 10
Advocacy Series Lunch and Learn #5: May 8
Budget Bill Deadline: May 8
Last Day of Session: May 15
Veto Session: September 16

Federal Advocacy:

COSSBA Education Report

To keep up with federal issues, read the Consortium of State School Boards Associations (COSSBA) Education Report.

This week, the report includes a request from Senator Bill Cassidy, chairman of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, asking education stakeholders for feedback on ways to improve students’ academic growth. A survey link is provided in the report. Participants are asked to submit their responses to:

K12Growth@help.senate.gov and

julie.feasel@cossba.org.

View the Education Report

Missouri School Boards' Association | Helping School Boards Ensure All Students Succeed

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