In 4-3 split, SPS board rejects request to back bill that weakens authority of state board

In a split vote, the Springfield school board rejected a request from one of its own to publicly support a legislative proposal to strip the Missouri Board of Education of the authority to use state-mandated tests, or other measures, to accredit districts.

Board member Maryam Mohammadkhani, who supports the changes outlined in Senate Bill 814, made the request during a special meeting Tuesday to finalize the 2024 legislative platform.

She said with the "Education Freedom Act," state Sen. Jill Carter, a Republican who represents Jasper and Newton counties, seeks to help public school districts and "allow us to effectively compete in the choice market and help stave off the decline in enrollment or expansion of charter schools into the southwest region."

The bill, which has gained early traction, aims to give school districts more power over which tests they use, how achievement results are shared, and which national agency issues accreditation.

Under the proposal, state board will not accredit the districts and will only be allowed to use test results to satisfy the federal law that mandates testing in certain grades and subject areas on an annual basis.

"It would reduce test fatigue, which is very real at least in the conversations I've had with students in the middle and high school level, so I do believe the results would be more accurate," Mohammadkhani said. "It would work to increase instruction and learning time because we're not continually chasing this test and it allows flexibility in the method we choose to test our students with. For example, in the early elementary years, we can choose to use paper and pencil."

The board voted 4-3 against publicly supporting the bill with Mohammadkhani, Kelly Byrne and Steve Makoski in favor and Danielle Kincaid, Scott Crise, Judy Brunner and Shurita Thomas-Tate in opposition.

"I'm happy you are on the board and this is one of the reasons," Byrne told Mohammadkhani, noting that he trusts her judgement. "I want to support you and any efforts you continue to do to help improve situations in Jefferson City that would impact Springfield Public Schools."

‘Maybe we could learn from these people’

At the start of the meeting, the board voted 7-0 to approve the legislative platform. A streamlined version proposed by Byrne reflected longtime district positions aimed at securing or improving adequate funding, local control and student achievement.

Thomas-Tate said she agrees with most but not all of the platform but voted for it "in an effort to build consensus" on the board.

"I am for some local control but I do not push for local control at the same level as some of our board members might," she said. "That said, I do not support this bill."

The request from Mohammadkhani for the board to single out a bill for support was a rare, if not unprecedented, step locally. The district, with board support, has added its voice to the call for big-picture changes in the past, such as publicly supporting an increase in the state's minimum teacher pay level.

"This bill is spot in, is in line with the legislative platform that we just approved," Mohammadkhani said. "...We have a little bit more muscle than we think. I think that we strike while the iron is hot."

At the Jan. 16 meeting, Mohammadkhani gave the board a heads-up that the request was coming Tuesday. She also separately asked board officers to invite the bill sponsor and Mary Byrne to meet with the entire board about House Bill 814.

Byrne, former political candidate and lobbyist, is affiliated with the Heartland Institute, a conservative and libertarian think tank. She has frequently spoken at board meetings and legislative hearings about curriculum issues and critical race theory, among other topics.

"Maybe we could learn from these people," Mohammadkhani said. But, board officers declined to issue the invite to either Carter or Mary Byrne, who is not related to Kelly Byrne.

"I feel that…it means that perhaps my opinion is not respected on this board," Mohammadkhani said Tuesday right before the 4-3 vote. "I feel that we came together tonight, not in good faith, because if we wanted to come together and really give this a chance, we would have agreed to hear from the senator, let her make a case for her bill."

Accountability system is 'broken,' needs to be fixed

In lengthy comments, Brunner said she agrees with much of the intent behind Carter's bill but has questions and is worried about how it may change through amendments this session.

Brunner said with Margie Vandeven stepping down this summer as commissioner of education and state Sen. Karla Eslinger set to take over, schools could call for a review and overhaul of rules put in place by the school board and the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

"I'd really like to see a comprehensive group at the state level that consists of legislators, state board members, and local board members, curriculum people, representatives out of DESE to really take a hard, honest look at our accountability system and try to get it right," she said. "I'm not saying that in the past people weren't trying to do the right thing, I'm not saying that, but clearly...it is broken right now."

Brunner said frustration with the current system prompted this legislation. She acknowledged the review process will take time and districts may not want to wait if recent state report cards have them at risk of losing full accreditation in the near future.

She said parts of the system are too confusing, especially how districts receive credit for making progress toward a goal even if they fall short. "That has got to be addressed. It has got to be fixed. It is not just an elephant in the room, it is consuming the whole room right now."

Makoski said it would "be nice if DESE would go back to just allocating the funds that are received by the federal government to the districts."

He said many districts, including Springfield, have alternative and internal testing systems in place. He said perhaps DESE could recognized those tests as part of the accountability system.

"We are here for academic performance and academic achievement. I don't want to sit here and start legislating and start getting into all of the nitty gritty," he said, noting part of the board's role is to oversee Superintendent Grenita Lathan. "...We have a large enough task not only as a board but with Dr. Lathan trying to put this district together and ensure it stays together and we actually achieve our goals of academic achievement for all of our students.”

Makoski added: "I'd like to have local control, I'd like to see DESE start moving out of the way and I think that is a lot of an undertaking for us to do and I don't know that we are quite ready for that."

More: Delayed vote on SPS legislative platform set for Tuesday. Here's what could be included

Mohammadkhani called Brunner's call for a review and overhaul of the accountability system "a pipedream," noting is was recently revised.

"It's a brand new baby," she said. "It is going to be another five, six years before they think about the next iteration and we're stuck with this."

She described the current system as "a mess" and said now is the time to build relationships and take a more active role.

"When do we stop sticking our heads in the sand and just say 'Come what may' right? Let's just hope the damage isn't bad because that is what I think we've been doing," she said.

‘We are all holding our breath’

Mohammadkhani said the bill received bipartisan support this week from the Senate Education and Workforce Development Committee

Kincaid said: "I'm always excited whenever there is bipartisan support and that groups of individuals, including this body, can reach a consensus."

She said while keeping an eye on legislation impacting schools is part the board's role, it is premature to give a "stamp of approval" to a bill that may change as it makes its way through the Missouri General Assembly

"I don't support or not support this bill," she said. I think it's just a slippery slope to cherry-pick bills and say 'Yes we are going to bless this bill, no we are not going to bless this bill.' We provided direction to our lobbyist with a 7-0 vote this evening."

Crise said he supports local control and efforts to reduce test fatigue but not a board endorsement of this bill at this juncture.

"Bills can be added to, changed," Crise said. "Things could be added to that we don't agree with so let's just let our lobbyist do their job and support it through the platform rather than specifically support this bill."

Mohammadkhani said the district hired a lobbyist to track bills of interest and can pull the district's support if there are substantial changes.

"I do feel that all our lobbyist does is to go to Jeff City and we all sit here tense 'Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, what is coming down the pike,' right? We are playing defensive every legislative session," she said. "We are all holding our breath to see how bad the damage is. The damages are going to be substantial because the 'choice' train is here. It is barreling through," she said.

"Again, I implore you to just look at this from this perspective...We want to ensure that we have a seat at the choice table, that public schools will be enabled and will be empowered to be a choice."

More: SPS board member supports bill stripping state board of authority to accredit schools

Crise, Kincaid and Mohammadkhani are running for re-election. They are among a slate of seven candidates on the April 2 ballot along with Landon McCarter, Susan Provance, Chad Rollins and Kyler Sherman-Wilkins. The three with the most votes with be sworn in mid-April.

Claudette Riley covers education for the News-Leader. Email tips and story ideas to criley@news-leader.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: SPS board votes 4-3 not to back bill to weaken state board authority