MO Senate Committee to Hear about Controversial K-12 Education Bills

The state Senate Education Committee is scheduled to hear a proposal Tuesday that would allow charter schools in Missouri cities with a population greater than 30,000. Charter schools are public and privately funded schools operating independently of traditional public schools. Committee Chair Cindy O’Laughlin of northeast Missouri’s Shelbina is an advocate of charter school expansion.

Brent Ghan (rhymes with tan) with the Missouri School Boards’ Association says charter schools don’t play by the same rules and don’t have the same level of accountability as traditional public schools. Under current state law, charter schools are allowed in Kansas City, St. Louis, and any unaccredited Missouri public school district.