Regardless of what our school district is saying I would like to see everyone contact their legislators and tell them that EVERY child DESERVES an education. This would include those that do not want to attend school at this district. It is harmful for some students to go to school and they should not be DENIED an education because this district doesn't want to lose money. Have they not ruined enough lives already? Do they believe that our legislators need to make a law to allow them to destroy more?
R-7 ADVOCACY April 22, 2013
Dear Friend of Lee's Summit R-7 schools,
We always hesitate to send two 'Advocacy' e-newsletters in one day but are sending a second issue tonight due to an urgent legislative update. The following comes from Dr. McGehee, R-7 superintendent, with a request to contact your Missouri representative RIGHT AWAY.
Please call your representative NOW and let him/her know that you want your elected rep to vote NO on House Bill 470 when it comes to the floor of the House of Representatives. In particular, contact House Assistant Majority Floor Leader Rep. Mike Cierpiot and let him know that the local taxpayers and the R-7 School District cannot afford this bill. Rep. Cierpiot's vote, as well as those of all of our representatives, is critical as he works with leadership to help determine which bills go to the floor for discussion and vote. We believe House Bill 470 could go to the floor for third and final reading anytime now!
Rep. Cierpiot may be reached at Mike.Cierpiot@house.mo.gov or (573) 751-0907.
Visit http://www.lsr7.org/district/2012-legislative-platform/ to view contact information for all elected officials.
House Bill 470 is a virtual charter school bill that will allow any resident student within the boundaries of the R-7 School District to enroll in a virtual charter school run by any other public school district or a private provider. We have already shared that this bill could cost almost $100 million in state aid for students who currently are not enrolled in public schools. MORE IMPORTANT is the local cost to the tax payer.
House Bill 470 will call for $6,862 to be paid to the virtual charter school by the local school district for each student who enrolls. The R-7 School District currently receives $3,414 per student from the State of Missouri for each full-time student. This leaves $3,448 for the local tax payer to contribute to the virtual charter school for each R-7 student who enrolls in one of these virtual charters while the State of Missouri refuses to fund its own Virtual School Program.
If you consider the percent of students that R-7's total enrollment makes up of the total public school students in Missouri, House Bill 470 has the potential to add over $1 million in costs to the tax payers of our school district. This brings up serious concerns regarding whether or not House Bill 470 may actually violate the Hancock Amendment, creating an unfunded state mandate.
CALL REP. CIERPIOT AND YOUR OWN REPRESENTATIVE NOW AND VOICE THESE CONCERNS. Our schools cannot afford to lose $1 million annually.
LINKS TO R-7 LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM AND ELECTED OFFICIALS
Visit http://www.lsr7.org/district/2012-legislative-platform/ to read the 2013 R-7 Legislative Platform and see a list of area elected officials. This web page also includes a Toolkit for Advocacy.
ABOUT 'R-7 ADVOCACY'
The 'R-7 Advocacy' newsletter is designed to provide you with relevant and timely information about legislative activities. Through this electronic communication, we will also occasionally ask subscribers to consider contacting their elected officials about specific proposed legislation that would impact our students.
Thank you for subscribing to 'R-7 Advocacy'!
UNSUBSCRIBE: To unsubscribe to this newsletter, please visit http://lists.leesummit.k12.mo.us/mailman/listinfo/r7advocacy, scroll down to "To unsubscribe from…," enter your e-mail and select "Unsubscribe or edit options." You may also e-mail Janice Phelan at Janice.phelan@leesummit.k12.mo.us with your request to be removed from the list.
INVITING OTHERS TO SUBSCRIBE: If you know others who would like to subscribe to this newsletter, please direct them to http://lists.leesummit.k12.mo.us/mailman/listinfo/r7advocacy or ask them to e-mail Janice Phelan at Janice.phelan@leesummit.k12.mo.us and ask to be added to the list.
WANT TO TRACK A BILL IN THE MISSOURI HOUSE OR SENATE?
To track a bill in the Missouri House of Representatives, visit www.house.mo.gov/billcentral.aspx?pid=26.
To track a bill in the Missouri Senate, visit www.senate.mo.gov/ and see "SEARCH FOR A BILL" on the left side of the web page.
Janice Phelan
Communications Executive Director
Lee's Summit R-7 School District
301 NE Tudor Road
Lee's Summit, Mo. 64086
(816) 986-1095www.lsr7.org
Keep up with LEE'S SUMMIT R-7 on FACEBOOK and TWITTER!
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