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MSTA Member Action Brief - Feb. 23, 2026
• 3 min
MSTA Member Action Brief - Feb. 23, 2026
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This is MSTA Action Member Brief, a members-only preview of what we're watching and working on at the Capitol.
Could be a busy week at the Capitol, especially when it comes to education. In the House, lawmakers are expected to take one more vote on the supplemental budget bill that would provide continued funding for the current fiscal year. If it passes, the measure will move to the Senate for further consideration. The House may also debate legislation addressing teacher license reciprocity with other states. Over in the Senate, attention is focused on two education. bills opposed by MSTA. One would create a statewide mandated open enrollment program, while the other would expand the MO Scholars voucher program. MSTA has raised concerns that the proposed expansion would further reduce accountability standards and increase access to state funds for completely unregulated schools. These concerns follow a July audit from the state auditor's office examining the state treasurer's administration of the current voucher program.
The audit identified significant issues, including weak oversight of the education assistance organizations responsible for distributing millions of state dollars, as well as a failure to conduct annual audits of the program as required by law. In addition to floor debate, several bills MSTA is tracking that could, uh, see committee action this week include legislated-- legislation affecting work after retirement policies for PSRS members, a bill focused on media literacy for students, and a possible executive session in the Senate Education Committee on its version of the A to F school report card bill, also opposed by MSTA. And looking ahead, MSTA Capitol visits begin next week. There, uh, still time to register for your region's Capitol visit, if you haven't yet. You can visit www.msta.org to get signed up. We're excited to welcome members to Jefferson City as they advocate for public education and make their voices heard.
