Columbia, Missouri (KMIZ)
Missouri lawmakers are moving forward with a plan to use public funds in Boone County to allow parents to transfer their children to other schools. This comes as voters decide on two seats on the Columbia Board of Education within a week.
The Boone County municipal election will be held on April 2nd, with two seats on the Columbia Board of Education up for election. Three people are running for these two seats: John Potter, Alvin Cobbins, and incumbent Gene Snodgrass.
Before spring break, the Missouri Senate passed a bill to bring charter schools to Boone County. The Missouri House has also passed another bill that would allow students to transfer to surrounding school districts, potentially diverting public school funding.
As the 2024 legislative session begins, Sen. Caleb Rhoden (R-Columbia) told ABC 17 that school choice is a top priority this year. School choice is a policy that allows families to use public funds to transfer between public schools or send their children to private schools. Lowden also supports bringing charter schools to Columbia.
“I personally would like to see charter schools expand in Missouri outside of St. Louis and Kansas City,” Roden said. “I would love to see one or two in Columbia. I think it would be a great benefit to Boone County.”
One school board candidate agrees with Roden. Potter said Columbia Public Schools.
“I think there are some students in the district that are really struggling and some schools that are falling behind,” Potter said. “I think it would be beneficial for a struggling student who attends a struggling school to have the option of going to another school.”
But both Snodgrass and Cobbins oppose anything that could divert public funds from Columbia Public Schools.
Cobbins said Columbia Public Schools should try to resolve issues that parents and students are having, rather than sending students to other schools.
“Most of what I hear from other people about school choice and vouchers and things like that is because they have that issue,” Cobbins said. “Their kids have problems within their public schools, and our public schools don't run away from problems.”
Snodgrass said taxpayer funds should not be used for charter and private schools because they are not held to the same standards as public schools.
“They don't have the same accountability to the taxpayers because the board oversees them,” Snodgrass said. “And I think that's really problematic.”
