Bill would give students the power of choice
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Bill would give students the power of choice

Date: April 24, 2007
By: Hillari Duthoo
State Capitol Bureau
Links: HB 807

Intro: Missouri students could hav ethe power to choose which school to attend beginning in the 2008 school year. Hillari Duthoo (DOO-thoh) has more from the state Capitol. RunTime:
OutCue: SOC

Nearly one in every five public school students attends school in a district that is not fully accredited.

That's the word from Chesterfield Representative Jane Cunningham, who says Missouri is in an educational crisis.

Oponents say her bill, House Bill 807, could potentially drive rural students from smaller schools and into the larger ones.

Actuality:  JANEC02.WAV
Run Time: 00:13
Description: "I think people misjudge the situation when they expect kids from small schools to choose a large school.  You will find that just as many parents would like that smaller situation.  I think it would be a wash in my opinion."
Parents who choose to send their kids to a school not in their home district would be responsible for their transportation to and from school.
 
For KMOX news, I'm Hillari Duthoo.


Intro: Students in Missouri's public schools could have the power to pick their school.  Hillari Duthoo (DOO-thoh) has that report from Jefferson City. RunTime:
OutCue: SOC

Under a bill before Missouri's House, public school students could potentially have the power to choose to attend a different school, one that's not in their home district but falls in a 30 mile radius.

Gary Sharpe is the Executive Director of the Council of School Administrators.

He says kids in public schools would benefit more from changes with specific programs and resources.

 

Actuality:  HB8075.WAV
Run Time: 00:25
Description: "If we would have programs that we would concentrate on, early childhood programs, on remediation programs, on summer school programs to target, you know, the students whose achievement is the lowest and set up those programs and focus on those in a given district, many more students would benefit than would benefit from open enrollment educationally." 
 
 

Sharpe says, however that in other states, parents have used the policy out of convenience.

For KMOX news, I'm Hillari Duthoo.