The Missouri Association of School Administrators and the Missouri School Boards’ Association are undertaking a joint effort to develop a “Vision for Missouri Public Education.” This joint effort will involve school board members and school administrators across the state in developing a comprehensive vision for Missouri’s public schools.

MSBA and MASA represent those charged with legal responsibility for governance and executive leadership of Missouri public schools. The two groups each have developed positions for which we advocate each year, but the groups have not developed a comprehensive vision for public education. The shortfall of state and federal dollars has legislators and state leaders looking to our organizations for leadership and the financial support for public education likely will get worse before it gets better. In the absence of any vision and/or plan, proposals such as vouchers, open enrollment, tuition tax credits, etc. will be seen as alternatives.

Why are we undertaking this initiative?

• To build trust and support for public education.
• To create a unifying vision and transformational principles around which coalitions will form to change the education culture in the state.
• To provide guidance to local school districts as they develop strategic improvement plans for improving educational opportunities in their communities.
• To provide a world-class educational experience for all of Missouri’s students.
• To ensure our students are competitive in a global economy.

This is not an effort that will be simple or that can be accomplished in one or two meetings. This is a long-term project that will require time, study and a commitment by those involved. The process will include information gathering, study, and considerable discussion of every facet of public education. But it will also be an opportunity for participants to have a profound and long-term impact on the future direction of public education.

To accomplish the task before us, there will be seven groups working on various segments of public education. They will include:

• Teaching, Learning and Assessment: Developing a vision for standards, relevance and rigor of curriculum, instruction and assessment purposes, and assessment tools.
• Supports for Early Learning and Student Success: Developing a vision for student readiness; school readiness for students; motivation; 24/7 learning; and funding options for early childhood programs.
• Human and Organizational Capital: Recruitment and selection of teachers; teacher and leader preparation; certification; orientation, induction and retention; differentiated compensation; retirement and return to work; evaluation; and organizational responsiveness.
• Governance, Leadership and Accountability: Roles and relationships of governor, legislators and State Board of Education; local school boards; superintendents, principals and teacher leaders; locus of control; accountability; engaged learning time; technology; and school completion options.
• Climate, Culture and Organizational Efficacy: Climate change strategies; culture; stakeholder satisfaction, support and engagement; poverty; and school/student safety.
• Financial Resources: Potential sources revenue; state funding formula; state and local taxing authority; role of federal educational funding.
• Physical Resources: Physical learning environment; virtual environment; infrastructure for technology; secure facilities; schools as community learning centers; and school size.

The goal of the project is to release a report outlining the vision for public education in Missouri in October, 2011.