“…Each school district that has one or more of its resident pupils attending such a charter school as nonresident pupils will pay to the charter school, for each pupil, 90% of its average per pupil expenditure…”

Members of the Missouri General Assembly can also be elected and serve on their local school board at the same time they are serving in Jefferson City. Usually such politicians make a big show about supporting public education. Usually.

Then, there are bills considered which help charter schools and reallocate resources from public schools:

HB 634  
Changes provisions related to charter schools
Sponsor: Roeber, Rebecca (034)
Proposed Effective Date: 7/1/2018
LR Number: 0986H.04P
[….]

The Bill summary, as perfected:

HCS HB 634 [pdf] — CHARTER SCHOOLS (Roeber)
COMMITTEE OF ORIGIN: Standing Committee on Elementary and Secondary Education

This bill allows charter schools to be operated in any school district in which at least one school building has received a score of 60% or less on its annual performance report (APR) for two of the three most recent annual performance reports available as of the date in which a charter school applies to open a charter school in the district. When a charter school is allowed to operate under this provision, the person, group, or organization seeking to establish the charter school must submit the proposed charter to the local school board before the charter school submits its proposed charter to any other sponsor. This bill allows the local school board 60 days to consider the proposed charter and accept or decline the sponsorship. If the local school board declines to sponsor the charter school or does not respond within the specified time, any other authorized sponsor may enter into a sponsorship agreement. Charter schools must give enrollment preference to resident students that reside in the attendance area of the school building with an APR of 60% or less. Charter schools may enroll nonresident students so long as it does not displace a resident student. Each school district that has one or more of its resident pupils attending such a charter school as nonresident pupils will pay to the charter school, for each pupil, 90% of its average per pupil expenditure.

This bill also allows charter schools to be operated in any school district not served by a high-quality career technical center, sponsored only by the local school board, for the purpose of establishing a career and technical center whose mission will focus on helping students earn career and technical education certificated in addition to their high school graduation diplomas. High-quality career technical center is a center that has met the performance targets for the Perkins Core Indicators of Performance for the secondary level for the most recent school year. Such charter schools may enroll nonresident pupils who are residents of a district that is located in the same county in which such charter school is located, and nonresident pupils who are residents of a district that is located, in whole or in part, in a county adjacent to the county in which such charter school is located.

Charter schools may renew for a five-year term unless the charter school’s APR score, other than a charter school in which 50% or more of the school’s students were previously considered dropouts, is below the average of the APR scores of all non-selective grade level-equivalent school buildings in the school district in which the charter school is located for two of the three consecutive years immediately before a devision [sic] whether to renew is made. In that case such renewal will be for three years. If the charter school’s APR continues to be lower for another two out of three years, the charter school term will not be renewed. Such renewal application will include a financial audit performed by the State Auditor, with costs paid for by the charter school.

This bill also requires all members of any governing board of any charter school to be resident taxpayers, except that, any member serving a term as of August 28, 2017, may serve the remainder of his or her term even if such member is not a resident taxpayer of the state of Missouri. This bill also requires charter schools to meet all state and federal requirements and the same academic performance standards required of seven-director school districts.

This bill will become effective on July 1 following the school year in which the foundation formula is fully funded.

The bill was third read and passed (from the Journal of the House – 1086 [pdf]):

[….]
On motion of Representative Roeber, HCS HB 634 was read the third time and passed by the following vote:
AYES: 083
[….]
Shaul 113
[….]
NOES: 076
[….]
PRESENT: 001
[….]

The local NEA chapter, representing teachers and public education, has taken exception to Rep. Shaul’s (r) support for the bill. We received a copy of the letter:

Sue Navratil, President
Jamie Gobel, VP
Kris Miller, Secretary
Denise Ballew, Treasurer
Windsor NEA
[….]
April 9, 2017

Windsor C-1 School District
Board of Education
Hwy 61-67
Imperial, MO 63052

Ladies and Gentlemen:

WNEA believes that the purpose of a school district should be to provide various experiences that will allow its students to develop intellectually, athletically, and culturally. The purpose that a school board and its members have should be to guide the district with strategies and an allocation of resources to accomplish these objectives.

Support for HB634 would seemingly interfere with these functions. First, instead of rushing to charter schools as a quick-fix solution, why not work to find a building’s weaknesses and seek to improve them? Secondly, establishing charter schools would take much needed resources from the public school district to support the charter schools and possibly students who do not even live in the district. Why should residents of a district have their tax dollars spent on students who live outside the district? Finally, it shows a lack of confidence in the administrators and teachers of the district to solve any academic issues.

Windsor school board member Dan Shaul voted for HB634, in his role as state representative, which seems to present a conflict of interest. How can he proclaim his allegiance to public education, but then support charter education which could affect the resources of the Windsor C-1 School District? He is either fully committed to public education or fully committed to the charter school concept. He cannot support both.

Dan Shaul did not hesitate to use his position as a member of the Windsor School Board with at least one of his mailings to the citizens in his district to help him get elected to the Missouri House of Representatives. The following are quotes from one of his mailings: “Dan Shaul knows education, on November 4th, vote for the candidate who is already working toward a brighter future for our children. Putting students first, as a member of the Windsor School Board and a proud parent of three, Dan Shaul is committed to ensuring our best resources and the best teachers, so that our students receive the top-notch education they deserve. Preparing them for the future, Dan Shaul knows that good schools prepare our children for the next stage of their lives and attract employers seeking a well-educated workforce. As our State Representative, Dan Shaul will always support our schools to make sure our children have everything they need to succeed.”

As a board member for the 2016-17 school year per the minutes that are on our website, Mr. Shaul responded with the following comments about our students, administrators and school district:

September 21, 2016, Mr. Shaul congratulated Mr. Bouzek and Freer Elementary regarding their recognition as a National Blue Ribbon School; thanked Dr. Holland for working to keep our tax levy the same over the past years.

October 26, 2016, Mr. Shaul recognized our 2 ‘CERT’ students and thanked them for what they did for their grandma. Positive evaluation of our Transportation Department with no problems, and inspections ranked with a 100% approval rating; great to see MSIP improving and thanks to all teachers for their efforts.

[….]

March 22, 2017, Mr. Shaul acknowledged the positive program evaluations presented, and the different programs and ECH we offer to provide the start of a positive education.

At a time when the Windsor C-1 School District needed him to cast a vote for public education, Mr. Shaul chose not to do so. His support for HB634 shows us that he is not 100% committed to supporting public education or our students in the Windsor C-1 School District. As stated in board policy BBF on School Board Member Ethics, number 13 states, “avoid conflicts of interest or the appearance thereof.” As stated above, Mr. Shaul’s yes vote on HB634 shows a clear conflict of interest, and we hope that it would be addressed by our Board of Education. This decision on Mr. Shaul’s part to not support public education is a great disappointment to our students, staff, and community. School board members should not conduct themselves in this manner as overseers of our school district.

Sincerely,
/s
Sue Navratil, President
On behalf of the WNEA Executive Board

I dunno, it may be something of a reach that voting against the interests of your local school district in the General Assembly is a conflict of interest. But it sure is something that local voters should know about so they can hold a politician accountable come election time. In this case, twice – for the seat on the local school board and for the General Assembly.

Representative Shaul (r) has faced the voters twice for election to the General Assembly:

State of Missouri – 2016 General Election – November 8, 2016
Official Results
As announced by the Board of State Canvassers on December 12, 2016
State Representative – District 113 12 of 12 Precincts Reported
Karen Settlemoir-Berg Democratic 6,995 42.156%
Dan Shaul Republican 9,598 57.844%
Total Votes: 16,593

State of Missouri – General Election – November 4, 2014
Official Results
As announced by the Board of State Canvassers on December 3, 2014
State Representative – District 113 10 of 10 Precincts Reported
Sean Fauss Democratic 3,168 37.967%
Dan Shaul Republican 4,749 56.915%
Donna Ivanovich Constitution 427 5.117%
Total Votes: 8,344

There appears to be a bit of volatility when it comes to off year and presidential year elections. Gee, at some subsequent election someone could exploit voter upset about the incumbent’s lack of support for their local public schools…

Well, who and/or what contributes some of that money to get Representative Shaul (r) elected to the General Assembly?

FORM CD-1 SUPPLEMENTAL
MISSOURI ETHICS COMMISSION CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED – SUPPLEMENTAL
12/8/2016 FRIENDS OF SHAUL [pdf]

CNS Corporation 500 E 9th Street Kansas City MO 64106 11/3/2016 $3,000.00
Friends of Joe Don Mcgaugh 516 West 4th St Terrace Carrollton MO 64633 11/1/2016 $250.00
Pfizer Inc 6730 Lenox Center CT Memphis TN 38115 11/1/2016 $350.00
HRCC P.O. Box 1313 Jefferson City MO 65102 11/1/2016 $15,471.00
HealthPac P.O. Box 60 Jefferson City MO 65102 11/1/2016 $3,027.20
Lance Hastings 2818 Bree Hill Road Oakton VA 22124 Miller Coors 11/7/2016 $249.00
Joe Williams 876 CR 624 Dayton TX 77535 Association Management 11/3/2016 $50.00
Deborah White 3140 Aberfoyle Place NE Washington DC 20015 Consultant 11/3/2016 $100.00

FORM CD-1 SUPPLEMENTAL
MISSOURI ETHICS COMMISSION CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED – SUPPLEMENTAL
11/1/2016 FRIENDS OF SHAUL

David Humphreys P.O. Box 4050 Joplin MO 64803 Tamko 10/1/2016 $25,000.00
Robert Dierberg 1982 Kherson Mill Rd Chesterfield MO 63005 Dierbergs Market Inc 10/2/2016 $1,000.00
Dierbergs Markets Inc 16690 Swingly Ridge Road Chesterfield MO 63006 10/2/2016 $2,500.00
HCA Missouri Good Government Fund 101 East High Street Jefferson City MO 65102 10/3/2016 $500.00
Credit Union Political Action Committee 223 Madison Jefferson City MO 65101 10/3/2016 $250.00
Missourian to elect Warren Love 8381 NE Highway ZZ Osceola MO 64776 10/3/2016 $100.00
Friends of Joe Don Mcgaugh 516 West 4th Street terrace Carrollton MO 64633 10/5/2016 $375.00
Friends of Elijah Haahr P.O. Box 14506 Springfield MO 65814 10/5/2016 $1,000.00

Ann Wagner for Congress 313 Saint Andrews Ct Ballwin MO 63011 10/16/2016 $500.00
ABC PAC 4035 Denton Rd Kansas City MO 64133 10/16/2016 $1,000.00
HRCC P.O. Box 1313 Jefferson City MO 65102 10/19/2016 $22,650.00

Friends for Jered Taylor 702 N Prospect Ave Nixa MO 65714 10/20/2016 $1,000.00
Alferman for Missouri P.O. Box 84 Washington MO 63090 10/14/2016 $1,000.00
David Humphreys P.O. Box 4050 Joplin MO 64803 Tamko 10/27/2016 $5,000.00
HRCC P.O. Box 1313 Jefferson City MO 65102 10/21/2016 $5,000.00

You get the picture.

Why on earth would anyone in Joplin care so much about the success and financial stability of Windsor C-1 public schools that they would drop a ton of money on the campaign of the local state representative? Exactly.