Today, I am truly thankful for the Missouri General Assembly and the passage of Senate Bill 727, ensuring our children and teachers are provided with the opportunities and support that they deserve.
Our teachers deserve a pay raise for the difficult and essential services they provide, educating our children how to think critically and thrive as members of our society. They are shaping the future of Missouri, and with a job this important, it is vital that teachers receive a sufficient paycheck. S.B. 727 secures this victory, increasing teacher pay across the state in certain circumstances. The bill is comprehensive in that it does not just support educators, but also provides scholarships and education choices to ensure students receive a good education.
S.B. 727 is geared to reach more students across Missouri, providing scholarship opportunities for children who live in towns with fewer than 30,000 residents through Individualized Education Plans. Children with physical and mental disabilities should not be rejected and unable to receive a proper education because of the way they were born, and this is an issue the bill aims to rectify — an issue that my family has struggled with.
My daughter has learning disabilities that make attending a public school challenging. I remember when she was 5 years old and enrolled in public school. She came to me crying and said, “Mommy, I am a dummy.” That moment put into perspective that my husband and I would not accept the options our public school district wanted to give us. We would fight until my daughter received the support and education that every child deserves.
While in Michigan, we enrolled her in virtual schooling, a format through which she excelled. But upon moving to Missouri, she was denied the ability to continue her education virtually, and we struggled to find an effective homeschooling program.
We have heard similar haunting stories from my friends such as Lisa, a mother whose son was endangered and attacked at school. Left without a choice for a different school, she was forced to homeschool her child, causing emotional and financial stress to the family. Thanks to S.B. 727, neither Lisa nor I must subject our children to failing homeschool programs. We have the option to enroll our kids in other well-funded programs that fit our children’s needs, like charter schools and virtual learning programs.
My daughter has been able to overcome challenges pertaining to her learning disability while using virtual learning, and we are looking for her to enroll in private education that will further provide for her needs. Virtual learning has provided the foundation for my daughter to excel in academics and interact with her peers, and S.B. 727 will guarantee that her future schooling with virtual learning and a private institution is excellent.
Because of S.B. 727, the 1 in 10 Missouri students trapped in underperforming schools will finally have the chance to receive an education that will set them on a path to success. A parent should never have to hear their child say, “I am a dummy.” This bill will ensure that our children never feel this way, with expanded options for school choice and scholarships to help them get a decent education.
Thank you again, Missouri, for passing this crucial legislation.
Samoy Mainda is a parent and education choice advocate from Belton.
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