Senate holds rushed meeting to discuss public schools open enrollment
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Senate holds rushed meeting to discuss public schools open enrollment

Date: February 10, 2010
By: Alana Young
State Capitol Bureau

Intro:  Parents could enroll their students in any school district they wanted under a bill heard Wednesday in the Senate Education Committee, but not everyone agreed it's the right thing to do.
RunTime:  0:42
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: The bill's sponsor,Dexter Republican Senator Rob Mayer says some kids have to go a long way to a school just to stay in their own district, when an out-of-district school close by is off-limits. 

Some inner city parents said their kids should be allowed to transfer to an accredited school, instead of staying in a bad one.

But Missouri School Board Association spokesman Gerry Lee says it should be about fixing those bad schools, instead of letting kids transfer out of them.

Actuality:  LEE1.WAV
Run Time:  00:07
Description: "We strongly believe that the state's focus should be on assisting school districts with improvement efforts, rather than encouraging students to leave school districts."

Lee says unaccredited schools can't afford to lose state money from kids transferring out.

From the state Capitol, I'm Alana Young.

Intro:  A bill allowing kids to transfer to any public school in the state invoked an intense debate during the Senate Education Committee meeting Wednesday.
RunTime:  0:35
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: A spokesman for Missouri National Education Association says the bill will in no way help improve already struggling public schools or create new ones.

But Joplin Republican Senator Gary Nodler says the main focus should be on the kids,not the institution.

Actuality:  NODLER4.WAV
Run Time:  00:12
Description: "Even if the bill didn't improve a single school, but it did demonstrably give the opportunity to improve the life of one child, that's a good reason for this legislature to consider the bill."

After strong testimonies from both sides of the bill, the Education Committee did not take action.

From the state Capitol, I'm Alana Young.