School and Community Summer 2024

24 COVER

Fully Funded in the State Budget : Foundation Formula Transportation Career Ladder Baseline Salary Grant Expansion of Early Childhood Funding Doubled the amount of students that districts may receive payment to educate.

Members can pay back

anything over earnings limit instead of losing entire month’s pension.

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FEATURES 5 Bittersweet Raised Minimum Teacher Salary from the embarrassingly low $25,000 in state statute to $40,000 in 2025-26, with future growth tied to inflation. By: Bruce Moe, Executive Director 6 Notebook 12 Tips from CTA Leaders 24 S&C Through the Decades

$40,000

Bills opposed by MSTA

MSTA HAPPENINGS 4 President’s Column

MSTA member advocacy results in successful session.

Defeated any new voucher programs. Defeated Open Enrollment Bill. Defeated legislation that would place greater emphasis on statewide test scores.

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Education Policy Recap

16 Meet Tillie

20 2024 Member Survey

$25,000

40 New Staff

36 Discover Nature Schools Curriculum

43 New Benefits for MSTA Members

Teacher Baseline Salary Fund placed in state law to be used for raising both the baseline minimum and master’s minimum salary increases.

38 Harnessing the Power of Music By: Pamela Clifton

44 Reading Circle Recommendations

42 SMSTA Spotlight: Kate Marshall

46 Professional Development

$48,000,000

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Please recycle me! When you finish

We want to hear from you Share your thoughts on our publications, suggest article topics or express an opinion about education in Missouri. Write: School & Community, P.O. Box 458, Columbia, MO 65205 Phone: 800-392-0532 Email: editor@msta.org

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reading your School & Community magazine, please consider recycling

teacher prep tuition costs (capped at the amount of Mizzou tuition) by sharing with your physician’s office. Just cover up your mailing label with a blank one and you will be set. Let’s spread the word about Missouri’s teachers! 100%

440 scholarships & $2.6M 2026-27 2027-28 400 scholarships & $2.4M 2025-26 200 scholarships & $1.2M 2024-25

Cover photo credit: Kara Potter and Lindsay James

S&C SUMMER 2024 | 3

800-392-0532 • www.msta.org

2030-31 AND