SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 37
WHEREAS, the best way to improve Missouri's schools is to:
(1) Reinforce local control of schools;
(2) Demand greater accountability by state and local administrators which will reduce waste and ensure more money goes to classrooms and less to bureaucrats;
(3) Reduce state and federal regulations that cause the misallocation of resources to fund the wrong priorities and eliminate unnecessary and burdensome regulations that stifle teachers and school districts from improving education;
(4) Support our teachers by looking for new, innovated and practical ideas that the General Assembly can address to assist teachers in the classroom:
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the members of the Missouri Senate, Ninety-Second General Assembly, Second Regular Session, the House of Representatives concurring therein, hereby establish the "Joint Interim Committee on Teacher Support, Regulatory Reduction and Accountability"; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Committee shall be composed of ten members, with five members of the Senate to be appointed by the President Pro Tem of the Senate, and five members of the House of Representatives to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and no more than six members of such committee shall be from the same political party; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Committee shall conduct a comprehensive analysis of the rules and policies concerning the administrative burdens for teachers; identify opportunities that will allow for greater flexibility, innovation, and freedom to improve teaching opportunities and the quality of a classroom education; identify tax credits, resources, support services and funding for those support services and review classroom technology, including replacement and upgrade of computer hardware and software; review classroom liability and discipline issues facing teachers and look at ways to improve alternative schools; and solicit extensive testimony and opinions from teachers on what additional tools, support systems, legislation, training and funding they need to improve Missouri's educational system; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Committee be authorized to hold hearings as it deems advisable, and may solicit any input or information necessary to fulfill its obligations; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the staffs of House Research, Senate Research, and the Joint Committee on Legislative Research shall provide such legal, research, clerical, technical, and bill drafting services as the Committee may require in the performance of its duties; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Committee, its members, and any staff personnel assigned to the Committee shall receive reimbursement for their actual and necessary expenses incurred in attending meetings of the Committee or any subcommittee thereof; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Committee report its recommendations and findings to the Missouri General Assembly by January 1, 2005.