Missouri state Senator Jill Carter introduces “Education Freedom Act”

JEFFERSON CITY —Seeking to give parents, teachers and schools more flexibility while ensuring full transparency in both performance and accountability, State Sen. Jill Carter, R-Granby, has introduced Senate Bill 814, the “Education Freedom Act.” The legislation proposes several modifications to Missouri’s education system, including changes to the statewide assessment system, school accountability report cards and the powers and duties of the State Board of Education.

“The Education Freedom Act would remove the reliance on a one-time, end-of-year assessment that I believe fails to provide accurate information on student, teacher, school or district performance,” said Sen. Carter. “School districts and charter schools would create, purchase or adopt interim assessment systems to measure student growth so teachers, parents and districts can be better informed about achievement levels.”

Assessments would be utilized for school improvement and accountability purposes. This act would repeal the current accreditation system for schools, encouraging districts to seek alternative accreditation models that best fit the priorities of their communities.

For more about Sen. Carter’s legislative actions, visit senate.mo.gov/Carter.