The St. Louis Public Schools legislative committee unanimously approved its 2025-26 legislative priorities and platform on Oct. 9, adopting minor language revisions and adding a new priority calling for transparency around state funds diverted to nonpublic education programs such as Education Savings Accounts.

The vote matters because the platform directs the district’s lobbyists and district leaders as they meet legislators in Jefferson City in January. Committee members said clearer language will help communicate priorities — including opposition to tax changes that would reduce education funding and a call for oversight of ESA and voucher-related spending.

Committee members discussed several wording changes during the meeting. Members asked that the platform clarify opposition to “massive tax cuts” only when those cuts would materially reduce resources for public education, and to explicitly name privately managed or charter providers where appropriate. Members also proposed adding a legislative-priority item to “support transparency around diversion of public monies related to nonpublic or privately managed education entities,” which the committee adopted.

The motion to approve the platform as amended was moved by Mister Clemons and seconded by Doctor Collins Adams. The committee took a roll-call vote; every member present voted in favor. The committee recorded the motion as approving the priorities “with minor revisions to bullet 5, legislative issues 4 and 5, and with the addition of legislative issue number 8” (the transparency item).

Members raised related concerns in discussion: some warned that changes to property-tax treatment or direct funding of ESA/voucher programs could reduce local school revenue; others urged explicit language protecting districts previously or currently under desegregation orders in any statewide open-enrollment policy. Several members also requested clearer language about how charter funding relates to the foundation formula and suggested using the term “privately managed” for clarity.

The committee’s chair announced the motion carried unanimously and said the amended platform will be brought to the full board for consideration and final approval.

Ending: The adopted platform will guide the district’s lobbying strategy in the upcoming state session; committee members asked staff and the district lobbyist to produce a final, edited version that reflects the meeting’s wording changes before distribution.