HCS HB 771 -- COMPENSATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS

SPONSOR:  Bearden

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Special Committee on
Student Achievement by a vote of 7 to 1.

This substitute establishes the Superintendent Targeted
Achievement Record (STAR) Program.  The total compensation
package, as defined in the substitute, of each school
administrator must be reported to the Department of Elementary
and Secondary Education by September 1 of each year.  Each
district will also annually furnish the total compensation
package of the highest paid teacher, the superintendent, and the
average for all classroom teachers to the department.
Performance measures regarding the No Child Left Behind Act, the
district accreditation program, and teacher turnover are also
required to be published.  The substitute contains provisions
concerning the posting of the information on the department's and
school districts' web sites.  The information must be provided to
parents, community members, media, and legislators by the
deadline or as soon as it becomes available.  Failure to file the
information will affect a district's accreditation.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds in FY 2008, FY 2009, and
FY 2010.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that although much of the information
referred to in the bill is available on the Internet and all of
it is public information, it is difficult to locate the
information and members of the public are sometimes intimidated
about asking for it.  The STAR Program will pull key measures
into one easily identified location.

Testifying for the bill were Representatives Bearden and
Cunningham (86); and Missouri Press Association.

OPPONENTS:  Those who oppose the bill say that singling out
school superintendents from other public employees doesn't make
sense.

Testifying against the bill were Missouri Council of School
Administrators/School Administrators Coalition; Dr. Roy Moss,
North Callaway County R-I District; and Cooperating School
Districts of Greater Kansas City.

Missouri House of Representatives
94th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated July 25, 2007 at 11:20 am