Top Takeaways: MNEA State Board & MACCE Report (September 2025)

State Board of Education Meeting

September 2025

State Board of Education Agenda

Consideration of the Adoption of the Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request

The State Board heard another round of the core decision items for DESE's 2027 budget request. Although the budget process is still in its early stages, as it must pass through the legislative process before being signed by the governor, State Board members expressed disappointment over the limited influence they had over the budget presented in the September meeting.

The State Board has requested a new timeline for the budget so that they see it before it must be submitted by the October 1st deadline; further, the board will utilize the Strategic Planning process to put more emphasis on priority areas in the budget.

"The Missouri NEA believes that equitable and adequate funding is critical to the future of public education in Missouri. The total wealth of the state should be distributed as equitably as possible for the public education of each child in Missouri. State support for public education should be no less than one-third of the state general revenue." (A-11).

Report on the 2025 Success Ready Students Network (SRSN) School Innovation Waiver

Innovation Waivers for schools were established in the 2022 Senate Bill 681 (161.214, RSMo). This innovation waiver permits the State Board of Education to consider waiving "exemptions from specific requirements in education law or regulations for the following purposes: improving students' post-secondary readiness, increasing teacher compensation, and improving the recruitment, retention, training, preparation, or professional development of teachers" (DESE). These requested waivers must be based upon sound educational practices, must not endanger the health and safety of students or staff, and must not compromise equal opportunity for learning.

These waivers do not waive accountability or reporting requirements, specifically those required by the federal government, and they do not waive the federal requirement for state standardized assessments.

In both 2023 and 2024, the State Board approved (37) Missouri School Districts for an Innovation Waiver (161.214, RSMo) to focus on Competency-Based Education (CBE). The innovation team is made up of all members of the Success Ready Student Network (SRSN). This year, the same waivers will be requested by a new cohort of schools.

While this was a discussion item this month, the SRSN waiver requests will be an action item for next month. With three new members of the State Board, the approval of the new cohort may not come as simply as it did in 2023 and 2024. The new board has requested solid evidence to show how the first two cohorts' work is positively impacting student outcomes in districts.

"The Missouri NEA supports effective and fair school accountability systems. The Association believes that these systems must promote student excellence and growth that reflect meaningful, high-quality learning and ensure that the best teaching practices are supported and utilized" (A-4).

Further, "The Missouri NEA believes that changes in student instruction and assessment must be carefully implemented…that development of education initiatives must, at the outset, include all stakeholders…that the most important place where implementation occurs is in the classroom. Staff must have adequate time and training as well as appropriate and adequate resources to implement new initiatives…Assessments must measure what was actually taught and be in a form familiar to the student" (B-41).

Computer Science 5-9& 9-12Certificates now Available

The final step in the rulemaking process was approved on September 9 for the new Computer Science certifications available for educators in the state.

CTEand Early ChildhoodExecutive Order Updates

The annual report on Career and Technical Education (CTE) was presented to the state board along with an update on the CTE Executive Orderthat the governor signed in January. The order directed DESE to "engage key stakeholders to update and improve career and technical education delivery systems in Missouri."

Additionally, Governor Kehoe "directed the Office of Childhood (OOC) [to rewrite] child care licensing rules" to help with childcare accessibility and clarity in rules for childcare providers in Missouri. The Office of Childhood presented the updates and reportto the State Board on September 9.

MACCE Meeting

September 8, 2025

MACCE Agenda

The Missouri Advisory Council of the Certification for Educators (MACCE) met in person on Monday, September 8, in Jefferson City, Missouri, at the Missouri Association of School Administrators (MASA) building.

MNEA Members on MACCE include: Dr. Alexander Tai (CMNEA), Cary Sikes (SNEA), Francine Hill (FH-NEA), Lisa Baldwin (NKC-NEA), and Justin Smith (NKC-NEA).

The council voted on and advised on the following topics:

• Dr. Alexander Tai - MNEA Representative and CMNEA Member
• Updates on Missouri Teacher Development System (MTDS) and Missouri Leadership Development System (MLDS)
• An update on the superintendent recommendation for the certification route in Missouri. A total of 72 certifications were issued based on superintendent recommendations. These certifications covered 43 additional areas for already certified educators and 29 initial certificates for uncertified candidates.
• Updates on the Educator Job Board for Missouri. DESE has submitted a grant to the Walton Foundation to continue this service for Missouri Educators and Districts. If the grant is approved, it will fund the job board for three years; if the grant is not approved, the job board will cease to exist in Missouri starting January 2026. The Job Board provides valuable, real-time data regarding the educator workforce in the state of Missouri.
• Legislative Updates from the legislature, along with DESE and the State Board of Education Strategic Plan refresh this coming Fall.
• Educator Preparation Updates from DESE, including Non-Institutes of Higher Education Educator Prep Programs (ABCTE and Teachers for Tomorrow), early career educator data, and certificate rule changes.

The next MACCE Meeting will be on Monday, December 1, via Zoom.