By Marshall Griffin, KWMU
Jefferson City, MO – A bill before the Missouri Senate would bring sweeping changes to St. Louis schools, including longer days, a longer school year, and mandatory uniforms.
It's sponsored by Democratic Senator Jeff Smith, who helped start a charter school in St. Louis. He acknowledges more time in the classroom might be a tough sell, but says it includes incentives, such as performance pay for both teachers and schools, and bonuses for teachers in critical subject matters: "Such as math, science, special needs education, and English as a second language."
"It has points that'll help retain, uh, math and science teachers," said Kim Roberson, a former city school teacher. "It keeps, I think it keeps them well-trained."
But St. Louis Schools Deputy Superintendent John Martin spoke in opposition to the bill before a Senate committee: "Performance pay, lotta research on it, works wonderfully, if you can support it. Every place that's made it work has a big wallet."
The St. Louis teachers' union also opposes the measure.
A committee vote hasn't been scheduled, and might not happen until next week at the earliest.