Panama Canal expansion could impact Missouri ports

MODOT officials say the widened canal will open more freight shipment opportunities to Missouri.

Franklin School construction proceeds as planned

The $10 million project is being constructed next to the old school. It will open for the 2012 school year.

Dino's Pizza damaged by fire

The Cape Girardeau Fire Department estimates $250,000 in damages, but the building is not a total loss.

Mississippi River Basin nitrate pollution remains high

Nitrates flowing from the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico contribute to the formation of areas known as dead zones.

Showing posts with label Missouri State Teacher's Association. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Missouri State Teacher's Association. Show all posts

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Mo. Senate considers eliminating teacher tenure

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (MISSOURI DIGITAL NEWS) - The elimination of teacher tenure is a possibility with its inclusion in another bill heard by a Missouri Senate Committee.

Another bill eliminating teacher tenure was debated as a solution to bring up Missouri's K-12 test scores.

St. Louis County Represenative Jane Cunningham is the sponsor of this bill and says teacher tenure along with teacher evaluations and performance based pay are all possible solutions to better teaching methods.

However, Mike Wood of the Missouri State Teacher Association says performance based pay is ridiculous.

"To put teachers across the hallway in competition with each other for increases of salary at their expense just doesn't lend itself to being conducive in a learning environment," Wood said.

On the other hand, Cunningham says she has more good faith in teachers.

"What a deregatory statement to a professional," Cunningham countered. "To say a difference in pay would make them so they are so jealous they can't work together for the betterment of a child. I'm embarrassed by a statement like that."

The committee took no vote on the bill, with just five weeks left.

Sherman Fabes, Missouri Digital News

Monday, March 28, 2011

Ex-teacher in the Mo. House argues to end teacher tenure

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (MISSOURI DIGITAL NEWS) - St. Charles County Representative Scott Dieckhaus (R) was a teacher for four years, one short of gaining tenure under Missouri's current system.

But now, four years later, he's a politician fighting to eliminate teacher tenure for K-12 education in Missouri.

Missouri State Teacher's Association spokesman Todd Fuller says the organization is fully against their former member's bill.

"As an association, we have been opposed to the bill in its form that focuses on teacher tenure since it's inception," Fuller said.

Fuller says currently teacher tenure is not a guarantee teachers will stay in their positions if they're not doing their job.

Dieckhaus' bill would also change the way teachers get paid: it would require yearly reviews based on the performance of their students on standardized tests.

Dieckhaus says the aim of this legislation is to ensure only the best teachers are in Missouri's classrooms.

Allison Blood, Missouri Digital News