The Wright City R-II Board of Education recently approved their legislative platform for the upcoming legislative session. 

The Board of Education unanimously approved the legislative platform. Among the state priorities listed in the district’s state and federal legislative positions is lifting the 15 percent bonding capacity upon voter approval. 

“Right now, that’s the maximum we can bond,” Wright City R-II Board President Austin Jones said. “If we can go up to 20 percent bonding capacity … there’s a lot more funds available. And the question becomes how financially distressed do districts become if they go to a 20 percent bonding capacity? And the argument I would make is we wouldn’t. I think because we have plenty of assessed valuation to support a 20 percent.”

The district has 11 state legislative priorities. The other state legislative priorities include ensuring the foundation formula continues to be fully funded, opposing legislation that erodes the authority of local school boards and undermines the voice of local voters and opposing any unfunded or underfunded mandates. 

The district has three federal legislative positions. Two of the positions are supporting full funding of federal commitments to special education programs and title programs and  supporting that the federal government should meet its promise of providing 40 percent of the average cost of educating special needs students. They also have priorities at both the state and federal level of opposing mandates, incentives or other support for states to initiate or expand charter schools unless those charter schools are sponsored by a public school board and subject to the same accountability measures as public schools.