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Mo. House Members Seek Feedback About Education

Joshua Peters
/
KRCU

Parents, educators, and other members of the community spoke out about issues concerning education at a Missouri House Interim Committee hearing held at the River Campus on Tuesday.

The Committee focused on topics ranging from tenure for teachers to the statewide implementation of early childhood education. The Committee received an earful from community members who were critical of federal common core standards.

Diane Rodgers-Atkinson is the Dean of Education at Southeast Missouri State University. She testified that fewer students are completing their studies as educators in the science, technology, engineering, and math fields.

“The desire to teach, versus work in the lab, there is a difference in salary,” Dr. Rodgers-Atkinson said. “That’s pretty significant for a beginning educator versus someone who is going to be a biologist and work in the lab.”

Sue Brockett is the president of the local League of Women Voters. She told the committee that early childhood education is not only important, but also cost efficient.

“It is relatively cheap to institute preschool programs and train parents as well as add preschool to already existing education programs. And the payout is huge,” Brockettsaid.

Brockett and others believe it is imperative to begin education when young, curious minds are pliable.

Common Core standards were a lighting rod of controversy at the hearing. The majority of those who testified spoke against the federal standards.

Joshua Peters was a student reporter writing for KRCU in 2013.