Field Trip to Jefferson City! It's Truly an Educational Experience.

This is from the Missouri State Senate page:

JEFFERSON CITY — Dates and times of the seven work groups encompassing the Missouri Senate's "Rebooting Government" initiative were recently announced. These working groups are responsible for examining state departments and programs in order to reduce costs and maximize state resources. Please note the date and time change in the Courts and Public Safety work group below as well as the dates and times for the other Rebooting Government panels:

Education
Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011 Senate Committee Room 1
11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sen. David Pearce, R-Warrensburg; Sen.-elect John Lamping, R-St. Louis; Sen. Jane Cunningham, R-Chesterfield; and Sen. Victor Callahan, D-Independence

The other groups can be found on the Senate site. If you are concerned or curious about the educational legislation being proposed for Missouri, this is the time to hear the specifics from the senators whose names appear on the bill.

Education is one of the top priorities in the state this year, and the proposed plan is quite sweeping in its intent on reshaping the delivery of educational services to students. It includes many of the mandates and goals found in Race to the Top, and praises the adoption of common core standards. Missouri did not adopt RTTT, but did sign on to common core standards, giving away the state right to set curriculum. This is a sweeping change in the idea of local control and the further dependence on the Federal Government for funding. The proposed plan is Educated Citizenry 2020 and you may find it here.

Note how you can make your suggestions to the senators:

The work groups, established by Senate President Pro Tem Robert N. Mayer, R-Dexter, are charged with collecting citizens’ submitted ideas through the Rebooting Government website (www.senate.mo.gov/RebootMO) and examining how to make state government more efficient through control, alterations and deletions.

Citizens may submit their ideas on how to “reboot” state government by visiting the Missouri Senate’s Rebooting Government website (www.senate.mo.gov/RebootMO). The site will be available throughout the 2011 legislative session.

If you are concerned about unfunded mandates and increased federal control in education, now is the time to alert the senators. Please attend this very important meeting and I hope to see you on Tuesday, January 11, in Jefferson City.