Senator David Pearce Joins Fellow Legislators for Joint Committee on Education Meeting

JEFFERSON CITY—As vice-chairman of the Joint Committee on Education, Sen. David Pearce, R-Warrensburg, and other members of the panel are scheduled to meet Aug. 19, 2011, in Kansas City. The meeting will be held at the Kansas City Chamber of commerce Board room (Union Station, 30 W. Pershing).

The upcoming meeting’s agenda includes a presentation of a report titled “Building Teacher Quality in the Kansas City, Missouri School District” from the National Council on Teacher Quality; a panel discussion on effective leadership, teacher performance, and student achievement; and a committee discussion on professional development funding

“With such an important issue as education, serving on this joint panel with fellow legislators who value Missouri’s future is an honor for me,” Sen. Pearce said. “The topics that this committee discusses and the recommendations that it makes have far-reaching impacts for both students and teachers. I look forward to continuing this work and keeping education a priority in our state.”

The 14-member committee, which consists of seven members each from the Senate and the House and whose leadership rotates between members of the House and Senate each year, was chaired last year by Sen. Pearce and is chaired this year by Rep. Mike Thomson, R-Maryville. Members are charged with reviewing and monitoring the progress of education in the state's public schools and institutions of higher education; conducting a study and analysis of the public school system, including issues relating to state funding and teachers’ salaries; and making recommendations to the General Assembly for legislative action, among other duties.