JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) kicked off the Missouri School Funding Modernization Task Force this afternoon in Jefferson City. Per Governor Kehoe’s Executive Order 25-14, the Task Force is charged with reviewing and recommending changes to Missouri’s K-12 school funding model and providing a final report to the Governor by December 1, 2026. The report will include up to three alternative recommendations or components of the recommended model, as well as a summary of stakeholder feedback garnered through the Task Force’s work.
“I appreciate the commitment from these individuals to serve on the Task Force and contribute their experience, perspective, and expertise to addressing this critical issue responsibly and at business speed,” said Governor Kehoe. “We must rethink how we fund schools so that we are delivering results that benefit every student in our state and ensuring Missouri is developing a strong workforce for the future.”
“Funding models for public and charter schools must undergo periodic review to ensure they remain sustainable and effective in supporting the best educational outcomes,” said Commissioner of Education Dr. Karla Eslinger. “Missouri’s current Foundation Formula was established in 2005, so we appreciate Governor Kehoe forming this group now to conduct this important analysis.”
The 16-member Task Force, chaired by Senator Rusty Black, represents a broad range of voices — urban and rural, traditional and nontraditional, academia and industry. The Task Force will operate under core guiding principles that promote equal access for students, local flexibility, performance accountability, and long-term funding sustainability. The Task Force will also include in its recommendations support for non-traditional public school options, such as charter schools and virtual education.
To effectively carry out its charge, the Task Force will be supported by informal working groups, which will include a broad range of additional subject matter experts to provide specialized input and conduct in-depth research and analysis when needed. Task Force members will join working groups, and those working groups will regularly report out to the full Task Force membership. Task Force members will ultimately be responsible for core decision-making and voting on the recommendations.
Today’s meeting focused on providing Task Force members important historical and structural details about school funding models and Missouri’s current Foundation Formula. The Task Force will meet again in Jefferson City on June 23. The informal working groups will meet virtually July-December 2025. Another in-person Task Force meeting is slated for September, allowing working groups to check in and report out on their activities. Task Force meetings in 2026 will focus on reviewing the findings from the working groups and developing recommendations. A series of regional presentations is slated for fall 2026, allowing the Task Force to collect feedback on the recommendations from stakeholders statewide before presenting final recommendations to Governor Kehoe by December 1, 2026.
To learn more about the efforts taking place and stay informed about Task Force timeline and activities, visit DESE’s Missouri School Funding Modernization Task Force webpage.
Stakeholders are welcome to email FundingTaskForce@dese.mo.gov to share feedback about this work or ask questions about the Task Force efforts.