EducationPlus

Missouri Loves Public Schools: Capitol Visits ⚙️ Systems Thinking 💻 Virtual & 🪑 Seated 🆓 Free Join fellow Missouri public-school advocates to meet with legislators, share your district’s story, and advocate for strong public schools. Missouri Loves Public Schools is bringing parents, educators, school leaders, students, community members, and public education supporters together at the Missouri State Capitol to make sure the voices and stories of Missouri's public schools are heard. It is one part of a larger effort to ensure that legislators hear from the people who know and care about public education. There is strength in numbers. The more public education supporters we have engaging with legislators, the stronger our collective voice will be. At a Glance Who should participate: parents, educators, administrators, students, board members, and community supporters Registration: Free. Each attendee must register separately. Time Period: January 2027—May 2027 Time commitment: A 45-minute Virtual Preparation Session plus a 9:00 AM—2:00 PM Capitol Visit Location: Missouri State Capitol, Jefferson City Transportation: Shuttle available from the MASA Building Our Advocacy Priorities Ensure the formula rewrite does not hurt our public schools. As Missouri considers changes to the school funding formula, we want legislators to understand the potential impact on school districts and the students they serve. Share the importance of your school to your community. Tell your district's story. Share the ways your schools contribute to students, families, employers, and the communities they serve. Missouri Loves Public Schools—let’s make sure Missouri legislators hear why. Register now! Register for Free What to Expect Missouri Loves Public Schools is a collaborative effort among Missouri education organizations committed to ensuring that public education has a strong and consistent presence at the State Capitol. To ensure the success of the Capitol Visits, each organization will serve as the host for a designated visit and will help participants navigate the Capitol, connect with legislators, and share their district stories. Missouri Loves Public Schools has six designated Capitol Visit dates for 2027, with the hope of expanding to additional dates in future legislative sessions. These visits will be on a Tuesday or Wednesday. Registration Registration is free. Lunch is on your own. Each participant must submit a registration form to receive important updates and reminders. Choose your Capitol Visit date(s) when registering. You may select the visit your organization is hosting, but you are also welcome and encouraged to select any or all of the other dates. When registering, school administrators may indicate if they intend to bring students and provide an estimate of how many. Students are not expected to submit the registration form. Virtual Preparation Sessions Everyone is encouraged to participate in the Virtual Preparation Session held on the Thursday before each visit. We want every participant to feel comfortable, prepared, and confident. The Virtual Preparation Session will provide: ⭐ An overview of what to expect at the Capitol ⭐ Information about the Missouri Loves Public Schools priorities ⭐ Helpful talking points and resources ⭐ Guidance for meeting with legislators ⭐ Tips for sharing your district's story ⭐ An opportunity to ask questions and prepare for your visit At the Capitol Parking & Transportation Parking at the Capitol is limited, so a shuttle will be provided to transport participants between the MASA Building at 3550 Amazonas Drive, Jefferson City and the Capitol at 201 West Capitol Avenue. If you prefer, you may meet the group directly at the Capitol. When registering you will indicate if you plan to ride the shuttle. Backpacks Each participant will be asked to bring a backpack to wear during the Capitol Visit. The backpacks make our group easy to spot. They show legislators how many people are standing up for public education. Each backpack stands for the good work happening in Missouri's public schools every day. When we walk the halls of the Capitol, we carry those stories with us so our legislators can hear them. Appointments with Your Legislator Participants are encouraged—but not required—to contact their legislators in advance to request an appointment. Your local school district may be able to help you make those connections. Also, the organization hosting that day's visit will provide assistance in connecting with legislators. Make your voice heard for Missouri Public Schools. Register now! Register for Free 2027 Schedule Visit #1 Sponsored by Greater Ozarks Cooperating School Districts 💻 Virtual Preparation Session: January 21, 2027, 4:30 PM—5:15 PM 🏛️ Capitol Visit: January 26, 2027, 9:00 AM—2:00 PM Visit #2 Sponsored by EducationPlus 💻 Virtual Preparation Session: February 4, 2027, 4:30 PM—5:15 PM 🏛️ Capitol Visit: February 9, 2027, 9:00 AM—2:00 PM Visit #3 Sponsored by Missouri Association of Rural Educators 💻 Virtual Preparation Session: March 4, 2027, 4:30 PM—5:15 PM 🏛️ Capitol Visit: March 9, 2027, 9:00 AM—2:00 PM Visit #4 Sponsored by Cooperating School Districts Greater Kansas City 💻 Virtual Preparation Session: April 1, 2027, 4:30 PM—5:15 PM 🏛️ Capitol Visit : April 7, 2027, 9:00 AM—2:00 PM Visit #5 Sponsored by Missouri Association of School Administrators 💻 Virtual Preparation Session: April 15, 2027, 4:30 PM—5:15 PM 🏛️ Capitol Visit: April 20, 2027, 9:00 AM—2:00 PM Visit #6 Sponsored by All Participating Organizations 💻 Virtual Preparation Session: April 29, 2027, 4:30 PM—5:15 PM 🏛️ Capitol Visit: May 4, 2027, 9:00 AM—2:00 PM School Choice Week February 22-26, 2027: Organizations and groups are encouraged to be at the Capitol throughout this week. We strongly encourage districts and public education supporters to participate in these additional advocacy opportunities. Organizers Several statewide and regional organizations are supporting this effort. Many education organizations also host their own advocacy events and Capitol days throughout the legislative session. Educators and public education supporters are strongly encouraged to participate in those events, too. The Missouri Loves Public Schools initiative is not intended to replace or compete with these efforts. Instead, it provides an opportunity for people and organizations across Missouri to come together around our shared commitment to public education and demonstrate the broad support that exists for Missouri’s public schools. These six organizations are sponsoring/supporting the Missouri Loves Public Schools Capitol visits, but many other state organizations are inviting and encouraging their members to participate, too. GOCSD Greater Ozarks Cooperating School Districts (GOCSD) Education Plus EducationPlus (EdPlus) MARE Missouri Association of Rural Educators (MARE) CSDGKC Cooperating School Districts Greater Kansas City (CSDGKC) MASA Missouri Association of School Administrators (MASA)