Take action

Five minutes. One message.

Lawmakers keep track of how many constituents contact them about an issue. Find your officials, copy a message, add a sentence about your own school, and send it.

What we're asking for

Four asks

Every message on this page comes back to these four points. Use the ones that fit the person you're contacting.

  1. Fully fund the foundation formula. Close the $190 million gap now, and don't let it grow to $270 million next year.
  2. Public money for public schools. Stop growing private-school vouchers while public schools are underfunded.
  3. Keep the sports betting promise. Make betting revenue an addition to school funding, not a replacement, and limit the promotional deductions that wipe out the tax.
  4. Target senior relief to those who need it. Protect seniors who need help staying in their homes without draining local school budgets.
Step 1

Find who represents you

State legislators

Your Missouri state senator and state representative. They write the school budget, so contact them first.

Enter your address to find both, with their phone numbers and emails.

Find my legislators

The Governor

The Governor proposes the budget each January and signs or vetoes the final one.

Use the contact form on the Governor's website, or call the Governor's office in Jefferson City.

Contact the Governor

County, city & school board

County commissioners, city council members, and school board members.

Ask them to pass a resolution calling on the state to fully fund the formula, and to wear the shirt at a public meeting. Find them on your county, city, or school district website, or simply speak during public comment.

Get the local message

Congress

Your two U.S. senators and your U.S. representative.

Federal dollars pay for Title I and special education (IDEA), which Congress has never fully funded. Ask them to protect and fully fund both.

Find my members of Congress
Step 2

Copy a message

Fill in the [brackets]. One sentence about your school or your kids makes the biggest difference.

Email to your state senator or representative

Open in email
Subject: Please fully fund Missouri's public schools Dear [Senator / Representative] [Last name], I live in [city], in your district, and my local public school district is [district name]. I'm writing to ask you to fully fund the school foundation formula. This year's budget left the formula about $190 million short of what Missouri law requires, and that gap is projected to reach $270 million next year. Every district in the state, including mine, is making cuts because of it. At the same time, the state increased general revenue for private-school vouchers, and sports betting, which voters were told would help fund education, has delivered very little to schools so far. I'm asking you to: 1. Fully fund the foundation formula in the next budget. 2. Put public dollars into public schools before expanding vouchers. 3. Make sure sports betting revenue adds to school funding instead of replacing it. [Optional: one sentence about your school, your kids, or what the cuts mean in your community.] Please let me know where you stand. Sincerely, [Your name] [Street address, city, ZIP] [Phone]
Step 3

Show up

Go to a meeting

School board, city council, and county commission meetings all have public comment. Three minutes at the microphone becomes part of the public record.

Wear the shirt

A room full of green shirts sends a message before anyone says a word. Coordinate with neighbors to wear them on the same night.

Get the shirt

Share the video

Send the interview to five people, especially seniors who may not know how the property tax freeze affects local schools.

Watch & share