Missouri Senate Votes to Strip Voucher Program Oversight from Treasurer
State senators vote to move Missouri’s private school voucher program from the treasurer’s office to education department amid growing administrative concerns.
JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI — The Missouri Senate voted Thursday to remove oversight of the state’s private school voucher program from State Treasurer Vivek Malek and transfer it to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
The change was embedded in a comprehensive education bill that also broadens eligibility requirements for MOScholars, Missouri’s tax-credit-funded voucher program. The legislation requires House approval before reaching Governor Mike Kehoe’s desk, with the legislative session ending Friday at 6 p.m.
Bipartisan Concerns Drive Change
The vote reflected growing concerns about the program’s administration that extend beyond party lines. Senate Minority Leader Doug Beck, a Democrat from Affton, has repeatedly criticized the treasurer’s office for what he calls “incompetence” in managing the MOScholars program.
State Sen. Rusty Black, a Republican from Chillicothe and chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, told The Missouri Independent he advocated for the transfer “because of people’s concerns about how much difficulty (the program) has been having with it under the treasurer’s office.”
Recent Data Breach Highlights Problems
The move comes after revelations last month that the treasurer’s office inadvertently exposed the names of students enrolled in the MOScholars program through a publicly available document posted on its website for approximately nine months. The data leak underscored ongoing administrative challenges within the program.
A spokesman for the treasurer’s office could not be reached for immediate comment on Thursday’s vote.
Program Expansion Amid Administrative Changes
While transferring oversight responsibilities, the legislation simultaneously expands the MOScholars program by broadening eligibility criteria for families seeking private school vouchers. The tax-credit-funded initiative provides financial assistance to families choosing private education options over public schools.
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education would assume full administrative control of the voucher program if the House approves the measure and Governor Kehoe signs it into law. The change represents a shift in how Missouri manages its school choice initiatives.
With less than 24 hours remaining in the legislative session, lawmakers face pressure to finalize the education package before Friday’s deadline. The House must act quickly if the voucher oversight transfer is to take effect this year.
