FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 3, 2025
Missouri Court Rules in Favor of Missouri Right to Education, Marking Major Victory for the Future of Public Education in Missouri
Jefferson City, MO — Missouri Right to Education announced a major legal victory today in its effort to guarantee high-quality public education as a fundamental right. A Missouri court ruled in favor of Spencer Toder, the initiative’s Director, in his lawsuit challenging the Secretary of State’s false and misleading ballot language.
At issue was whether the Secretary of State’s proposed summary fairly and sufficiently represented the amendment, which seeks to make high-quality public education – adequate, thorough, and uniform – a fundamental right in the Missouri Constitution. The court sided with Toder, with the state unable to provide evidence that the amendment would result in negative outcomes for “students with disabilities and low-income families,” as stated in the Secretary of State’s proposed summary.
“Only public schools guarantee that all students are provided education, regardless of financial status or ability,” Toder said. “It’s unacceptable that we consistently ask our public schools to do more with less. When passed, we will finally be able to hold the state accountable and ensure that every child in Missouri has access to a public school with the necessary resources for them to thrive. When our kids are well educated, companies will flock to Missouri and our economy will soar. High-quality public education is the foundation of every successful community.”
The ruling orders the State to adopt clear language that accurately reflects the purpose of the initiative: ensuring every child in Missouri has a right to a high-quality public education.
“We filed this ballot initiative because schools across the country are shutting down as politicians take money from public schools and send it to private schools as a handout to their wealthy donors,” said Toder. “We’re seeing it happen in states like Arizona and Florida and Missouri is running the exact same playbook. The only thing that can stop it is this constitutional amendment. It is important to ask why any politician or organization would want to stand in the way of providing high quality public education for all kids.”
Missouri is currently 49th in state funding for public education and 49th for teacher pay.
“The idea that further defunding our schools is good for our communities is insane, but this amendment will not only stop the state from taking resources away from our public schools, but will finally give us the ability to ensure that we are competitive nationally and that our children have all of the opportunities they deserve.”
Missourians can sign up to volunteer and donate to the initiative at moeducation.org
About Missouri Right to Education
Missouri Right to Education is a nonpartisan, citizen-led effort committed to ensuring every child in Missouri has access to a high-quality public education. By amending the Missouri Constitution to guarantee this right, the initiative seeks to strengthen public schools, improve accountability, and build a stronger future for Missouri’s families, workforce, and economy. To qualify to be on the November 2026 ballot, Missouri Right to Education must collect approximately 172,000 signatures across six congressional districts by May 3rd, 2026.
Media Contact
Missouri Right to Education
Email: [email protected]
Website: MOEducation.org
