Nixa administrator forms grassroots lobbyist group

In the education business for 35 years, Stephen Kleinsmith knows what it takes to provide the best education possible for his students. As superintendent of Nixa Public Schools since 2000, the district has been accredited with distinction for 11 consecutive years by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

When Kleinsmith noticed Missouri legislators headed down what he believed to be the wrong path for education, he decided to do something about it.

Formed just prior to the start of the new school year, the Nixa Legislative Corps aims to expand the district’s net of influence through community participation in the legislative lobbing process.

“One voice is not as effective as many,” Kleinsmith said. “When the board of education makes up their mind on an issue, they have me to lobby for them. But imagine my voice, joined together with the voices of parents and business leaders in our community, and that’s much more powerful.”

Already 35 members strong, Kleinsmith said the group communicates almost entirely via email.

“The people who have signed up for this group are people who are willing to study a piece of legislation and learn about an issue,” he said of the time commitment.

Via a call to action email, members will be asked to contact their senators and representatives on how the issue could affect school districts, specifically Nixa. Kleinsmith said once the Nixa Board of Education takes a position on an issue, the Legislative Corps will go to work.

“More than one voice gets heard,” said Peggy Taylor, a Nixa board member. “Through this group, we can be loud. We can gain the momentum and push for change, not just for Nixa students, but statewide.”

Currently, Taylor is the only board member on the Corps and the Missouri School Board Association delegate. She said the Corps will support board of education positions, but she encourages community members who see a problem to bring it before the full board.

“We want this to be a two-way conversation,” she said.

Nixa business owners such as Shannon Locke are eager to lend their voice.

“My primary reason for joining the group is out of a sense of frustration with our legislators,” the mother of a Nixa sixth grader said. “This is a way for me to be a part of the community, to be a voice for policy change.”

Owner of S.L. Speech & Language Solutions LLC, a speech language therapy services company providing contract services for individual and rural school districts, Locke has seen the effect unfavorable legislation can have on students.

“Special needs education is affected by the government in a tremendous way,” she said. “Education is always the first thing on the budget chopping block, and it affects special needs children the most.”

While still in its infancy, Kleinsmith said the Corps had a minimal effect on the proposed veto override of the controversial tax-cut legislation known as House Bill 253.

“We had some impact on 253, making contact with legislators, but not nearly the impact I hope to have in the future,” he said, calling those efforts the tip of the iceberg. “Once we get the ball really rolling, get the voices out there and heard, then things will really start to happen.

“Our legislators hear a lot of voices. We want our voices to affect their hearts and their minds.”

Kleinsmith said he believes the Nixa Legislative Corps is the first of its kind in southwest Missouri and possibly the state. He suspects the basic concept is in use in other districts.

While this might be the first group in southwest Missouri, it’s not Kleinsmith’s first legislative corps. As executive director of administrative affairs for the Omaha, Neb., school district, Kleinsmith formed a similar group to affect change in the Cornhusker State.

Nixa grandmother of two Jennifer White said Nixa’s educational reputation is the reason she moved into the district and joining the Corps is her opportunity to give back.

“I think more people need to be involved and aware of what’s going on in our government, on every level,” said White, a Keller Williams Realtor.

While she has definite opinions on the path legislators should take regarding education, White said she doesn’t anticipate her involvement in the Corps. affecting her business.

“I can tell my clients I am a part of this group, but I cannot use it to create a sense that Nixa schools are better because of it ,and I don’t think it will help my resume as a Realtor,” she said. “Being involved in my community and schools does not necessarily translate into being a better Realtor.”

Free to join and open to anybody, not just Nixa residents, Kleinsmith said he hopes to see the group swell to 100 before the start of the new legislative session on Jan. 8.

“I hope to see this group become a voice to be reckoned with, a voice state leaders respect,” he said.[[In-content Ad]]