Missouri lawmakers plan to focus on teacher tenure this week.
The Legislature's Joint Committee on Education has scheduled a hearing on the issue Tuesday at the Capitol.
Missouri teachers generally receive tenure after working in a district for five years. But lawmakers have been debating revisions in the system for the past several years.
Critics contend that the process of firing teachers in Missouri is too expensive and too cumbersome. Supporters of tenure argue it allows teachers to become advocates for their students. They say significant changes could prompt good teachers to leave Missouri.