Education
School choice bills have been pushed in Missouri for years. Will the pandemic pave the way?
Missouri’s legislative leaders have spent the last decade vowing to pass significant school-choice legislation. Yet despite massive GOP majorities in both the House and the Senate, they often fall short. Since the expansion of charter schools into unaccredited districts in 2012, attempts to push through education reform have crashed into a wall of resistance year […]
CDC issues detailed strategy for safely reopening K-12 schools
WASHINGTON — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday released updated guidance to provide educators a science-based plan for reopening K-12 schools. The agency said it cannot force schools to reopen but can only stress that steps such as wearing masks and physical distancing of at least 6 feet are key to mitigating […]
How the pandemic is complicating mental health services for Kansas City kids
Without daily, in person interaction with teachers and peers, flagging mental health issues in students is increasingly difficult. In the move to virtual classes, schools say they can no longer depend on teachers to notice warning signs and refer students to mental health services. Now districts are turning to new ways of screening children for […]
Competition increasing for KC-area seat on University of Missouri curators
The field of candidates vying for a seat on the University of Missouri Board of Curators currently held by a former Kansas City-area lawmaker is growing. Lisa Weixelman, an attorney with Polsinelli law firm, is the latest addition to the list of people angling for Gov. Mike Parson’s appointment to the nine-member board. In an […]
Education secretary nominee says teachers should be prioritized for vaccines
WASHINGTON — The president’s pick to lead the U.S. Education Department said Wednesday that he wants teachers at the front of the line for vaccinations as local leaders debate reopening schools amid the pandemic. Miguel Cardona, a veteran educator from Connecticut, in his Senate confirmation hearing also faced questions from several Republicans about transgender students’ […]
How Missouri is using COVID-19 funds to tackle internet access
Christina Sexton pays for the highest internet speeds that Spectrum offers in her Belton neighborhood. The connection is good when the internet works but has gotten worse throughout the pandemic. And with all three of her kids doing remote learning and her working from home, it hasn’t been fast enough to support the whole family […]
Amid legislative COVID outbreak, Missouri Gov. Parson set to deliver annual address
When Gov. Mike Parson delivers his annual State of the State address to a joint session of the Missouri General Assembly on Wednesday afternoon, it will look slightly different than usual. Because of COVID-19, the 34 members of the Senate, along with the state Supreme Court judges, will be seated in the upper gallery of […]
Here’s what Joe Biden plans to do on his first day as president
WASHINGTON — Joe Biden early Wednesday unveiled the list of executive orders, memos and directives he will make when he assumes the presidency later in the day, reversing a slew of Trump administration actions and laying out new policies of his own. “These actions are bold, begin the work of following through on President-elect Biden’s […]
Former GOP chair, Farm Bureau leader vie for seat on University of Missouri curators
Former Republican Party chairman Todd Graves is one of three people seeking Gov. Mike Parson’s nomination for a seat on the University of Missouri Board of Curators. Graves, former Missouri Farm Bureau President Blake Hurst and St. Joseph accountant David Liechti have each called lawmakers seeking support for the northern Missouri seat currently held by […]
Columbia Public Schools join most Missouri districts with return to classrooms
Columbia Public Schools, the third-largest district in Missouri using all-virtual learning, will start bringing students back to classrooms next week. The Columbia Board of Education voted 5-2 Monday night to return elementary students to school buildings full-time starting Jan. 19 and operate with a hybrid plan that has middle- and high-school students in classrooms two […]
House speaker declares education reform a top priority for Missouri legislative session
As a new legislative session kicks off, education reform will be a top issue for lawmakers to tackle, Missouri House Speaker Rob Vescovo declared Wednesday. Lawmakers from across the state returned to the Capitol in Jefferson City Wednesday afternoon where they swore in members and elected Vescovo as speaker. With the coronavirus still spreading throughout […]
Missouri lawmakers return to tackle Medicaid, education, budget amid COVID
With COVID-19 continuing to spread across the state, Missouri lawmakers convene at noon on Wednesday to begin the 101st General Assembly. It is certain to be a session like no other. Questions surrounding the state budget, funding for roads and bridges, education, local control and a myriad of other issues are on the agenda. But […]