Missouri

News, analysis, and opinion about K-12 education in Missouri
Photo of a diverse group of elementary children swimming with floats in a swimming pool with their Black male instructor behind them watching.
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Student Well-Being How School Districts Nationwide Can Build Water Safety for Students
Take a look at how these districts help prepare students for the water by providing water safety and swim lessons for their students.
Isaiah Hayes, July 24, 2024
5 min read
Students at Mount Vernon Library in Raleigh, N.C., pose with free books after their book fair. School librarian Julia Stivers started the free book fair eight years ago, in an effort to make the traditional book fair more equitable. Alternative versions of book fairs have been cropping up as a way to help students' build their own personal library, without the costs associated with traditional book fair models.
Students at Mount Vernon Library in Raleigh, N.C., pose with free books after their book fair. School librarian Julia Stivers started the free book fair eight years ago, in an effort to make the traditional book fair more equitable. Alternative versions of book fairs have been cropping up as a way to help students' build their own personal library, without the costs associated with traditional book fair models.
Courtesy of Julia Stivers
Equity & Diversity School Librarians Are Creating Free Book Fairs. Here's How
School librarians are turning to free book fairs in an effort to get more books to children in poverty.
Brooke Schultz, June 24, 2024
9 min read
Missouri Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven talks to students participating in Future Farmers of America during an event in February 2024, in Jefferson City, Missouri.
Missouri Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven talks to students participating in Future Farmers of America during an event in February 2024, in Jefferson City, Mo. Vandeven is stepping down from her position after more than eight years on the job.
Courtesy of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
States Q&A 'Politics Does Not Belong in Education,' Says a Departing State Schools Chief
Improving student outcomes requires finding common ground, says Missouri's long-serving education commissioner, Margie Vandeven.
Libby Stanford, June 4, 2024
9 min read
Calendar 4 day week
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School & District Management The Complicated Fight Over Four-Day School Weeks
Missouri lawmakers want to encourage large districts to maintain five-day weeks—even as four-day weeks grow more popular.
Mark Lieberman, May 21, 2024
7 min read
Student being assisted by AI
Nicole Xu for Education Week
Special Education The Pros and Cons of AI in Special Education
AI can make special educators' jobs easier by handling paperwork and serving as an adaptive tool. But there are privacy and other concerns.
Alyson Klein, May 13, 2024
9 min read
Conceptual illustration of Newton's Cradle: 4 balls on strings and one ball is pulled back and swinging towards other three. The one pulled back represents money and has a dollar sign on it.
Wenmei Zhou/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
Budget & Finance How to Build Voter Support for School Bonds: 5 Tips
A ‘steady drumbeat of communication’ with lots of detailed information go a long way, district leaders say.
Caitlynn Peetz, May 9, 2024
5 min read
School counselor facilitates a group discussion
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School & District Management When Principals Listen to Students, Schools Can Change
Three school leaders weigh in on different ways they've channeled student voices help reimagine schools.
Olina Banerji, April 29, 2024
6 min read
Collage of a construction site and school grounds.
Collage via Canva
Budget & Finance Passing School Bonds Is Hard. Advice From 3 Superintendents Who Did It
‘Educating instead of campaigning’ in an era when district leaders are under a political microscope.
Caitlynn Peetz, April 29, 2024
8 min read
Second grade teacher Kaylee Hutcheson greets her students as they enter their classroom to start their day at Hawthorne Elementary School in Mexico, Mo., on Feb. 14, 2024.
Second grade teacher Kaylee Hutcheson greets her students as they enter their classroom to start their day at Hawthorne Elementary School in Mexico, Mo., on Feb. 14, 2024.
Lisa Krantz for Education Week
Teaching This Teaching Routine Takes Just 5 Minutes. Its Impact Lasts Much Longer
It's no gimmick. Greeting students individually at the classroom door has been linked to benefits for both teachers and students.
Elizabeth Heubeck, February 23, 2024
5 min read
Photos of principals walking in school hallway.
E+ / Getty
School & District Management This State Created a Retention System for Principals. Here’s Why It Worked
Missouri has deepened the support it offers to new principals through a partly federally funded, two-year mentoring program.
Olina Banerji, February 21, 2024
6 min read
Kansas City Chiefs safety Juan Thornhill celebrates with fans during a victory celebration and parade in Kansas City, Mo., on Feb. 15, 2023, following the Chiefs' win over the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL Super Bowl 57 football game.
Kansas City Chiefs safety Juan Thornhill celebrates with young fans during a victory celebration and parade in Kansas City, Mo., on Feb. 15, 2023. The Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles at Super Bowl LVII, and several districts in the region canceled school the day of the parade.
Colin E. Braley/AP
School & District Management Super Bowl Districts Face Super-Sized Call: Should They Cancel Class for a Victory Parade?
Concerned about absenteeism, district leaders face tough decisions about days off for community events.
Evie Blad, February 8, 2024
5 min read
Woman finding her way to a happy smile icon in the middle of labyrinth like maze with school subject icons ghosted over a cloudy sky textured background.
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School & District Management 5 Mistakes Schools Make When Building SEL Programs
Experts weigh in on how to avoid parental and community backlash against social-emotional learning initiatives.
Arianna Prothero, November 27, 2023
5 min read
Children drawing images of faces with emotions.
iStock/Getty
Student Well-Being What 1 State's Saga Shows About the Status of Social-Emotional Learning
Missouri's board of education chose to redefine SEL standards as an optional framework for districts, citing confusion and division.
Libby Stanford & Arianna Prothero, October 31, 2023
7 min read
Principal Jonathan A.C. Apostol stands for a portrait at Monett Middle School in Monett, Mo., on Sept. 29, 2023.
Principal Jonathan A.C. Apostol stands for a portrait at Monett Middle School in Monett, Mo., on Sept. 29, 2023. The school started investing in student mental health services before the COVID-19 pandemic, and its new building includes a designated area for mental health counselors that doubles as a calming space for students.
Michael Noble Jr. for Education Week
Student Well-Being Rural Districts Get Creative Amid a Spike in Students’ Mental Health Needs
Rural districts don't have the same resources as more urban districts to scale up mental health services despite similar levels of need.
Libby Stanford, October 16, 2023
8 min read