Missouri

News, analysis, and opinion about K-12 education in Missouri
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.
iStock/Getty Images Plus
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
Adult female teacher spends one-on-one time helping a Black female teenage student with her classwork.
E+
Student Achievement How These Districts Are Using $10,000 to Boost Student Learning
The pilot projects, begun with grants from the National Education Association, aim to curb absenteeism, supply food, and offer tutoring.
Madeline Will, September 25, 2023
7 min read
Illustration of a teacher using a pencil and writing to post-it notes with goals noted attached to a bullseye.
iStock/Getty
Recruitment & Retention Teacher Autonomy Isn't Dead. Here's How to Achieve It
Award-winning teachers and other experts suggest ways to build and maintain this cherished professional freedom.
Elizabeth Heubeck, September 20, 2023
5 min read
Image of happy and unhappy face symbols.
ThitareeSarmkasat/iStock/Getty
Student Well-Being States Look to Social-Emotional Learning to Combat Student Misbehavior, Poor Mental Health
Experts say SEL can be a first line of defense against youth mental health problems and misbehavior, but political resistance continues.
Libby Stanford, September 15, 2023
6 min read
Arial view of a classroom of lined desks where a diverse group of high school students are working with pens, pencils, and paper.
iStock/Getty
Assessment States Eye Assessment Throughout the Year as Frustration With Standardized Testing Mounts
Some states are working to transition to through-year testing models in an effort to make standardized tests more relevant to educators.
Libby Stanford, September 7, 2023
6 min read
student entering empty classroom with no teacher
E+
Recruitment & Retention 5 Ways Districts Are Filling Teacher Vacancies
Hiring international teachers, bringing teachers out of retirement, and using virtual learning are some of districts' solutions.
Madeline Will, August 15, 2023
7 min read
Image of strategy planning flow chart.
Hiob/iStock/Getty
School & District Management How Can Districts Prepare for the Next Pandemic?
There's some evidence that more school districts have prepared for the next pandemic and specifically considered how to keep classes going.
Caitlynn Peetz, July 14, 2023
7 min read
The U.S. Supreme Court is seen on Thursday, June 29, 2023, in Washington.
The U.S. Supreme Court is seen on Thursday, June 29, 2023, in Washington.
AP
Law & Courts 2 Big Supreme Court Cases—But Not the Ones You Think—With Implications for Public Schools
Employees won stronger ground to claim a religious accommodation, as a new case will address when job transfers are covered by federal law.
Mark Walsh, July 7, 2023
10 min read
Madison Lyman, 17, stands for a portrait on June 1, 2023, in the 18th and Vine District in Kansas City, Mo.
Madison Lyman, 17, stands in the historic 18th and Vine district in Kansas City, Mo., on June 1, 2023. A rising high school senior, she serves on the city's 13-person commission to study reparations for Black residents, which recently started meeting.
Erin Woodiel for Education Week
Equity & Diversity Meet the High School Student Helping Her City Study Reparations for Black Residents
In Kansas City, Mo., 17-year-old Madison Lyman serves on a 13-member commission studying reparations for Black residents.
Mark Lieberman, June 14, 2023
7 min read