Public News Service

While Missouri has traditionally ranked in the middle among states in the Annie E. Casey Foundation's annual rankings, it has been declining and now stands at 32nd place. (Jacob Lund/Adobe Stock)

From rankings to real insights: Missouri’s Kids Count data

Many folks are familiar with the Annie E. Casey Foundation's Kids Count Data Book, a look at child well-being in every state. In Missouri, the …

The current American Legion Auxiliary Missouri Girls State is being held this week, through June 29, at Lindenwood University in St. Charles. High schoolers interested in attending Girls State in the future should check missourigirlsstate.org. (Jacob Lund/Adobe Stock)

Rising interest rates prompt higher loan costs for MO students

Federal student loan interest rates have surged to their highest levels in over a decade, posing yet another challenge for Missouri students and …

An analysis by the National Bureau of Economic Research found the drop in math scores between 2019 and<br />2022 will reduce lifetime earnings by 1.6% for 48 million pandemic-era students, a total of $900 billion in lost income. (Denis Mamin/Adobe Stock)

Data helps map a brighter future for Missouri's children

Missouri children are making strides in overall health but educational challenges remain, according to the 2024 Kids Count Data Book released by the …

Sen. John Rizzo, D-Independence, said 2024 has been a year of delays in the Missouri General Assembly. The budget came one week later than usual, and even agriculture bills required the support of Democrats. (Helistockter)

Last-minute Missouri House budget heads to governor

Missouri's House of Representatives approved a budget of about $51 billion just before a Friday 6 p.m. deadline. Gov. Mike Parsons has labeled it …

Corporate partners sign contracts to offer a graduate assistantship and pay the students. In turn, MSU pays the graduate assistant's tuition, fees and salary, so the assistantship is directly tied to the academic experience. (pressmaster/Adobe Stock)

MSU 'assistantships' give grad students an employment edge

By Victoria Lim for WorkingNation.Broadcast version by Farah Siddiqi for Missouri News Service reporting for the WorkingNation-Public News Service Col…

Although food insecurity can be faced by anyone, Black and Latino children are twice as likely to face hunger. And in 2022, 33% of single-parent families experienced food insecurity. (LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS/Adobe Stock)

MO gears up for participation in kids' summer food program

Missouri is planning ahead to make sure kids from lower-income families have enough to eat this summer. The state has opted into a federal food …

In 2018, the nonprofit Decolonizing Wealth Project defined reparative philanthropy as

Report: Older foundations, regardless of intent, may have racist beginnings

A recent report details how great wealth that later made philanthropy possible around the country but most evidently in the District of Columbia…

When schools have automated external defibrillators, 70% of children survive cardiac arrest, according to American Heart Association data. (hooyah808/Adobe Stock)

MO schools and health advocates promote cardiac emergency response plans

Missouri Senate Bills 1032 and 1081 would require public schools to develop and implement cardiac emergency response plans and advocates are stressing…

Census data from 2020 included population counts of nearly 1,500 race and ethnicity groups and American Indian and Alaska Native tribes and villages. (Rawpixel.com/Adobe Stock)

Report: MO could do better to ensure children's well-being

A new report examined children's well-being in every state and found in Missouri, the outcomes vary greatly depending on race. In its "Race for …

Part of the program allows taxpayers who donate to child-care facilities to receive the tax credits. Another portion would issue tax credits to employers who provide child care for their employees.(Rawpixel.com/Adobe Stock)

Child care tax credits gain momentum in MO

While Missouri's legislative session has just begun, child-care tax credits are at top of mind with a bipartisan House bill. HB 1488 takes a three-…

More than 180,000 rural students attend public pre-K-through-12 schools in Missouri, almost double the rural U.S. average. (Song_about_summer/Adobe Stock)

Where's the money for rural Missouri education?

Nearly half of Missouri's public schools are in rural areas, and they serve more than one in five of the Show-Me State's students. But Missouri …

A 2017 report in the New England Journal of Medicine found, among participants with coronary artery disease, fluctuation in body weight was associated with higher mortality and a higher rate of cardiovascular events, independent of traditional risk factors. (Rawpixel.com/Adobe Stock)

Post-holiday 'yo-yo' diets: risk factors for heart health

The holiday season is filled with recipes passed down from years before, and feasting with family and friends. But think again before you have …

AARP's Fraud Watch Network has a list of current scams and how to recognize and avoid common scams, including videos breaking down how scams work. (Panuwat/Adobe Stock)

Fraud takes highest financial, mental-health tolls on older adults

Scams and fraud have long-lasting effects on a person's mental well-being, but the latest research found the emotional toll is particularly high on …

Gov. Mike Parson in June signed the fiscal year 2024 budget, which included an increase to the child-care subsidy rate from July 1 through next June 30. (Oksana Kuzmina/Adobe Stock)

Missouri gets jump in child-care subsidy rates

An increase in child-care subsidy reimbursement rates up to 58% of market rate is being hailed as a big win for providers in Missouri. Sarah Gould …

Many of Missouri's working parents have limited and often unaffordable access to quality child care, resulting in

MO loses $1.35 billion annually due to child care issues

Among Missouri parents surveyed, 30% reported they have limited their working hours or stopped altogether because of unreliable child care. The …

Missouri law allows Medigap enrollees to change Medicare insurance plans at the same coverage level during their anniversary window. (Andrey/Adobe Stock)

Open enrollment means researching your healthcare options

Missourians have plenty of choices when it comes to health insurance coverage - and it's time to gear up for making those decisions. For people on …

National Voter Registration Day is a nonpartisan civic holiday celebrating democracy. It has gained momentum since it was first observed in 2012. (DEEP/Adobe Stock)

About 1 in 3 Missourians Isn't Registered to Vote

Today is National Voter Registration Day, and Missourians have many locations where they can register to vote - from community colleges and …

While you may feel too busy to de-stress, you can decide to take back your

Simplify Family Schedule to Decrease Stress, Boost Heart Health

As fall classes and after-school activities are in full swing, Missouri families can feel pressure to do it all, but the American Heart Association …

The Right Time initiative conducted an online survey of 1,000 Missouri residents between April 27 and May 3. (Pixel-Shot/Adobe Stock)

Is Birth Control Legal? Many Missourians Unsure

One in four Missourians either doesn't believe or doesn't know that using birth control pills is legal in the state. The Right Time, an initiative …

According to the American Heart Association, people feel more confident performing Hands-Only CPR and are more likely to remember the correct rate when trained to the beat of a familiar song. (9dreamstudio/Adobe Stock)

Beyoncé's 'Crazy in Love' Not Just Catchy – It's a Life Saver

With popular artists like Beyoncé and Taylor Swift touring Missouri this summer, the American Heart Association is reminding people some of …

According to Salary.com, Missouri child care workers typically earn between $32,581 and $41,250 annually. (lordn/Adobe Stock)

MO Child Care Experts Elaborate on Issues in 2023 Kids Count Report

The resounding theme of the 2023 Annie E. Casey Foundation's Kids Count Data Book is child care shortages and unaffordability. In Missouri, the …

Staffing shortages at the Department of Social Services have led to parents seeking child care assistance being placed on hold for as long as two or three hours. (Adobe Stock)

Praise for MO Early Childhood Funding; Concerns About Sustainability, Gaps

Missourians scored some big wins for child care and pre-K programs in the 2023 legislative session, although some said it is just a start. Brian …

Report data shows the number of Black students enrolled in America's community colleges in 2020 was the same as in 2000. (Marharyta Hanhalo/Adobe Stock)

Report: 600,000 Fewer Black Students Enrolled in US Colleges vs 20 Years Ago

A recent report looking at Black enrollment in the nation's colleges shows a stark downturn in recent years. The Lumina Foundation's Level Up report …

More than a fifth of the Americans live in so called

Student Reporters Get On-the-Job Training at Statehouse

Student reporters are stepping up to fill gaps in news coverage as the number of full-time statehouse reporters continues to decline. State …

A yearlong study of the use of seclusion and restraint in U.S. schools found that some states track both, some track only the use of restraint, and some track neither. (Adobe Stock)

MO Schools' Seclusion, Restraint Incidents Shared for First Time

Missourians can now see how often their schools use seclusion and restraint to address student behavior. A 2021 law requires that schools report …

Un estudio de un a�o de duraci�n sobre el uso de la reclusi�n y la restricci�n en las escuelas de EE.UU. revel� que algunos estados registran ambos, otros s�lo el uso de la restricci�n y otros ninguno. (Adobe Stock)

Incidentes de aislamiento en escuelas de MO se comparten por primera vez

Los ciudadanos de Missouri ahora pueden ver con qué frecuencia sus escuelas utilizan el aislamiento y la restricción para abordar el comport…

MO Project to Disrupt 'School-to-Prison Pipeline' Gets a Boost

A new federal grant is giving schools in three Missouri counties and St. Louis City a fresh look at the challenges of students of color living with …

Book bans occurred in 138 school districts in 32 states between 2021 and the middle of 2022. These districts represent 5,049 schools with a combined enrollment of nearly 4 million students, according to PEN America. (Adobe Stock)

Librarians Lament Censorship in MO

In what the American Library Association has called an unprecedented year of censorship, libraries in Missouri are fighting a rule proposed by the …

The program focus on spirituality is broad and not limited to traditional religious faiths. (Adobe Stock)

MSU Offers 'Mental Health and Spirituality' Undergrad Certificate

Missouri State University is offering a new option for students: a certificate that blends psychology with religious studies. The Mental Health and …

Missouri ranks last in the United States in the percentage of education funding provided by the state. (Adobe Stock)

Panel on Teacher Hiring, Retention to Hold Public Meetings Across MO

The Missouri state commission on teacher recruitment and retention has released its recommendations and will now be holding a series of public-engagem…

Research indicates kids of middle-school age are most frequent victims of bullying. (Waseem Ali Khan/Adobe Stock)

Preventing Bullying: The Importance of Social-Emotional Learning

October is National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month, and experts are reminding Missourians to be aware of the patterns within bullying. One in …

Young adults can benefit from mentoring in career development, and sometimes that one-on-one relationship is just the push they need to help them succeed. (Adobe Stock)

Graduation Rates: Putting MO Teens, Young Adults on the Right Path

Understanding future success is closely linked to educational outcomes, organizations in Missouri are helping teens and young adults meet their …

LPI reports annual teacher turnover rates are highest in the South and lowest in the Northeast. (Adobe Stock)

Missouri School Districts Face Ongoing Teacher Shortage

School districts nationwide are struggling to meet student needs with a teacher shortage made worse by COVID. The Missouri Department of Elementary …

At least part of every county in Missouri, except one in the Kansas City area, has a doctor shortage, and mental health professionals can be especially hard to find. (loreanto/Adobe Stock)

MO Residency Training Program to Help Relieve Doctor Shortage

Nearly every county in Missouri faces a doctor shortage, and the Ozark Center in Joplin for behavioral health is getting a funding boost to help …

One in four high school seniors in the class of 2022 said they've changed their post-high school plans since the start of the pandemic. (shock/Adobe Stock)

Initiative Supports MO 'Stopped-Out' Students Close to Completing College

More than 600,000 Missourians have some postsecondary experience but have not earned a college degree or credential. Some Missouri colleges and …

Becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant is one of the career pathways young Missourians can train for through the St. Joseph Youth Alliance. (Adobe Stock)

MO Group Receives Grant to Help Young People Start Careers

The St. Joseph Youth Alliance has been awarded a YouthBuild Grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, to help students earn their high school …

If Missouri's House Bill 1858 becomes law, students would need written permission from their parents in order to attend school assemblies. (Michael Chamberlin/Adobe Stock)

Educators Skeptical of MO "Parents' Bill of Rights" Legislation

Educators and labor leaders are voicing concerns about a bill in the Missouri Legislature. It's being called the "Parents' Bill of Rights" but …

So far, the rootEd Alliance has helped roughly 2,600 Missouri students chart a path post-high school. (SengchoyInt/Adobe Stock)

Career, College Readiness Program in MO Expands Statewide

An increasing number of jobs across Missouri require some level of training or education beyond high school, but rural students are less likely than …

Fast Track grants can be used at public and nonprofit private colleges and universities in Missouri. (Aliaksandr Marko/Adobe Stock)

MO Program Helps Adults Get Credentials in High-Need Industries

A workforce development program in Missouri is set to expire in August, but the state Senate passed a bill to make it permanent. The bill is now in …

Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis was formed after the 1954Brown v. Board of Education ruling, merging two schools that had been segregated. (Wikimedia Commons)

Report Highlights COVID's Outsized Impact on HBCU Students' Basic Needs

A survey of students at the nation's Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) found nearly half have been food insecure in the last 30 day…

In a new survey, 65% of parents said they think low teacher pay is a cause for concern. (JackF/Adobe Stock)

Poll: Parents Support Educators, Schools' Handling of COVID

Recent polling shows strong support for educators and schools in Missouri and across the country throughout the COVID-19 crisis. More than three in …

No state's application for American Rescue Plan K-12 education spending includes a comprehensive plan for tracking that spending, according to a new report. (wavebreak3/Adobe Stock)

Report Urges States to Track Rescue Plan Spending, Increase Transparency

Missouri ranks middle of the pack in a new report assessing states' proposals for using American Rescue Plan funds for schools. The federal stimulus …

An estimated 80% of white Americans own a home computer, compared to 69% of Black Americans and 67% of Latino Americans. (urby/Adobe Stock)

Federal Funds Key to Broadband for 330,000+ in MO

Missouri ranks 34th in the nation for broadband coverage and speed, with more than 330,000 residents lacking broadband access, but now, agencies hope …

St. Louis public-school students are encouraged to come to Gateway Middle School Saturday for information, health screenings, vaccines and school supplies ahead of the first day of school on Aug. 23. (Jenifoto/Adobe Stock)

Teachers Unions Inform MO Families About Safe Return to School

ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- St. Louis educators' unions are working to let families know what to expect at school this fall, and urging them to get ready…

One in ten Missouri teens didn't graduate high school on time in 2019, down from 19% in 2010 - though last fall, more than 40% of Missourians planning to pursue higher education either cancelled or reduced course loads. (Tom Wang/Adobe Stock)

Report: MO Children, Families to Benefit from Child Tax Credit Expansion

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri is ranked 30th among states for overall child wellbeing in a new report, and advocates for kids and families say the …

Public-school advocates oppose bills before the Legislature that would allow for the expansion of charter schools and give tax credits for paying private school tuition. (Wikimedia Commons)

Groups Say Slate of School Bills Would Undermine Public Education

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Advocates for public schools are urging the Missouri Legislature to bolster funding for public education, rather than shift …

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MO: Education