Midwest Newsroom

In our series “Unhoused/Unschooled,” The Midwest Newsroom and its regional partners explored the complicated federal system designed to support K-12 public school students experiencing homelessness, particularly in rural communities.

Urban and suburban school districts may have a funding and staffing edge when it comes to implementing laws to support students with unstable housing. But, homeless education liaisons in small rural districts say close-knit communities make for efficient identification and support for students eligible for services.

The case hinges on whether Sniper 1’s safety outweighs the public’s interest in knowing the name of the Joplin, Missouri, police officer who killed two-year-old Clessie Crawford in Baxter Springs, Kansas.

Through reporting in Iowa, Nebraska and other states, The Midwest Newsroom has found a pattern of rural school districts relying on nonprofit organizations and community members to provide support and services where federal funding fails to meet needs.

In the past year, the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) has promoted a “journey to inclusion,” as a better way to teach students with disabilities. It’s a newer practice for Nebraska schools, and administrators are confident it will work.

St. Louis Public Radio and The Midwest Newsroom obtained credit card statements from former St. Louis Public Schools Superintendent Keisha Scarlett that are at the center of a new district investigation.

While some school district leaders report positive immediate outcomes, there is limited research to show how shortening the school week affects student learning and socialization — or how parents tackle child care and work schedules.

Disgraced former Kansas City, Kansas, police detective Roger Golubski was found dead by apparent suicide in his home Monday morning, on the day his long-awaited trial was meant to begin. Soon after, the federal case against him was dismissed. Who will be held accountable now — if anyone?

Police accountability advocates say it’s important to remember that Golubski is not just “one bad apple,” and that his case reveals a law enforcement system that often fails to protect the most vulnerable.

More than two years after his arrest, and after decades of allegedly terrorizing the Black men and women of Kansas City, Kansas, disgraced former detective Roger Golubski is headed to face trial on federal charges this Monday. This episode comes from the KCUR Studios podcast Overlooked.

States had until the end of September to distribute federal rescue funds to school districts to help students struggling with housing get equal access to education. Barring extensions, most states will leave money on the table — including several in the Midwest.

Jail deaths at the City Justice Center in St. Louis are slightly higher than public safety officials previously shared and much higher than online reports show. But deaths at the CJC so far this year are the lowest they’ve been since 2021.