school choice

The Missouri State Board of Education appears to support legislation creating public-school open enrollment, but members are split on what the policy means. Open enrollment proposals have stalled in the Missouri legislature for the past five years.

Less than 2% of MOScholars students are funded through donations this school year. The rest depends on general revenue from the state budget. But Missouri does not re-check eligibility for students, which is routine for other state-funded programs.

A Missouri educators group is seeking to stop the state from distributing more tax dollars to private schools, saying the $50 million appropriation of general revenue to the MOScholars program is illegal.

Missouri legislators recently approved the use of millions in state funding for MOScholars, a K-12 school scholarship program that had previously been supported by tax-deductible donations. But an investigation found that nearly all of those state-funded vouchers were used for religious schools.

State tax dollars have already started flowing out of the Missouri Treasurer’s Office to fund private-school scholarships. Missouri teachers are suing to stop the payments, calling it an unauthorized use of taxpayer dollars.

The Missouri National Education Association is suing to stop the state from using general revenue to fund private school scholarships. A new lawsuit says the Missouri legislature "far overstepped its authority" in appropriating general funds to MOScholars.

Johnson County school district leaders worry a federal school voucher program would divert much-need funding from the public school system.

Gov. Mike Kehoe and the Missouri House have pushed for $50 million in state funds to go toward scholarships for homeschooled and private-school students. But opponents say that may be illegal under the Missouri Constitution.

Kansas City is asking voters to buy into its public school system for the first time in nearly 60 years. Even after Kansas City Public Schools regained accreditation and turned the tide of student performance, crumbling buildings offer a persistent reminder of the city's disinvestment. It's a relationship strained by decades of racism, a history-making desegregation case and plenty of internal turmoil.

Republican state Sen. Rick Brattin has proposed giving families a direct refund for expenses related to educating their children at home or private schools. Public educators raised multiple concerns about the plan.

The bill would boost minimum teacher salaries from $25,000 to $40,000 a year. It also greatly expands Missouri's tax-credit scholarship program for K-12 students to attend private schools.

Gov. Laura Kelly’s likely doomed push for Medicaid expansion is aimed at setting the table before this fall’s election. But Republican leaders want to focus on other ideas, like cutting taxes.