schools

Some of the deep geothermal wells from the heating and cooling system at Raytown South High School and the Herndon Career Center allowed methane to accumulate below a parking lot. But repairs are underway, and students returned to class this week.

Union leaders say Diane Albert and Hazel Stabler have changed significantly since they joined the board as part of a conservative wave of candidates who focused on mask mandates, critical race theory and other culture war issues.

Foster children moving to new homes might mean a new school district. That means education records, course credits and other information need to be transferred to a new school. That can delay enrollment.

A community needs a vaccination rate of at least 95% to be adequately protected from measles outbreaks. In Missouri, the rate of vaccinated kindergarteners stands at 90%, while some areas have rates as low as 75%.

With more school districts adopting a four-day school week, educators and parents are grappling with a question that isn’t easy to answer: What trade-offs come with a shortened school week, and are those trade-offs worth it? It depends who you ask.

The COVID-19 pandemic boosted the microschool movement across the country, as families sought alternatives during shutdowns and remote schooling. The trend has continued post-pandemic, as part of a broader desire for educational choice.

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.

Missouri Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick criticized the Independence school district for spending money on a lawsuit attempting to overturn a requirement for a public vote on the four-day school week.

Shawnee Mission, Olathe, Topeka and Kansas City, Kansas, public school districts allegedly allowed students to participate in sports and use restrooms that align with their gender identity. The districts also permitted teachers to maintain confidentiality with transgender students.

Missouri is the only state that still operates separate day schools for special education. But the Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled are struggling with declining enrollment, with 36% fewer students over the past 16 years.

Missouri students won't be able to send texts or check social media during class after Gov. Mike Kehoe signed a law banning cellphones during school — although there are some important exceptions. School leaders tend to agree that phones are disruptive, but they worry about enforcement of the law.

The tax-free holiday weekend in Missouri, which runs August 1-3, is scheduled during the prime time for back-to-school shopping. But you don’t have to be a student, parent or teacher to benefit from tax-free clothing, computers and more.