teachers

Missouri State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick says he'll only investigate the state's charter schools — which are all in Kansas City or St. Louis — if formal complaints show “specific problems. Union leaders sent a letter to the auditor's office in August.

Teenagers now average nearly five hours per day on social media. But as Kansas and Missouri kids head back to school, experts say it's important to limit their screen time. Plus: We'll hear from a new teacher in Kansas about what she’s hoping from her first year on the job.

Many educators say their districts aren’t supplying everything their students need. Non-profit groups, community organizations and even the courts are stepping in to help meet needs across the Midwest, but education advocates say it’s not a long-term solution.

From student behavioral and emotional needs to longstanding issues with pay, teaching is challenging even in the best of circumstances. Three local elementary school teachers shared how they approached their recent first years, and how they plan to tackle the next.

During the most recent school year, KCPS launched a different grading system where the minimum grade on any given assignment is 40% — even if the student didn’t do a single bit of it. It has drawn a mix of praise and criticism.

The budget approved by Missouri lawmakers for the fiscal year that begins July 1 is $1 billion less than the current year’s appropriation. It might not cover all the costs of a wide-ranging new education law signed by Gov. Mike Parson.

A world-renowned ceramic artist educated in Kansas City has made a career of injecting activism into the delicate teapots he crafts. Richard Notkin recently returned to the Kansas City Art Institute to teach a masterclass in making art with meaning.

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.

A bill headed to the Missouri governor's desk would require larger school districts to receive voter approval before adopting a four-day week. That includes the Independence School District, which switched to a four-day week this school year to attract more teachers.

Only the second bill passed this session, narrowly passed legislation on its way to Gov. Mike Parson funnels money to private schools through a tax credit scholarship programs.

Although most Kansas schools prepare students and staff for intruders with active-shooter drills, they don't train teachers how to deal with more common violence on campus. Plus: In a Kansas county that’s lost more than half of its population, one restaurant offers a renewed sense of hope — and a cheeseburger worth driving for.

A wide-ranging bill in the Missouri legislature includes provisions to address the state's struggle to recruit and retain teachers, but also includes controversial school choice measures.