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Aligned Case Study: Stanberry R-II
Stanberry R-II shows what’s possible when small districts have stable support to sustain and strengthen preschool. Using the Missouri Quality Pre-K (MOQPK) grant, the district reduced pressure on local dollars, reinforced early readiness, and built stronger connections with families through regular engagement…
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Aligned Case Study: Branson R-IV
Branson R-IV has built one of the region’s most expansive and inclusive early learning programs — now serving more than 200 children across 11 preschool classrooms. By braiding Missouri Quality Pre-K (MOQPK) grant funding with the state’s 8% ADA foundation formula funding,…
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Weekly Update
This week’s highlights: Top News – U.S. Supreme Court hears case on religious charter schools Missouri Update – Open enrollment bill heard, a new workforce effort launched, and two new education leaders announced Kansas Update – A look at preschool…
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Head Start facing elimination after 60 years
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe said this week he would consider using state surplus funds to keep Head Start going if Congress approves discretionary spending cuts for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) proposed by the Trump Administration. His comments follow a leaked draft of the…
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Weekly Update
This week’s highlights: Top News – Head Start facing elimination after 60 years Missouri Update – A look at the Governor’s first 100 days Kansas Update – Revenues Are Up — But Kansas’ Budget Still Faces Long-Term Imbalance Additional Highlights…
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Quality benchmarking rule receives approval
Today, the Missouri State Board of Education approved a rule formalizing the Quality Assurance Report (QAR) program for early care and education. The QAR program is voluntary, helping early learning providers set benchmarks and improve program quality—not as a punitive…
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Weekly Update
This week’s highlights: Top News – For the second year in a row, leaders in Kansas are pushing a plan to consolidate early childhood programs and services currently spread across multiple state departments. Missouri Update – Kids Win Missouri, with the…
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Weekly Update
This week’s highlights: Top News – Kansas Lawmakers Weigh Property Tax Relief Missouri Update – Early childhood council discusses program updates & strategic initiatives Kansas Update – Education policy proposals emerge in Topeka Additional Highlights – Brian Brush joins Aligned…
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Weekly Update
This week’s highlights: Top News – Missouri releases playbook to curb teacher shortages. Missouri Update – Newly installed legislative leaders prioritize children Kansas Update – Members of the Kansas Legislature set their sights on a shorter session. Additional Highlights –…
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Update – December 2024
This week’s highlights: Top News – Aligned will continue to focus on early care and education solutions, open enrollment and college access, and school finance reform. Yesterday, we presented our priorities for 2025 to lawmakers and partners in a webinar detailing our…
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Opinion – Missouri Times
The Missouri Times published an opinion piece this week penned by Tyler Nottberg, Aligned’s co-founder and the Chairman and CEO of Kansas City-based U.S. Engineering, that gives an executive’s perspective on fine-tuning Missouri’s early childhood system. Read below. Build. Solve. Evolve. That’s our motto…
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Update – October 2024
This month’s highlights: Top News—With millions of dollars flowing into the Show-Me State to fight over ballot initiatives related to gaming, we provide a deeper dive into where the proceeds go in Missouri and Kansas. Missouri Update – DESE is still playing catch-up on…