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Missouri to Pilot a New Way to Test Students
For years, educators have raised a problem with assessments: testing students only after instruction ends, when it’s too late to help them improve. Traditionally, states have used end-of-year exams to measure student performance against academic standards, but those tests do little to inform day-to-day…
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72% of Kansas 8th Graders Aren’t Proficient in Math
In Kansas, an unacceptable number of students are struggling in math. Right now, 72% of Kansas 8th graders are below proficient in math. That’s not just a disappointing statistic. It’s a flashing red warning light for the future of our workforce, our economy, and…
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Missouri’s FY 2026 Budget
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe has officially signed the state’s $50.8 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2026, including $15.4 billion in general revenue spending. While the budget includes significant new investments in child care and education, Governor Kehoe also issued $300 million in line-item vetoes, signaling a cautious approach as…
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When Reading Fails, So Does the Future
Children who aren’t reading proficiently by third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school, yet today, about one-third of Kansas students still read below grade level. With Kansas poised to add 54,000 new jobs by 2030, 80% of which will require education beyond…
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What the One Big Beautiful Bill Means for the Child Tax Credit
On Friday, July 4, President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) into law, ushering in a sweeping set of tax and fiscal changes with long-term implications for the federal budget, families, and state policy alike. One of the most closely…
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Congress Weighs the Future of the Child Tax Credit
As Congress negotiates the next major federal tax package, the future of the Child Tax Credit (CTC) is once again up for debate. With key provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) set to expire at the…
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Analyzing School District Cash Reserves in Kansas
During the first few meetings of the Kansas Education Funding Task Force, both policymakers and district leaders have raised a familiar question: how much money are school districts keeping in reserve — and why? It’s a fair question, with both practical…
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Supporting Educators Beyond Teacher Appreciation Week
As Kansas and Missouri celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week, educators across both states and the nation are sounding the same alarm: appreciation is welcome, but action is essential. Recent survey data show a profession under strain, with many teachers questioning whether they…
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Supreme Court Weighs Religious Charters
A closely watched U.S. Supreme Court case could open the door for religious organizations to operate publicly funded charter schools. The outcome could have sweeping implications for charter school governance, religious liberty, and state education policy nationwide. In 2023, Oklahoma’s Statewide Virtual Charter…
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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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Congress Weighs Child Tax Credit Expansion
This week, as families across the country filed their 2024 returns, a quieter debate in Washington could reshape next year’s tax season — and the financial outlook for millions of households with children. Chief among the issues in play: whether…
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Advanced Manufacturing Demands an Advanced Workforce
While recent headlines have focused on tariffs and trade policy, a quieter consensus has emerged across party lines: reshoring critical industries is now a national priority. The debate is no longer about whether to bring key sectors like advanced manufacturing back to…