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Monthly Update — June 2026
What a new Texas study teaches us about teacher compensation We are back and excited to bring you evidence from one of the more ambitious teacher compensation strategies in the country, with early research suggesting that it may be paying…
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Weekly Update — 05/01/26
This originally appeared in Aligned’s weekly newsletter. Want future updates in your inbox? Sign up today. A promising side effect of cell phone bans Much of our work focuses on legislation, data, and the big debates shaping education and workforce policy.…
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Weekly Update — 04/24/26
This originally appeared in Aligned’s weekly newsletter. Want future updates in your inbox? Sign up today. Missouri’s assessment pilot and the case for balanced accountability Missouri’s new assessment pilot has given life to an age-old debate in education policy. As we wrote last August,…
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Weekly Update — 04/17/26
This originally appeared in Aligned’s weekly newsletter. Want future updates in your inbox? Sign up today. Kansas announces new commissioner On Tuesday, the Kansas State Board of Education selected Dr. Jake Steel to succeed Dr. Randy Watson as the state’s…
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Weekly Update — 04/10/26
Many of Aligned’s priority bills become law This originally appeared in Aligned’s weekly newsletter. Want future updates in your inbox? Sign up today. As lawmakers returned to Topeka for the final days of session, several of Aligned’s priority bills ranging across…
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Weekly Update
This Week’s Highlights: Top story — Kansas’ bell-to-bell cell phone ban has cleared both chambers of the Legislature and now sits on Governor Laura Kelly’s desk, putting the state one signature away from adopting one of the strongest school-day device restrictions in the…
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Weekly Update
This Week’s Highlights: Top story — Missouri lawmakers advance major early literacy reforms in both chambers, focusing on prevention, intervention, and clearer expectations for third grade reading proficiency. Kansas — The Senate advances bell-to-bell cell phone restrictions for schools while lawmakers also hear testimony on a…
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Weekly Update
This Week’s Highlights: Top story — A seven-year review of federal data shows enrollment declining in both Kansas and Missouri while staffing per student increases. We break down where growth is concentrated, where roles are shrinking, and what the numbers mean as further enrollment…
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Weekly Update
This Week’s Highlights: Top story — Missouri’s literacy infrastructure is in place, but implementation is lagging. New state data shows just 34% of PreK-5 teachers have completed or enrolled in science-of-reading training, even as a rural coaching collaborative delivers striking early results. Kansas —…
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Weekly Update
This Week’s Highlights: Top News – Federal update: Congress advances FY 2026 education and early childhood funding while states await key ESSA waiver decisions that could reshape accountability and implementation. Kansas Update – Committee activity heats up: Lawmakers dig into Blueprint for…
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Weekly Update
This Week’s Highlights: Top News – State of the states; we break down what Missouri and Kansas governors signaled on education and workforce policy. Missouri Update – Early momentum builds around accountability, open enrollment, child care, and literacy, alongside a closer look…
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Update – December 2025
This Month’s highlights: Top News – Aligned released its 2026 policy priorities, outlining opportunities to strengthen literacy, school finance, data systems, and early learning. Kansas Preview – We review the State Board of Education’s newly adopted legislative priorities and take a first look at the slow pre-filing…
Resources Hub
Access nonpartisan research and news about the policies shaping education in Kansas and Missouri.