Why the New Property Tax Rules in Missouri Are Bad, Part 2
This is the second in a series of blog posts about why the new property tax legislation passed as part...
Jackson County Property Tax Assessment Update
As part of the ongoing saga of the 2023 Jackson County reassessment debacle, the Missouri State Tax Commission (STC) ordered...
Jackson County Assessment Disputes Will (Hopefully) Lead to Real Change This Time
A version of this commentary appeared in the Examiner. It’s an obscure state law that every article about government and politics...
HB 1044 and Expanding Charter Schools in Missouri
Senate Bill (SB) 727, passed into law last year, allows any state-approved sponsor to authorize a charter school in Boone...
New Schools, Old Problems: The KCPS Bond Proposal with Patrick Tuohey
Susan Pendergrass speaks with Patrick Tuohey, senior fellow at the Show-Me Institute, about the Kansas City 33 School District’s recent...
Are New Buildings the Answer?
In 2000, the Kansas City 33 School District (KCPS) had over 37,000 students attending 87 schools. Last year, the district...
KCPS is Getting Serious About Evidence-Based Reading
These past few months, I have been trying to learn Korean—and boy, is it difficult. I feel like I am...
One Way to Actually Do Something about Kansas City Property Taxes
Between now and the start of the legislative session, all of my blog entries, social media posts, radio interviews, holiday...
Missouri Charter School Students Win
Missouri’s two flagship cities—St. Louis and Kansas City—face myriad challenges, such as declining population in St. Louis and high rates...
Expanding the VIP List for Charter School Eligibility
In Missouri, only a select few are eligible for the VIP status of charter school eligibility. The “bouncer” until recently...
At Least Hazelwood’s Honest
Last week, the Show-Me Institute kicked off a repeat of its Show-Me Curricula Project from last year. The purpose of...
Inflation? Try an $800,000 Price Hike
As we reboot the Show-Me Curricula Project, it’s been interesting to compare the differences in responses between last year and...
The Suspense Isn’t Exactly Killing Me
I guess we should be concerned that the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is keeping their district...
Charter School Students Will Finally Stop Getting Shortchanged
Governor Parson has now signed House Bill (HB) 1552 into law. In signing HB 1552, the governor has acknowledged that...
Better Late than Never
With just one day left in the session, the Missouri Legislature is on the verge of finally making it easier...
Shoring Up School Choice Laws
Missouri families need access to multiple options for their children’s education, and this need has only become more pressing since...
Yes, Mr. Pratt, Critical Race Theory is Being Taught and Trained in Missouri K-12
Wes Pratt is the chief diversity officer of Missouri State University, and late last week Mr. Pratt gave a presentation...
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Big shock—now that the Missouri legislature has finally created a program to give school choice to students from low-income families...
The Star PPP-Shames Kansas City Private and Charter Schools
The government filings of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans have provided ideologically motivated journalists and advocates a treasure trove for...
What the Heck Is Happening Out There?
In the midst of a pandemic, it’s hard to say exactly what’s going on. But here is a bit of...
