Third-Grade Retention and Early Literacy Policies
Reading scores in Missouri continue to fall, relative to both past performance and other states. But this trend doesn’t have...
Accountability in Missouri’s Public Schools
Successful leaders know that while it might feel good to have “yes men” around, they are not the best people...
Missouri Public Schools Have a Very Serious Reading Problem
Test scores on the Nation’s Report Card were released on January 29th, and Missouri faces a dire future if we...
Should Missouri Consider a 3rd-Grade Retention Policy?
Do you think students should get promoted to the next grade if they do not understand grade-level material? There are...
Is There a Comeback Story in Missouri Schools?
The 2024 Summer Olympics have come to a close, and there were so many amazing storylines such as Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone...
Some States Making Large Reading Gains Post-Pandemic
The hit game Wordle is something I look forward to doing every day. While the prestigious and crowning achievement of...
Should More Missouri Students Be Held Back?
Around the country, states are considering implementing policies that would hold back a larger number of 3rd graders who are...
Cherry-picked Data Can’t Hide the Truth about Missouri’s Workforce
A version of the following commentary appeared in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. A couple of weeks ago CNBC released its...
A Lesson on Early Literacy from the Magnolia State
If I polled one hundred Missourians on which state they thought had the best early literacy policies in the nation,...
A New “License Compact”? Why?
Last year, the Missouri Legislature passed a watershed law that established one of the first true interstate license reciprocity reforms...
The Power of Storytelling: Connecting Policy with People
Join us on Thursday, March 18 for a special virtual event with Lee Habeeb. Lee Habeeb is CEO and founder...
Mississippi Does What Missouri Won’t for Students with Disabilities
Hundreds of students with disabilities in Mississippi have a much-needed opportunity: the option to choose a school that serves their...
Are Missouri’s Neighbors Passing It By?
As a general rule, it isn’t wise to spend too much time worrying about keeping up with the neighbors. But...
Almost 47th
Missouri’s economy has been in the slow lane for decades. Unfortunately, unless things change, Missourians will likely be left behind...
Missouri Students Need Access to Advanced Coursework
High-school students confronted with the looming expense of college tuition have a lot to gain from advanced-placement (AP) courses. These...
ESAs Can Help Missouri Students with Dyslexia
For years, Kelli Unnerstall wrestled with private and public schools to get her son with dyslexia the help he needed...
Malachi’s School Choice Story
Just last year, 5-year-old Malachi’s home was an orphanage in Ethiopia, and he was unable to walk due to crippling...
It Could Be Worse. Not Much Worse, but It Could Be Worse.
The Bureau of Economic Analysis recently released data on real GDP for all 50 states. Since Missouri’s growth in recent...
Want to Make College More Affordable? Stack Credentials.
“Is college worth it?” This question is being asked more and more as the cost of tuition continues to rise....
Empowerment Scholarship Accounts: How Parents Could Spend Funds
Recently, I wrote about a proposed law that could expand educational opportunities for students with disabilities. The Empowerment Scholarship Account...
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