What the Government Shutdown Was Really About with Elias Tsapelas
Susan Pendergrass is joined by Elias Tsapelas, director of state budget and fiscal policy at the Show-Me Institute, to explain...
In Memory of Joseph Forshaw IV
Joseph Forshaw IVJanuary 10, 1952 – November 11, 2025 It is with deep sadness that I share the news of...
We’re Destroying Meritocracy
A report released earlier this month by the University of California at San Diego (UCSD) gives some startling numbers. UCSD...
The 4-Day School Week Doesn’t Improve Teacher Recruitment or Retention
This is the headline finding from a recent study I conducted with researchers from several universities. The four-day school week...
Checking Medicaid’s Pulse
Are dead people on Missouri’s Medicaid program? Shockingly, the answer appears to be yes. Last month, the Missouri State Auditor’s...
Two Missouri Public School Districts Opt into MOScholars
Two public school districts—Hallsville R-IV and Atlanta C-3—are the first districts in Missouri to participate in MOScholars. MOScholars is Missouri’s...
The Long Fight for Educational Freedom with Neal McCluskey and James Shuls
Learn more about the book here: www.cato.org/books/fighting-freedom-learn Susan Pendergrass speaks with James Shuls, fellow at the Show-Me Institute and head of...
Improving Teacher Quality to Improve Reading Quality
In my recent report, An Expedition to Improve Student Reading, I described Missouri’s falling reading scores and potential policy solutions....
Let’s Expect Better
Following up on an earlier blog post, it should be noted that the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education...
Are Missouri’s Public Schools Ready for Declining Enrollment?
The fertility rate—the average number of children a woman will have over her lifetime—has been falling steadily in the United...
MOScholars Scholarships Are in High Demand
The Missouri Legislature approved $50 million in public funding for the MOScholars program during the 2025 legislative session, and the...
Missouri Children Deserve Better
Imagine you’re the parent of a twelve year old who just started sixth grade at Oakland Middle School in Columbia,...
Illinois Explores Free-Market Energy Policy
I recently wrote about how one of our neighbors, Kansas, is making moves to bring nuclear energy to the state....
Data Centers, Subsidies, and Electricity in Platte County and across Missouri
Artificial intelligence and data centers have been the subject of extensive discussion in recent months. Do we need a massive...
Missouri Earns a “B” in New Fiscal Report—but Don’t Pop the Champagne Yet
For the first time in recent memory, Missouri earned a “B” on Truth in Accounting’s (TIA) annual fiscal report. That...
From Milton Friedman to Modern School Choice with Robert Enlow
Susan Pendergrass speaks with Robert C. Enlow, president and CEO of EdChoice, about the expansion of school choice and the...
Voluntary Open Enrollment Means No Open Enrollment
They say the best defense is offense. Perhaps the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has gotten that...
Missouri Should Scrap Parking Minimums to Reduce Housing Costs
Across the country, cities are rethinking rules that force developers to overbuild parking—and Missouri should follow suit. A new study...
KCUR Finally Confronts the Reality of Fare-Free Transit
On Monday, KCUR carried a piece by NPR’s Joel Rose exploring fare-free buses in New York City, using Kansas City’s...
Election Day Preview, SNAP Shortfalls, and Missouri’s Data Center Debate | Roundtable
David Stokes, Elias Tsapelas, and Avery Frank join Zach Lawhorn to discuss local ballot measures in Missouri, including new hotel...
