The 74’s Bright Spots project identifies public schools across the country that are beating the odds in reading. Specifically, “Bright Spot” schools have literacy rates that are significantly higher than what is predicted based on their student poverty rates. In other words, these schools are outperforming expectations in terms of teaching kids to read.

The project is impressive in both scope and purpose. Using data from 41,883 schools across 10,414 districts in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., it shines a light on excelling schools. Too often, education debates fixate on failure. Highlighting success—and learning from it—is just as important.

While there are surely all kinds of interesting tidbits in the data, in this post I want to focus on the disproportionate representation of charter schools among Bright Spots.

Charter schools make up seven percent of The 74’s national sample, but 11 percent of schools identified as Bright Spots. This means charter schools are overrepresented among Bright Spot schools by more than 50 percent. If performance were unrelated to charter status, we would expect charter schools to comprise seven percent of the Bright Spot list—not 11 percent.

This adds to a large and growing body of evidence showing that charter schools produce stronger academic gains than traditional public schools, on average. This does not mean that every charter school is more effective than every traditional public school, nor does it mean that there aren’t high-performing traditional public schools (indeed, the Bright Spots project highlights many!). But it does mean that, more often than not, a school system with more charter schools will outperform a school system with fewer charter schools.

In Missouri, we’re missing the boat on charter schools. Our outdated charter laws result in them operating in just four jurisdictions in the state (Boone County, Kansas City, Normandy, and the City of St. Louis). This leaves most Missouri families without charter school options.

The fundamental reason is that outside of these four jurisdictions, a charter school can only open with the approval of the local school board. But because the local school board has a vested interest in maintaining resources for its own traditional public schools, this rule effectively serves as a ban on charter schools in most of our state.

If state policymakers are serious about improving student outcomes, they should modernize Missouri’s charter law. A simple solution is to allow the Missouri Charter Public School Commission to authorize charter schools statewide, rather than relying on local school boards to approve them. This would allow the charter sector to expand and result in more students attending high-quality public schools.

The post Charter Schools Are More Likely to Be Bright Spots appeared first on Show-Me Institute.

Using data from Michigan, the authors identify the effects of charter schools on special education students by comparing special education students who enroll in charter schools early with those who enroll in charter schools late. This research design addresses a common concern in charter school research: students who choose to enroll in charter schools may differ from those who remain in traditional public schools in unobservable ways. Simple comparisons between charter and traditional public school students can therefore be misleading.

To overcome this challenge, Imberman and Johnson compare early charter entrants to late entrants. Because both groups eventually attend charter schools, they are more comparable to one another than to students who never enroll. The effect of charter school attendance is identified by examining differences in outcomes before the late entrants make the switch.

In my view, the study’s two most important findings are:

• Charter schools use special education programs and service assignments that are less intensive and expen­sive than in traditional public schools.
• Charter schools improve special education students’ academic achievement and attendance.

The authors also conduct a parallel analysis of general education students. They show that the positive effects of charter schools on special education students are similar to the positive effects on general education students.

This study complements recent work by Elizabeth Setren, who examines special education students in Boston who randomly win or lose lotteries to attend charter schools. Because lottery outcomes are random, this design provides especially strong causal evidence that factors other than charter school attendance are highly unlikely to drive the results. Setren likewise finds that charter schools improve test scores for special education students.

Special education students are an important subpopulation. They account for nearly 15 percent of K-12 enrollment in the United States and receive disproportionate funding. Both of these studies find charter schools serve special education students more effectively, and contribute to the large and growing body of evidence showing that charter schools outperform traditional public schools.

The post Charter Schools Do Special Education Better appeared first on Show-Me Institute.

MOScholars is Missouri’s education savings account (ESA) program. It provides scholarships to eligible families to use on a variety of educational expenses: tuition, tutoring, lessons, and more. The decision by Hallsville and Atlanta to join the program is noteworthy because MOScholars is viewed primarily as a vehicle for private school tuition. Their participation is a reminder that these scholarships can also enable nonresident students to attend public schools outside of their assigned districts.

The move is significant for two reasons. First, it signals a willingness among public schools to compete for students within a choice-driven landscape. Contrary to the notion that public schools wilt under competition, districts like Hallsville and Atlanta are demonstrating initiative. As Patrick Wolf, Distinguished Professor of Education Policy at the University of Arkansas, explains, “this idea that public schools are a fragile ecosystem, and they can only serve students if they have no competition . . . that claim has been completely debunked.”

Second, the move effectively serves as a workaround to Missouri’s lack of statewide interdistrict open enrollment. Students in Missouri typically cannot attend a public school outside their residential district. By participating in MOScholars, Hallsville and Atlanta are using the program to facilitate student transfers across district lines, with the scholarship serving as the funding mechanism rather than state formula dollars.

Given the limited size and scope of the MOScholars program as currently funded, it is unlikely that there will be significant enrollment shifts in these districts due to their participation. Still, their decision points to underlying demand for more school choice and is another step toward a more flexible and responsive public education system in Missouri.

The post Two Missouri Public School Districts Opt into MOScholars appeared first on Show-Me Institute.

This shift will ripple through many of our institutions that depend on population growth. Social Security is an obvious example. But there’s a broader problem: modern institutions are built for expansion, not contraction. Enter our public school system, which is already experiencing declining enrollment. Statewide, enrollment in Missouri public schools is down 4 percent since the pre-recession peak in 2007–08, a trend recent fertility data suggest will only accelerate. On top of this, traditional public schools must contend with the reality that families are increasingly choosing alternative schooling options (e.g., charter schools, private schools, and homeschooling).

Are we prepared to address declining enrollment in Missouri’s traditional public schools? My gut tells me no, and there are some worrisome indicators. For example, many Missouri school districts already have declining enrollment, in some cases stretching back decades. What are we doing about this? At the state level, one thing we aren’t doing is adjusting their funding to reflect fewer students. Missouri’s “hold harmless” provision allows districts with shrinking enrollment to continue receiving funds as if their enrollment hasn’t fallen. In effect, the state is subsidizing higher per-student spending in these districts (this is also happening elsewhere).

This bury-our-heads-in-the-sand approach is manageable for now, but as more districts fall into the declining-enrollment category, it will be harder to keep overfunding them; education is one of many state priorities and our budget must balance.

More broadly, I worry school districts will be slow to close buildings, reduce staff, and otherwise cut costs in response to declining enrollment. These steps are painful and politically difficult, but delaying them only narrows future options. Ideally, districts—guided by the state—would use realistic enrollment projections to plan ahead. With proactive leadership, we could adapt to a new era of declining enrollment while minimizing harm to students. But if district and state leaders wait until acute financial pressure forces their hand, the cuts will likely be deeper and more disruptive.

The post Are Missouri’s Public Schools Ready for Declining Enrollment? appeared first on Show-Me Institute.

Of Missouri’s four largest cities—Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield, and Columbia—Springfield will soon be the only one without charter schools. Charter schools are already thriving in Kansas City, and St. Louis and thanks to recent legislation Columbia will have its first charter schools up and running as early as 2026.

Springfield is missing out.

Charter schools are public schools that are exempt from some of the rules and regulations that apply to traditional public schools. In most Missouri counties, including Greene County, charter schools are not allowed to operate unless they are sponsored by the local school board—a requirement that effectively bans them. Senate Bill 727, signed into law in 2024, changed this requirement in Boone County, where Columbia is located. We need similar legislation in Greene County.

Why? There are several reasons—including that charter schools are popular with families—but the most important reason is that charter schools are more effective than traditional public schools. Academic studies consistently show students who attend charter schools outperform their peers in traditional public schools on state exams and are more likely to attend college. In some cases, the performance differences are substantial. A recent national study by the Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) at Stanford University found that charter schools deliver additional academic growth equivalent to 6 extra days of instruction in math each year, and 16 extra days in reading, compared to traditional public schools. This same study shows that Missouri has some of the most effective charter schools in the country.

Charter school impacts are largest in areas where the local neighborhood schools are underperforming. Does Springfield have any low-performing neighborhood schools? Unfortunately, it sure does. At Westport Elementary School in 2024, only 24 percent of 5th-graders scored proficient or higher on the state English Language Arts test, and in math the number was just 14 percent. At Parkview High School, only 16 percent of students who took the Algebra I end-of-course exam scored proficient or above.

Now imagine your child is zoned for one of these schools and unless you move—perhaps not in your budget—this is where he or she will be required to attend. Charter schools give families in this situation new hope. Many charter operators intentionally open schools in neighborhoods where the traditional public schools are the worst—their mission is to provide educational opportunities in these communities that are not otherwise available. In many cities, the top charter schools have long waitlists.

If we want more Springfield children to have access to highly effective schools, permitting charter schools to operate in Greene County is one of the simplest ways to do it.

How can we make this happen? Following Boone County’s playbook, we need a champion for charter schools in the state legislature who will prioritize this issue in the upcoming legislative session. For Boone County, that champion was Caleb Rowden, a longtime charter advocate. Education legislation in Jefferson City is increasingly “omnibus” style, which means multiple different education policies are bundled into one bill. Rowden made sure that permitting charter schools to operate in Boone County, without the requirement that they be sponsored by the local school board, was part of the 2024 omnibus bill.

Will someone step up in a similar manner for Greene County? I sure hope so.

Charter schools are public schools, their students are public school students, and their teachers are public school teachers. They cannot charge tuition, they’re secular, and they’re open to all students (they must admit students by lottery if the number of applicants is greater than the number of available spots). We know charter schools work and that they’re popular with families.

Every year that passes without charter schools operating in Greene County is a missed opportunity for Springfield’s children.

The post Springfield Needs Charter Schools appeared first on Show-Me Institute.

Yet these schools and districts rarely face meaningful consequences and there is virtually no threat that they will close, which raises an interesting question: How often should schools close? Frequent closures would clearly be disruptive, but too few could also be a problem. In a healthy education ecosystem, schools that consistently underperform should be replaced with better alternatives. That’s what would happen if the public school system operated like a market.

However, public schools rarely close. And when they do, it’s usually due to declining enrollment or budget cuts, not poor performance. As a result, even schools that fail year after year remain open and funded.

All of this points to a perverse indicator of the effectiveness of expanded school choice: more school closures. This may seem counterintuitive, but if charter and private schools close at higher rates than traditional public schools, it suggests they operate in a system where failure has consequences. That’s a good thing. Replacing inferior providers with stronger providers, through competition, helps make markets more efficient.

Given this background, I enjoyed reading this recent study by Doug Harris and Valentina Martinez-Pabon. It puts hard numbers on school closures nationally. The authors estimate that just 0.9 percent of traditional public schools in the United States closed annually between 2014 and 2018. In contrast, closure rates were 2.9 percent for private schools and 5.1 percent for charter schools—roughly three and six times higher, respectively. The higher closure rates are a sign of a healthier market.

It may feel like a foregone conclusion that failing public schools will always persist, but it doesn’t need to be. Infusing more competition into our education system will push all schools to perform better. And for low-performing schools that cannot figure out how to improve, it will force them to close, making way for new, higher-quality providers. These changes would benefit all children, but especially those who are currently trapped in persistently ineffective schools.

The post How Often Should Schools Close? appeared first on Show-Me Institute.

The goal of open enrollment is simple; give families the ability to choose a public school, regardless of where they live. But for the past few years, the Missouri Legislature has considered, and the governor has voiced support for, a limited system in which only students in certain districts would have this option. This creates a patchwork of access. Families in one district may enjoy a range of transfer options, while a family just a few miles away may have none because neighboring districts refuse to participate. True educational freedom requires that all districts be required to take transfer applications, subject to capacity.

Open enrollment that is voluntary for districts is designed to protect school systems, not students. High-performing or in-demand districts can refuse to accept transfer students in order to limit competition and maintain the status quo. Universal open enrollment instead puts the interests of students and families first. It ensures that every Missouri child—regardless of their zip code—has a real chance to attend a school that better fits their educational needs.

Missouri needs a universal open enrollment system that is clear and easy for families to understand. Parents should know they have the right to apply to any public school with available space, and districts shouldn’t be able to pick and choose who gets access. This type of system has worked in states such as Florida and Wisconsin, where universal open enrollment has provided thousands of students with better options and driven improvement in both receiving and sending districts. Our neighbors, Nebraska and Kansas, have recently launched some of the strongest universal open enrollment programs in the United States.

Voluntary open enrollment systems create confusion, inconsistency, and frustration. Families must navigate district-by-district rules, and many discover they cannot transfer simply because another district chooses to “opt out.” In 2026, Missouri lawmakers have the opportunity to enact a universal open enrollment policy that truly empowers parents instead of protecting districts. Shouldn’t open enrollment be designed for all Missouri families and not just some?

The post Why Missouri Needs Universal Open Enrollment appeared first on Show-Me Institute.

In February 2025, Saint Louis University (SLU) released an update on likely Missouri voters’ views on education policy, including open enrollment (the polling was conducted in 2024). The results showed broad support for open enrollment, including bipartisan approval and a preference for a universal model. SLU surveyed 900 likely Missouri voters and used both demographic and voting history data in an attempt to create a representative Missouri sample. One of the more interesting findings was the bipartisan agreement on open enrollment. Recent votes on open enrollment in the legislature have been split along party lines.

Figure 1 displays the general support for open enrollment among likely Missouri voters. Figures 2 and 3 indicate that the majority of likely Missouri voters prefer that an open enrollment policy be universal (meaning districts must accept students if they have seats) and let students transfer out. This suggests that a universal policy is not an “extreme” position, but one that is well aligned with public opinion. It is worth wondering whether carveouts and “compromises” that would restrict open enrollment reflect the priorities of students and families or those of other education stakeholders.

Figure 1: General Measure of Support for Open Enrollment

Survey Question: “Do you support or oppose the following policies . . . allow students to enroll in public schools outside of the school district where they live?”

Figure 2: Public Opinion on Limiting Students Transferring Out with Open Enrollment

Survey Question: “If Missouri allows students to enroll in public schools outside their residential school districts (that is, the district where they live), indicate whether you support or oppose the following . . . school districts may limit the number of students who transfer out of their district.”

Figure 3: Public Opinion on Limiting Students Transferring in with Open Enrollment

Survey Question: “If Missouri allows students to enroll in public schools outside their residential school districts (that is, the district where they live), indicate whether you support or oppose the following . . . school districts may opt out of having students transfer into their district.”

Universal Open Enrollment for Missouri Families

Different versions of open enrollment bills have circulated around Jefferson City, with the House passing a voluntary version (HB 711) and the Senate weighing a universal version (Senate Bill (SB) 215). A good open enrollment policy is a universal policy, and SB 215 would provide students with greater access to public schools that serve them best. Open enrollment is a pro-student, pro-family, and pro-public school policy. The research supports it, the public supports it, and Missouri students would benefit from a robust open enrollment environment.

Want to Learn More?

Susan Pendergrass and I address the most common objections to open enrollment in our recent paper, Open Enrollment: Erasing Seven Myths in Missouri. Read the full report here.

The post Attitudes on Open Enrollment in Missouri appeared first on Show-Me Institute.

Timestamps:

The post Declining Enrollment, Rising Budgets with Ben Scafidi appeared first on Show-Me Institute.

Susan Pendergrass speaks with Tim DeRoche from Available to All about the importance of open enrollment in public schools, particularly in Missouri, where strict residential assignment policies limit access to quality education. They discuss the issue of educational redlining, the impact of district boundaries, and the need for policy changes to ensure equitable access for all families. DeRoche highlights transportation challenges, funding models, and successful open enrollment policies in other states that Missouri could learn from.

Read Tim’s full report “Show-Me the Way Out: Overcoming Educational Redlining and Strict Residency Restrictions in Missouri’s Public Schools”.

Learn more about Available to All

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcasts 

Listen on SoundCloud

Download Episode Transcript

00:00 Introduction
03:11 The Case for Open Enrollment
06:02 Missouri’s Unique Challenges
09:07 The Impact of District Lines
12:13 Educational Redlining and Its Consequences
15:03 Resistance to Change in Missouri
17:58 Comparative Analysis with Other States
20:51 Transportation and Accessibility Issues
24:03 Funding Models and Their Implications
27:08 The Future of Education in Missouri

Produced by Show-Me Opportunity

The post Ending Educational Redlining with Tim DeRoche appeared first on Show-Me Institute.

Missouri has both criminal and civil penalties for parents who use an address outside their residence to enroll their children in a different school district. This means parents could face fines and even criminal charges just for trying to give their child a better education. But there’s a solution: strong open enrollment policies. By allowing students to attend any public school with available space—regardless of their home address—Missouri can eliminate the need for families to risk legal trouble and empower parents with choice.

Learn more about strong open enrollment policies here.

The post The Crime of Address Sharing: Why Open Enrollment Matters in Missouri appeared first on Show-Me Institute.

Missouri’s outdated school assignment rules make it very difficult for families to choose the best public school for their children. The Hirshey family’s story is just one example.

When Dawson was seven years old, he suffered a life-changing injury at a baseball game. His recovery required brain surgery and extensive care. Now, as he and his twin sister Delaney grow older, they want to attend a larger school with more opportunities and resources to support Dawson’s ongoing needs. But Missouri’s rigid school boundary laws make that choice nearly impossible—unless their family moves or breaks the law.

Missouri should adopt strong universal open enrollment polices. Open enrollment policies allow families to choose their public school either within their home school district (intradistrict choice) or in a different district (interdistrict choice). By allowing students to attend any public school with available space, Missouri can empower parents with choice and ensure that no family is punished for simply wanting the best for their child.

Learn more about strong open enrollment policies here.

The post Open Enrollment: Empowering Missouri Families appeared first on Show-Me Institute.

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcasts 

Listen on SoundCloud

Produced by Show-Me Opportunity

The post Debunking Open Enrollment Myths appeared first on Show-Me Institute.

After Mattox made some initial remarks about the benefits of school choice, he was then peppered with questions from school board members and a superintendent who appeared fundamentally opposed to school choice. Even in a place that seems to have achieved great success in advancing school choice, foes of educational freedom will not go gentle into that good night.

This exchange serves as a reminder: the fight for school choice is never truly over. Even when significant progress is made, opposition persists. Opponents may be fewer in number, but they remain steadfast in their efforts to slow or reverse the momentum. Their resistance, often cloaked in concern for “public schools” or “equity,” is a testament to the very reason school choice exists: the one-size-fits-all model does not work for every child.

In Missouri, we’ve seen promising developments, like the expansion of the MOScholars program. But as Florida demonstrates, no amount of legislative success guarantees a permanent victory. Achieving reform is just the first step. Protecting those reforms requires sustained effort and ongoing engagement with policymakers, educators, and the public. If we want to ensure every child has access to an education that fits their needs, we must remain vigilant, steadfast, and ready to defend the principles of freedom and choice at every turn.

Eternal vigilance, it seems, is not just the price of liberty but also the cost of ensuring that every child’s potential is realized.

The post Eternal Vigilance in the Fight for Educational Freedom appeared first on Show-Me Institute.

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcasts 

Listen on SoundCloud

The post Banning Smartphone Use in Schools with John Ketcham appeared first on Show-Me Institute.

Now that we have reached the (projected) enrollment peak and are heading down the cliff, Missouri needs to begin considering the implications for higher education and the workforce. First, the state should focus on the cost and access of public colleges and universities. Second students not planning on attending college should have access to career-building skills and certificates while still in high school. Finally, and most importantly, every Missouri high school graduate should leave school college or career ready.

We’ve known about these trends for a while, but there’s still time to adjust to our new enrollment reality if we make needed changes now. We’ll see if Missouri lawmakers actually follow through.

The post This Is Not a Drill appeared first on Show-Me Institute.

Susan Pendergrass speaks with Jude Schwalbach, policy analyst at the Reason Foundation, about his report Public Schools Without Boundaries: 2024. They discuss how open enrollment policies are reshaping K–12 education by allowing students to attend public schools outside of their assigned districts, examine why Missouri ranks poorly in supporting open enrollment, highlighting significant areas for improvement in the state, and more.

Read Jude’s full report here.

Listen on Apple Podcasts 

Listen on SoundCloud

Produced by Show-Me Opportunity

The post Public Schools without Boundaries with Jude Schwalbach appeared first on Show-Me Institute.

Click here to download the booklet.

Find every public school in Missouri ranked by performance at MoSchoolRankings.org 

The post Missouri Condition of Education: 2024 appeared first on Show-Me Institute.

Friedman, one of the foremost proponents of free-market principles, advocated for school choice as a means to improve education for all. His idea was simple: by giving parents the ability to choose, schools would be forced to compete for students, thus driving innovation and improvement across the board. The PPI report supports this theory, demonstrating that competition doesn’t just help the students in charter schools but raises the overall standard of education in a city.

The report highlights that when a critical mass of students attend charter schools, the pressure on traditional public schools to improve becomes undeniable. This pressure results in better outcomes for students of all socioeconomic backgrounds, particularly those from low-income families. It’s a compelling validation of the core free-market belief that competition drives quality.

Critics often argue that school choice drains resources from public schools, but the data in PPI’s report suggest otherwise. Instead of diminishing public schools, competition enhances them, as they are compelled to adapt, innovate, and meet higher standards.

As we continue to debate education reform in Missouri, this report serves as an important reminder: competition and choice, far from being threats to public education, are key drivers of improvement. By expanding options, we give all students a chance to succeed, fulfilling Milton Friedman’s long-standing belief in the power of choice.

The post Choice and Competition Lead to Better Outcomes appeared first on Show-Me Institute.

Classifying Missouri Public School Spending

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) classifies spending as:

• Instructional
• Student support
• Non-instructional/student support

Instructional costs include salaries and benefits for teachers, aides, and specialists. It also covers instructional materials (paper, microscopes, software, paint brushes, sports gear, etc.), professional development, and standardized testing materials.

Student support services cover (but are not limited to) salaries and benefits for counselors, psychologists, social workers, nurses, behavioral specialists, and college-preparatory specialists. It also covers costs for mental health services, plus behavior and outreach programs. Administrative, transportation, and food service costs are also classified under this category.

Non-instructional/student support costs in Missouri cover a wide variety of services, such as early childhood instruction, afterschool programs, adult education, and purchases with bonds.

The figures below show how costs have shifted in Missouri over the last decade, as well as changes in staff numbers.

Figure 1: Share of Total Expenditures in Missouri Public Schools by Type, 2013–2023

Figure 2: Number of Missouri Public School Students and Teachers

Figure 3: Total Number of Staff: Student Support Services

Source: Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)

The 2018–19 school year marked the first large decrease in the share of instructional costs in total expenditures, and it has decreased further since then. If the trend continues, spending on student support services in Missouri may soon surpass instructional spending.

Figure 1 is even more fascinating when considering that the total number of teachers has continued to rise in Missouri, with student enrollment decreasing in the same time period. Even with 26,000 fewer students than in 2012–13, there are around 4,000 more Missouri teachers and 2,000 more student support staff (as of 2022–2023, the most recent data).

The trends emerging from Missouri’s public school spending raise important questions about financial priorities and the need for increased educational transparency. Are funds being used to improve classroom instruction and foster better learning environments? Once DESE releases financial data for the 2023-2024 school year, it will be interesting to see whether this downward trend continues.

The post Missouri is Spending Less on Instruction appeared first on Show-Me Institute.