A Charter School for Normandy?
The Normandy School District might be getting its first charter school. That is, unless a coterie of local functionaries scupper...
If Believing in Explicit Phonics Instruction Makes Me Weird, So Be It
When financial guru Dave Ramsey takes a call on his radio program from a young couple who have paid off...
Like Oil and Water
Talking about school choice in Missouri often feels hopeless. A common attack on school choice efforts in Missouri is “Most...
It’s Time to Stop Making Excuses
Missouri students have a college readiness problem. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) reports that in 2017, just...
Meet the New Report Card, Same as the Old Report Card
I’m a researcher. When it comes to data I like digging in, and I like unpacking. So, when I heard...
Student Achievement Rises with More Charter Schools
Missouri has long resisted the expansion of charter schools into any suburban or rural area. Opponents of charter schools argue...
Missouri’s School District Accreditation Doesn’t Help Students
When the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) says 99 percent of districts are fully accredited and doing just...
Charter Schools Are Working in Kansas City
Charter schools are making strides across the nation, and Kansas City’s own charter schools are no exception. New research from...
Charter Schools Outperform in Indianapolis
In Missouri, because of the narrow availability of school choice, you have to be lucky to have access to charter...
Do Fewer Remedial Course-takers Mean Better-prepared College Students?
It’s tempting to assume that when Missouri high schools hand out diplomas, graduates are ready for postsecondary education. But far...
When Students Aren’t Proficient Readers, Education Savings Accounts Can Help
For students just beginning elementary school, starting off on the wrong foot can have big consequences. Unfortunately, many Missouri students...
ACT Scores Show Students Aren’t Ready for College
Taking the ACT or the SAT has become an important rite of passage on the path to college for most...
School Options and the Rise and Fall of Cities
It’s a problem that plagues many U.S. cities: How can we make sure that all families have access to a...
Will Springfield School District Become the Next Kansas City or St. Louis?
At around 25,000 students, the Springfield Public Schools is currently the largest district in Missouri. Just 20 years ago, the...
Without Consequences for Failing Schools, Students Lose
A high-school diploma is supposed to mean something. A student who earns one should be ready to attend college or...
Paralysis (of progress) by analysis (of what we already know)
Parents in Missouri who want to choose a high-quality school for their children, regardless of where they live, were dealt...
2018 Blueprint: Education Savings Accounts
THE PROBLEM: Missouri students are underperforming. On the 2015 NAEP exam, only 31% of Missouri 8th-graders were found proficient in...
A Thanksgiving Reflection: How Private Property and Economic Freedom Saved the Pilgrims
Americans readily accept two opposing ideas about the first Thanksgiving – one bright and highly idealized, the other grey and...
A Closer Look at Accreditation
In Missouri, it can be big news when a school district earns (or fails to earn) accreditation. Judging by the...
Studies Show Benefits of School Choice Extend Beyond the Classroom
There’s an old joke often told by economists that goes something like this: A policeman sees a man looking for...
