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 Pension System Pushes Out Another Great Educator
Sometimes the headline says it all. And sometimes a headline leaves us scratching our heads. Take, for example, this headline...
Missouri Must Do Better at Controlling Spending
A version of the following commentary appeared in the Springfield News-Leader. Elections and inaugurations are a time for reflection and...
Missouri Nearly Fails Cato’s Test
Missouri’s government spending is out of control, and a new report from the Cato Institute, a free-market think in Washington,...
Who’s in Charge Here?
In the last several years, 10 states have passed universal school choice programs that allow all families to take their...
A Milestone Reached
Nearly thirty years ago in Milwaukee, WI, a private school choice program was launched that gave vouchers to around 10,000...
One Education Policy That Could Use Some Momentum for Next Year
For the fourth consecutive year, open enrollment (allowing students to enroll in any public school in the state, regardless of...
Add Alabama to the List
Add Alabama to the growing list of states that let parents take their state education dollars to the school of...
This Is a Compromise?
A year ago, the Arkansas Legislature passed, and the governor signed, the Arkansas LEARNS Act. This comprehensive act addressed a...
State of the State: Leading with Intentionality for School Choice
In his final State of the State Address, Governor Parson highlighted a key part of government policy. He said: A...
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...
I Guess Rural Iowa Is Entirely Different than Rural Missouri
Rural Missouri families, I’m told, don’t want or need school choice. They love their local schools, and there aren’t any...
Sharing Classes for the Kids
Open enrollment—a policy that allows students to transfer to any school of their choice in the state—has been gaining momentum...
Add the Buckeyes and the Hoosiers to the List
Don’t think for a moment that Midwesterners don’t need or want to choose their children’s school. As I’ve previously discussed...
Missouri Becomes an Education Island
A version of this commentary appeared in the Columbia Missourian. How would your family feel if your entire neighborhood had 5G...
This Is Not a Spectator Sport
It was a banner year for families and education reform—outside of Missouri. Iowa parents got a big win. Once its...
Will Open Enrollment Create High School Sport Powerhouses?
The Missouri Legislature is currently debating several bills that would create open enrollment for Missouri students. Evaluating open enrollment’s effects...
Want Better Electricity Prices? Be More Like Illinois
One of the benefits of a cross-border rivalry is the ability to learn from your competitor (with Missouri sometimes learning...
A Huge Win for Missouri Families
Thankfully, the Missouri Legislature has recognized that one size does not fit all when it comes to education. The House...
Will Boonville Repeat the Mistakes of St. Louis and Kansas City?
A version of this commentary was published in the Columbia Tribune. Tax-increment financing (TIF) is Missouri’s bad idea that refuses...
