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...
Harrisonville Goes for a Local Gas Tax
Harrisonville, in Cass County, has three local tax and bond issues on the November 4 ballot. This being a November...
The Future of Federal Education Policy with Christy Wolfe
Susan Pendergrass speaks with Christy Wolfe, director of K–12 policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center, about major shifts in federal...
Reform First, Dollars Second
If policymakers were worried about the One Big Beautiful Bill’s impact on healthcare in Missouri, they may soon find it’s...
Considering Coal-to-Nuclear Transitions in Missouri
Kansas’s Department of Commerce and Evergy (the state’s largest utility) are partnering with TerraPower, a leading nuclear developer, to explore...
Jefferson City Residents Should Be Skeptical of Conference Center Project
A version of this commentary appeared in the News-Tribune. On November 4, Jefferson City voters will decide on a proposal to...
Springfield Voters Should Be Skeptical About Convention Center Claims
A version of this commentary appeared in the Springfield Business Journal. On November 4, Springfield voters will decide on a proposal...
PRiME Summit Celebrates Schools with Impressive Test Score Growth
I was fortunate to attend an event in late September celebrating Missouri schools that demonstrate high test score growth. The...
