Former St. Louis College Preparatory (SLCP) charter school executive director Michael Malone pled guilty today in federal court to three counts of wire fraud related to a multi-million dollar scheme involving state education funds. Malone intentionally over-reported student attendance information so that SLCP received more state and federal funding than it was due. Sentencing information for Malone’s charges is forthcoming. Each charge of wire fraud carries a maximum possible penalty of twenty years imprisonment, a fine of $250,000 or both.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has announced seven Missouri Gold Star Schools for 2020. The program, which aligns with the national Blue Ribbon Schools program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, recognizes schools for outstanding academic achievement or schools that perform at high levels while serving a significant proportion of disadvantaged students.

Missouri’s Gold Star Schools for 2020 include:

Through both a proposed amendment and an emergency rule, the Missouri State Board of Education approved an alternative route for individuals to obtain a substitute certificate of license to teach. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) requested an additional path after consulting with education groups to help address the shortage of substitute teachers throughout the state.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has announced the 15 Regional Teachers of the Year who have been selected as semifinalists for the 2021 Missouri Teacher of the Year award. The Teacher of the Year program spotlights the positive impact excellent teachers have on their students.

The list of semifinalists includes teachers from multiple grade levels and subject areas and represents seven of the state’s 10 Regional Professional Development Center (RPDC) areas:

The White House recognized Missouri public school teachers Jessica Haskins and Elegan Kramer as recipients of the 2019 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). The two educators are among 108 total honorees for the PAEMST, which is the highest award given by the U.S. Government to K-12 mathematics and science teachers.

The Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) updated the previously released FAQ document today, answering additional frequently asked questions (FAQs) about K-12 school reopening health-related guidance.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) announced the 2021 Missouri Regional Teachers of the Year this week, with the 34 selected teachers now under consideration to be named the 2021 Missouri Teacher of the Year. Committees comprised of education peers and key stakeholders from each Regional Professional Development Center (RPDC) in Missouri selected the 2021 Regional Teachers of the Year, listed below by RPDC area.

Agency for Teaching, Leading and Learning

The State of Missouri has allocated $4 million from its Coronavirus Relief Fund to support Sheltered Workshops across the state. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) will create grant programs to distribute these funds to workshops to lessen the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on workshop operations. These funds will be used to address specific pandemic-related matters. Sheltered workshops that closed or had decreased revenue as a result of COVID-19 will have access to business interruption financial assistance grants.

The Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) released a document today that answers frequently asked questions (FAQs) about K-12 school reopening health-related guidance.

The Missouri State Board of Education appointed Ronald L. Roberts to the Joint Executive Governing Board (JEGB) for the Normandy Schools Collaborative, which serves nearly 3,300 students. His term begins immediately and runs through June 30, 2023. Roberts will be replacing Pamela Westbrooks-Hodge, who was appointed to the State Board of Education in January 2020.