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. 

Missouri high school seniors Rahul Kanna (Lafayette High School; Rockwood R-VI) and Jordan Tierney (Visitation Academy) were selected as members of the 56^th class of U.S. Presidential Scholars. A total of 161 students from across the country were recognized for their accomplishments in academics, the arts, and career and technical education fields.

A Missouri public school district, along with two additional schools, earned recognition from the U.S. Department of Education’s Green Ribbon Schools program on Wednesday for their innovative efforts to reduce environmental impact and utility costs, improve health and wellness, and ensure sustainability education.

The 2020 honorees in Missouri include: