Missouri’s eight 2023 Gold Star Schools have also been recognized as U.S. Department of Education (USED) National Blue Ribbon Schools. The National Blue Ribbon Schools program recognizes individual schools for either their outstanding academic achievement (top 15 percent in the state based on English and mathematics assessment scores and graduation rates) or their performance at high academic levels while serving a significant proportion of disadvantaged students.

Missouri’s 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools include:

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) now offers two options to qualifying individuals to measure High School Equivalency skills. DESE previously offered the HiSET® test, which will continue to be available. Now, Missouri citizens may choose to use the GED® test instead. Both exams produce an accredited Missouri High School Equivalency Certificate for those who pass.

Greg Kester, a social studies teacher at Potosi High School in the Potosi R-III School District, was selected by a committee of his peers and education partners across the state as the 2024 Missouri Teacher of the Year. He becomes the 55th Missouri Teacher of the Year since the program’s inception in 1957.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is excited to announce that seven educators have advanced as finalists for the 2024 Missouri Teacher of the Year award.

The finalists are

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has announced the 17 Regional Teachers of the Year who have been selected as semi-finalists for the 2024 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 semi-finalists includes teachers from multiple grade levels, subject areas, and nearly every region of the state:

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) released preliminary statewide 2022-23 Grade Level and End-of-Course (EOC) assessment data during the August 15 State Board of Education meeting. The results represent data from the required state assessments: English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics for grades 3-8; Science for grades 5 and 8; and English II, Algebra I, Biology, and Government EOCs. Results for optional EOC assessments (American History, Algebra I, English I, Geometry, and Physical Science) were released as well.

The State Board of Education’s (State Board’s) Teacher Recruitment and Retention Blue Ribbon Commission (Commission) presented its final recommendations to the State Board at its meeting on August 15. The Commission’s recommendations fall into four categories: immediate support for classroom management, evidence-based models for reorganizing schools, master teaching certificate, and school and district leadership improvements.

Governor Mike Parson approved an additional $50 million to expand the School Safety Reimbursement Grant Program in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget. The grant program, which supports school safety improvements in local education agencies (LEAs), aims to support physical security upgrades and associated technology (e.g., door locks, monitoring systems), bleeding control kits, epinephrine auto-injectors, and automatic external defibrillators. This new round of funding is now also available to nonpublic schools.

Five Pioneers in Education will be in the spotlight on Monday, July 31, in recognition of their commitment and contributions to public education in Missouri. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) will recognize the 2023 Pioneers during the 62^nd Annual Cooperative Conference for School Administrators. The ceremony will take place during a luncheon with more than 600 school leaders in attendance.