Governor Parson Announces Recipients of First Round of New School Safety Grant Program
Today, Governor Mike Parson announced 169 school districts and charter schools have received grants from the newly created School Safety Grant Program.
Communications
U.S. Department of Education Announces Missouri’s 2023 Green Ribbon Schools Honoree
Patrick Henry Downtown Academy Elementary School in the St. Louis Public School District received recognition from the U.S. Department of Education today as a 2023 Green Ribbon School thanks to its innovative efforts to reduce environmental impact and utility costs, improve health and wellness, and ensure sustainability education.
Seven School Districts and Four Schools Receive Purple Star Designation
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) announced today the school districts and individual school buildings that earned the 2023 Missouri Purple Star designation — the second round of designees in this new state of Missouri program:
2023 Purple Star School Districts
· Blair Oaks R-II
State Board of Education Reconvenes Blue Ribbon Commission on Teacher Recruitment and Retention
The Missouri State Board of Education’s (Board’s) Blue Ribbon Commission (Commission) studying teacher recruitment and retention challenges in Missouri is reconvening and moving on to its second phase of work — addressing issues related to climate and culture in schools.
“Educators statewide have been clear — working conditions must be addressed alongside salary if we want to help create long-term, sustainable change for Missouri’s educator workforce,” said Board President Charlie Shields.
Missouri Releases 2022 Annual Performance Reports
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has released the statewide Annual Performance Reports (APRs) for the 2021-22 school year. APRs demonstrate the progress local education agencies (LEAs) and their individual buildings are making toward meeting the Standards and Indicators in the sixth version of the Missouri School Improvement Program (MSIP 6).
State Provides $20 Million for School Safety Grant Program
Governor Parson signed the Fiscal Year 2023 early supplemental budget bill yesterday, which includes $20 million to provide school safety grants to Missouri local education agencies (LEAs). The grant program aims to support physical security upgrades and associated technology in school facilities (e.g., door locks, monitoring systems), bleeding control kits, and automatic external defibrillators.
Public Hearings Scheduled for Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Missouri Vocational Rehabilitation (MVR) will conduct two virtual public hearings on vocational rehabilitation services in March to gain feedback on ways to improve services for individuals with disabilities.
Input is welcome regarding MVR’s goals and priorities found in its current state plan.
Kansas City Area Teacher Receives $25,000 Milken Educator Award
Today, Vanessa Thomson, a second grade teacher at Chapel Hill Elementary in the North Kansas City School District, was presented with the national Milken Educator Award.
DESE Awarded $4 Million Preschool Development Birth Through Age Five Planning Grant
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) announced today that Missouri has been awarded a one-year, $4 million Preschool Development Birth Through Age Five Planning Grant (PDG B-5) from the federal Administration for Children and Families (ACF).
2023 Missouri Teacher of the Year Semi-finalists Announced
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 2023 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 and subject areas: