Rural Schools

Homeless students watch a school bus drive by and not pick them up.

Education

A 'hidden population' of homeless students in the Midwest isn't getting school services

Kavahn Mansouri

The Midwest Newsroom and its partners found that homeless students eligible for enrollment, transportation and academic support in most rural school districts are not getting these services because the districts are undercounting students without stable housing and not applying for available funds.

Education

4-day school week in Missouri faces scrutiny from legislature and state education board

Annelise Hanshaw

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education found little to no learning loss after switch to four-day school week.

While the Mark Twain National Forest and other federal forest land generates profits, the federal government doesn't pay property taxes. An alternative fund-sharing agreement between schools and the federal government has lapsed.

Education

Rural Schools Face Funding Cuts As Timber Sales Agreement Lapses

Ryan Delaney

Dozens of rural Missouri school districts are crying “timber” after Congress allowed legislation that sends half of federal timber profits to schools…

The Doe Run Company operates several lead mines in the Ozarks, including the West Fork Mine in Reynolds County. A dispute over the value of Doe Run's mines resulted in a large drop in property tax revenue for area schools.

Education

Doe Run Mining Co.’s Property Tax Fight Spreads Through Ozarks

Ryan Delaney

In a single phone call on an afternoon in June, Superintendent Kent Sherrow learned that his Iron County C-4 School District would lose nearly a quarter…

Several Missouri school districts arm their employees to prevent mass shootings. More schools in the state are considering it following a school shooting last month.

Education

School district uses Missouri law to arm staff for first time

Ryan Delaney

A Missouri law adopted four years ago to arm school staff was used for the first time this summer. It’s a step one school district took to increase…

The Bunker School District has cut its budget to educate about 240 kids in Reynolds County to $2.6 million from $3.6 million because of a lengthy property tax dispute between the Doe Run mining company and county assessor.

Education

Ozarks-area school district struggles as Doe Run fights its property tax bill

Ryan Delaney

A school district in the northeastern Missouri Ozarks that’s relied on property taxes from nearby lead mining for years is struggling to make do with…

Education

Missouri law allows armed teachers; schools are using something else

Ryan Delaney

A small number of rural Missouri school districts are allowing some teachers to carry concealed guns. Instead of following a state law that sets out how…

Nearly 100 Missouri school districts contain parts of the Mark Twain National Forest but can't collect property taxes on it. A program splitting timber revenue profits between the U.S. Forest Service and those schools was renewed.

Education

Rural schools getting their cut of federal logging revenue again

Ryan Delaney

The federal spending plan approved by Congress this week renews a program splitting lumber profits between the U.S. Forest Service and rural school…

Education

As the nation debates arming teachers, some Missouri schools already do

Ryan Delaney

Glenwood Elementary School sits along a state highway between West Plains and the Arkansas border, in far south-central Missouri. If the school has an…

McCormack Lake in the Mark Twain National Forest. Nearly 100 Missouri school districts contain parts of the federal land but can't collect property taxes on it.

Education

Profit sharing from timber sales were cut; now rural school districts have to make do with less

Ryan Delaney

Superintendent Tim Hager’s district in central Missouri is surrounded by federal forestland in every direction.School buses shuttle some of the 366…