25 years ago today. A true education governor. His leadership is missed.
17.10.2025 03:36 β π 2 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0@jonsturner.bsky.social
Rural schools advocate and Associate Professor of Educational Leadership at Missouri State University. Opinions are my own. Reposts are not endorsements. Public schools unite our country.
25 years ago today. A true education governor. His leadership is missed.
17.10.2025 03:36 β π 2 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0Happy 101st Heavenly Birthday, President Carter!
02.10.2025 02:31 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0Missouri's "school choice" program siphons millions from public schools through tax credits. 90β―%+ of "scholarships" flow to KC, STL & SGF, only 0.2β―% to students with disabilities. Rural and truly lowβincome families see almost none of $. Learn moreπt.ly/NdPR0
14.09.2025 22:30 β π 2 π 2 π¬ 0 π 0Some federal education programs currently on the chopping block may be saved by name changes. AmeriCorps community service program may become βAmerica First Corpsβ and Pell grants may become βTrump Grants.β π @MOEducation @MASALeaders www.edweek.org/policy-polit...
04.09.2025 19:46 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0A fun reminder that @MoEducation rural kids hoping to graduate from high school had to head to town, where "board and room may be obtained at a reasonable rate." From the Cabool Enterprise 100 years ago today, Aug 27, 1925. @MASALeaders @MSTA @nrea1 @CaboolSchools
27.08.2025 12:57 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0Something to think about. In the 7-county Ozark Workforce Development area (around Springfield, Bolivar, Buffalo, Ozark, Nixa, Branson) more than 80% of workers in Christian, Dallas, and Stone counties work outside their home county. meric.mo.gov/media/pdf/oz...
24.08.2025 22:09 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0Something to think about. In the 7-county Ozark Workforce Development area (around Springfield, Bolivar, Buffalo, Ozark, Nixa, Branson) --Health Care and Social Assistance are the top employers. Of all workers in the area, 22.4% are 55 or older. meric.mo.gov/media/pdf/oz...
23.08.2025 19:00 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0When I watch or listen or read the news I find myself thinking of the last lines of βLift Every Voice and Singβ by James Weldon Johnson.
23.08.2025 18:12 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0Happy to join Iowa Public Radio earlier this week for extended talk about the 4-day school week on the show "Talk of Iowa". Joined some great experts. @npaseka @NPRMidwestNews @uoeducation Take a listen πt.ly/v1oZx
22.08.2025 16:43 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0Extremely proud to be part of @MissouriState team that started "Pathways for Paras", one of the largest K-12 school apprentice programs in the U.S. This year, we're in over 140 Missouri school districts, helping nearly 400 paras finish their Special Education degree while they continue to work! π
20.08.2025 12:59 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0Missouri will have at least 182 four-day school week districts this year, adding Kennett, Campbell, Ash Grove, and Smithton-- 35% of all public non-charters schools. This mainly due to teacher shortages and the inability to compete with wealthier districts on salaries. More info www.fourdayweek.us.
09.08.2025 18:04 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0Arkansas teachers whose home is in another state. In 2024, Ark raised minimum teacher salary to $50k, while Missouri remained at $40k. Increase is statistically significant (p < 0.01), meaning itβs not due to chance. Higher pay is successfully attracting out-of-state teachersβespecially from MO.
10.07.2025 00:45 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0Why Principals Matter in School Tech Integration. A instructional tech coach discusses why principals should play a role in tech integration. @MOASSP @MoAESP www.edweek.org/technology/w...
07.07.2025 18:36 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0Teachers enjoy using AI for teaching, but are not so sure about students using it. Many teachers feel AI use is "cheating." All agree it is "big business" with lots of profit potential. www.nytimes.com/2025/04/14/u...
03.07.2025 18:48 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0Missouri governor cuts millions from state budget for teacher recruitment program but leaves in $50 million for private school vouchers. π @MoEducation @MSTA @MissouriNEA www.ky3.com/2025/07/01/t...
02.07.2025 03:07 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0Responding to Supreme Court ruling allowing parents to remove students when certain books are discussed, Justice Sotomayor comments βThe damage to Americaβs public school system will be profound. Teachers will have to stop classes merely to usher children in and out, which will cripple schools...β
28.06.2025 14:53 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0Grateful for the values my public school education instilled in me. "Back in the day," pledging "with Liberty and Justice for all" was not controversial. I think most of us remember the "Liberty and Justice" part---it's the "for all" that has gotten wobbly.
25.06.2025 21:39 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 0 π 07 Strategies to Prepare Educators to Teach With AI. @MSTA @MissouriNEA @MOASSP @MoAESP www.edweek.org/technology/7...
14.06.2025 12:19 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0Even if Missouri rural voters split evenly between the Gubernatorial candidates in 2024 Democrats lose by large margins. Net gain (~252k votes) falls well short of the 605k margin in actual vote. To overcome deficit, Dems would need significant gains in suburban and urban regionsβnot just a rural.
09.06.2025 00:59 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0Graph: Percent change in public high school graduate projections by race and ethnicity (Race and Ethnicity) buff.ly/K5Lfpx1
19.05.2025 15:19 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0Cabool Schools graduating class of 2025! #Congrats! Photo at bottom shows graduates that went K-12 TOGETHER in Cabool. This community of education, knowing each other over many years, is what school consolidation crew in legislature don't understand about rural schools.
18.05.2025 14:20 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0Graph: Projected percent change in high school graduates, 2023 to 2041 (Geographic Location) buff.ly/XkC8Gp9
16.05.2025 12:56 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0Walmart warned Thursday that price increases look certain β possibly within weeks β reinforcing that even the worldβs biggest retailer is not immune from tariffs.
15.05.2025 19:58 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0Happy Birthday President Truman. Born in Lamar, Missouri on May 8, 1884! "It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.β A graduate of Independence High School in 1901!-heβs on back rowβcan you find him?πΊπΈ
08.05.2025 14:28 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0Newest research from @MissouriState on 4-day school week- in the largest 4 day in @MoEducation @ISDSchools, leading up to 1st year on 4-day, applications up 360%, and 63% applicants rated 4day schedule top priority. @SLU_Prime @MASALeaders @nrea1 www.primecenter.org/education-re...
07.05.2025 13:25 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0#HappyTeacherAppreciationWeek Missouri legislators' salary=$41,070.14. Their session runs 5 months. Daily reimbursement=$132.80. Mileage reimbursement= 65.5 cents per mile. Minimum Missouri teacher salary=$40,000. Main #moleg topic this week, how much to cut public schools.
07.05.2025 01:25 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0When you look at per-pupil expenditures, Missouri is 37th in the country in supporting our public school students. Response from some state legislators? "Let's cut $300 million from the state funding formula next year; that will help."
03.05.2025 13:34 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0Illinois allocates $6,781 more per student than Missouri. Bordering districts along the Mississippi, like Cape Girardeau, could see significant benefits if they received the same kind of support as Illinois. What could Cape do with an additional $27 million for students and teachers?
02.05.2025 17:05 β π 1 π 1 π¬ 0 π 0While families have been squeezed by grocery prices, agriculture corporations rake in record profits. The countryβs largest egg producer took in $509 million this quarter alone, tripling its profits from a year agoβ-and receiving federal bailout funds.
thehill.com/opinion/camp...
U.S. Census Bureau's new report highlights school spending per student, showing Missouri ranks low in the Midwest, trailing states like Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio. Meanwhile, the Missouri House plans to cut the public school budget by $300 million next year. www.census.gov/library/visu....
01.05.2025 22:03 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0