K-12 Education

Three possible locations have been identified for southwest Columbia's newest elementary school, which officials hope will relieve overcrowding issues at Rock Bridge and Mill Creek elementary schools.

The national dropout rate was about 3 percent overall, down from the year before.

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education says the current test will be replaced with a new, computer-based assessment in 2014.

The proposed "A-F School Rating System" would be based on information already being collected by Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, such as attendance, graduation rates and test scores.

Columbia Public Schools announced a new program Wednesday called iRead, which will allow every 4-year-old child within the district to access an online database of books. 

Missouri districts will be required to use computer-based assessments by the 2014-15 school year.

Beth Winton, who teaches gifted students at Jefferson Junior High School, writes about  Missouri State Treasurer Clint Zweifel speaking to her class and how she keeps her students informed on complex current events.

The board will vote on school start times in February. A schedule with middle schools first, high schools second and elementary schools last seems likely after Monday's meeting.

Columbia Public Schools standardized testing schedule shows each test that students K-12 take during a given year, when the tests are, what grades they apply to and what subjects they are for.

At its meeting Monday, the Columbia School Board will discuss the three-tier transportation and high school open lunch policy. 

High school students are voicing their opinions on social media about the proposed 7:20 a.m. school start times.

Lee wants to formalize its schoolwide incorporation of art into all classroom subjects. Ridgeway is in its first year as Columbia’s first autonomous school.

Lee Elementary would be able to tailor its curriculum, governance and scheduling, among other factors, to create a particular learning environment.

Preston Martin, 11, of Gentry Middle School, won a creative contest through Scholastic Book Club, scoring prizes for both himself and his school.

Missouri's overall grade was a C, up slightly from last year's grade of C minus.

The Amy Hestir Student Protection Act requires school districts to provide information about former employees to other school districts if the employees have been fired or resigned because of substantiated sexual misconduct allegations.

Columbia Public Schools shows a list of its capital projects funded by bond issues that have been passed since April 2010.

A report by StudentsFirst says the state should make teacher effectiveness the driving factor in decisions about pay, tenure or layoffs.

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's new standards this school year require higher test scores in some subjects, place a greater emphasis on graduation rates and require schools to track things such as how many students succeed in higher-level courses rather than just how many enroll in them.

MU student Stacy Stewart launched Desire to Aspire as an after-school program at Lange Middle School.