This article was produced with ProPublica as part of its Local Reporting Network initiative. Sign up for Dispatches to get stories like this one as soon as they are published. This story is available in plain language. One weekday morning in July, Kerstie Bramlet was at her workstation inside the Warren County Sheltered Workshop near […]
Missouri Allows Some Disabled Workers to Earn Less Than $1 an Hour. The State Says It’s Fine If That Never Changes.
Posted inHealth
Changes are coming to health care in Missouri. These are the bills Missouri lawmakers are pushing in 2026
Missouri lawmakers have their sights set on health care reform in 2026, including insurance coverage of certain prescriptions, how health professionals can administer and prescribe medicine, patient privacy and maternal health.
Posted inEducation
This Kansas City charter school lost nearly 20% of its students in one year amid high staff turnover
KIPP Kansas City employees say staff turnover and leadership changes have contributed to issues such as incorrect pay, shrinking enrollment and disrupted education.
Posted inMeeting Notes
Hickman Mills board approves up to $9.76 million in cuts and school consolidations to close budget gap
District leaders cite financial instability as educators and community members question impacts on workload and learning.
Posted inEducation
A ‘revolving door’: Kansas City charter school sees extreme staff turnover
Only about 40% of the employees KIPP Kansas City reported to the state last school year show up on its employee list this year. Leaders say not everyone is on board with necessary change.
Posted inMeeting Notes
KCKPS board highlights early childhood and special education updates
The board also swore in new members and approved funding for new facilities, roof repairs and public library upgrades.
Posted inHealth
‘It’s constant whiplash’: Kansas City organizations see mental health grants canceled one day and restored the nextÂ
Behavioral health organizations that stood to lose critical funding still worry about future cuts they say could devastate patients and wipeout programs.
Posted inState Government
Lawmakers focus on making Kansas more affordable. Here’s what they are proposing
Minimum wage increases, tackling housing costs and more headline the affordability proposals. But Democrats will struggle to pass their plans in a Republican legislature.
Posted inLocal Government
Under new proposal, Jackson County could be the first Missouri county to be split in 150 years
A proposal to remove Kansas City from Jackson County is expected to get a committee hearing. But elected leaders are skeptical that it will gain traction.
Posted inState Government
Kansas lawmakers looking at property tax relief, renter rebates in 2026
Republicans are looking for more property tax relief. Democrats proposed their own plans, which may not get GOP support.
Posted inState Government
Bill would stop transgender Kansans from changing sex on driver’s licenses, birth certificates
A previous law faced legal troubles, and the courts sided with Democrats to allow gender marker changes.