The latest data show enrollment fell about 12% in Missouri and 3.5% in Kansas for 2026. But experts say that doesn’t tell the full story.
Missouri
The Beacon reports on the Missouri government to help bring depth, nuance and new ideas to our readers about how their tax money gets spent and about laws passed by their elected officials.
Posted inEducation
Missouri ‘school choice’ bills to watch in 2026
Some Missouri lawmakers want to expand charter schools to more areas of the state, make it easier to switch public schools and help families afford private schools. Others want to roll back or regulate those options.
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 inHealth
‘It’s constant whiplash’: Kansas City organizations see mental health grants canceled one day and restored the next
Behavioral health organizations that stood to lose critical funding still worry about future cuts they say could devastate patients and wipeout programs.
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 inEducation
Despite higher state scores, Hickman Mills schools fall short of full accreditation this year
The state board also voted to receive more reporting on lower-performing districts such as Center and Grandview in the Kansas City area.
Posted inEducation
Missouri higher education bills to watch in 2026
Other proposals include adding support for homeless and foster youth, giving student journalists freedom of the press and addressing how immigration status and higher education intersect.
Posted inRural
Another Missouri Planned Parenthood clinic closes its doors, citing funding challenges and a shift to telehealth
The Rolla clinic is keeping its staff and shifting most of its care to telehealth appointments. Patients who need in-person care are now being referred to other providers in the area or Planned Parenthood clinics in Springfield and St. Louis.
Posted inHealth
Why 30 hospitals in Kansas and 12 in Missouri are at risk of closure
A new study of rural hospitals finds that Kansas has more on the brink of shutting down than any other state. Revenue isn’t keeping up with costs.
Posted inState Government
How lawmakers want to change the Missouri Constitution in 2026
Through proposed constitutional amendments on issues like property taxes and initiative petitions, lawmakers outline their vision for Missouri’s long-term future.