Thousands of students return to Columbia Public Schools for the first day of classes

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia Public Schools will welcome thousands of students back to campus for the first day of school on Tuesday.

With classes back in session, drivers need to be mindful of traffic impacts as the school year kicks off.

Crews have finished the roundabout project at Sinclair Road and Southampton Dr., which leads to Eagle Bluffs Elementary, Mill Creek Elementary and John Warner Middle School.

Another area drivers may see some traffic is Clark Lane and Hanover Blvd., where MoDOT crews have closed the intersection for roundabout work expected to take two months.

Crews will also continue working on the Providence Road bridge over I-70. A spokesperson for MoDOT says the department is heavily monitoring the area to set up a traffic signal timing plan that can be used for the next two months on school days until the Providence interchange reopens.

Drivers are encouraged to plan ahead, leave early, slow down and pay extra attention, especially in school zones.

As the school year begins in Missouri, drivers are reminded of the new school bus safety law.

Missouri's new school bus safety law -- SB 1421 -- takes effect Aug. 28 and significantly increases fines and license penalties for drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses with flashing red lights and extended stop arms.

According to the law, the new penalties for illegally passing a stopped school bus are:

• First offense: Fine of $500 to $1,000, five points added to your driver's license, and a court-ordered 90-day license suspension.
• Second offense (within five years): Fine of $1,000 to $2,000, five points, and a 90-day license suspension.
• Third or subsequent offense (within five years): Fine of $1,000 to $3,000, five points, and a 180-day license suspension.
• If a child is physically injured: Class E felony, up to four years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
• If a child is seriously physically injured: Class D felony, up to seven years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

No driver's license points are automatically attached to the ticket under current state law, and the standard fine for a first-time stop violation is about $130.

Additionally, Columbia Public Schools may look to improve state testing scores between student demographic groups heading into a new school year.

CPS has struggled for years with what some leaders have called the "achievement gap," which refers to the disparity in standardized test scores between certain student demographics and their peers. This year's scores show Black students were nearly 30 percentage points behind the overall student average, despite gains over the last five years.

That dynamic was seen in 2025 scores, as well. During the 2024-2025 school year, Black fourth graders scored 9.4% proficient in math, compared to 19.6% for students overall. The gap grew in fifth grade, at 7.3% and 21.4%, respectively.

The scores are used by state officials to grade schools and make up a major part of the state's Annual Performance Reports for schools. The state can intervene in schools that show continued poor performance.