COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Cole County judge ruled in favor of the state in a battle over a Boone County charter school on Thursday, determining that a law that allows charter schools in Boone County is constitutional. The suit was filed in December 2025, with Columbia Public Schools claiming Senate Bill 727, which was passed
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Public School District’s Long-Range Facilities Planning Committee is looking into voter-approved bonds to fund $420 million in its long-range facility plan for the next 10 years. The district’s last $300 million bond plan included new schools like Beulah Ralph Elementary School, John Warner Middle School and more. The Columbia Area
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Family Access Center of Excellence of Boone County has changed its name to better reflect its services after being tasked with cutting $1.6 million. The shortfall in funding has cut out community-based services and has forced some staff to be let go. The newly named Boone County Schools Mental Health Coalition
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Board of Education’s Policy Committee on Monday discussed how to best honor students at graduations who died before getting a chance to receive their diploma. The policy introduced outlines the process schools and administrators need to take leading up to graduation, on the day of and after. Under the guidelines,
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced on Monday that her office sent a cease-and-desist letter to a pharmaceutical company. A press release from Hanaway’s office claims Eli Lilly and Company cut off MU Health Care from 340B program pricing for refusing to comply with a policy change by the company “requiring 340B
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has given school districts their new A-F grades, and education officials are alerting families ahead of their publication. Wheaton R-III Superintendent Alyssa Kennedy told ABC 17 News on Friday that the state has shared a first look at 2024-25 data with districts and schools,
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Central Methodist University has expelled five students who were allegedly involved in an assault against a football player earlier this month, according to a CMU spokeswoman. CMU has not named the players who were expelled, but two were charged with third-degree assault in Howard County earlier this month. Kamarrion Ferguson, 20, and
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) No citations will be issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in the death of an electrician who was working the University of Missouri’s Memorial Stadium renovation project. Corey Sooter, 44, died on June 10 after working at Memorial Stadium on June 5. He was a foreman for BK2 Electrical and
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The University of Missouri is still exploring several commercial development options on university-owned property as it looks to enhance the game-day experience and provide more amenities for students, faculty and staff. UM System President Mun Choi said during a faculty council meeting on Thursday that the university is considering an entertainment district,
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The College Football Playoff could see a new format change heading into the 2027 season, with a suggested expanded field going from 12 teams to 24. National reporting shows under the proposed agreement, ESPN would pay the CFP an additional $345 million on top of the $1.3 billion it already pays for
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A school bus carrying five Blair Oaks School District students was hit by an SUV Wednesday morning. Cole County Emergency Services was called to the crash at Route B and Tanner Bridge Road at about 7 a.m. The school bus and the small SUV that collided with it each had moderate damage,
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Board of Education this week approved changes to its bullying and hazing policies during Wednesday morning work session, expanding who can report bullying and how students are supported throughout the response process. Board member Paul Harper said the changes have been under discussion since August 2025. “We changed the notifications that
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education announced a new head of the state’s K-12 schools on Wednesday. Lisa Sireno will serve as interim commissioner for the department, DESE said in a news release. Sireno was the department’s deputy commissioner of learning services, a job she took over in July. Sireno
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) More Mid-Missouri students are exploring careers in the skilled trades, according to construction industry officials. More than 1,500 high school students registered for Build My Future Central Missouri, a construction career showcase held Wednesday at the Jefferson City Jaycees Fairgrounds. The event featured hands-on activities where students could practice laying bricks,
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Officials say a threat a student made at Smith-Cotton Junior High School in Sedalia on Wednesday was not credible. The Sedalia Police Department wrote on its social media that after a threat was made on social media on Wednesday morning, a school resource officer detained the student. “The threat was found not
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) Missouri Interim Commissioner of Education Stacey Preis resigned effective immediately on Tuesday afternoon, hours after the State Board of Education selected a firm to assist with its search for a permanent commissioner. Preis did not provide a specific reason for her departure. In a statement, she said she submitted her resignation
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Boone County prosecutor says he is reviewing “additional information” in the harassment case involving three Mizzou football players before making a decision on whether or not to charge them. Three MU freshmen — — defensive back Ahmod Billins, cornerback Trashundon Neal and wide receiver Karsten Fiene — were arrested on Oct.
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) When a restaurant owner refused to serve two Black players on the University of Missouri football team, coach Dan Devine faced a decision. The Tigers were returning from a game at the University of Kansas when they stopped for dinner in Missouri. Jerry Wallach, a tackle who played for the Tigers from
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Having responded to seven school shootings during his career, John McDonald stresses that school districts must first understand where they stand on the spectrum of school safety. As the chief operating officer for the Missouri School Boards’ Association Center for Education Safety, he emphasizes that recognizing this baseline is a critical first
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Jefferson City Lodging Association has filed an appeal in its case against the city. The lodging association filed a lawsuit in 2025 against the city, the Jefferson City Area Chamber of Commerce and the Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau. It alleges that lodging tax funds collected for the Jefferson City
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