COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Public Schools is adapting to the evolution of artificial intelligence and its use throughout the district. CPS spokesperson Michelle Baumstark said the district has a group working to learn more about various aspects of AI. This effort is being led by Beth Winton under the direction of Adam Taylor, the district’s
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Board of Education approved Thursday a decrease in property tax rate for Columbia Public Schools. For the 2025-26 school year, the tax rate is dropping by nearly 16 cent, meaning property owners will pay CPS $5.55 for every $1,000 of assessed value in property taxes for the year. However, due
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, MO. (KMIZ) Some parents of students who attend Columbia Public Schools are not pleased with a new bus company the district rolled out, two days into the school year. CPS debuted its new bus service, DS Bus Lines during its first day of school on Tuesday, after it signed a three-year contract in February.
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Nearly 19,000 Columbia Public School students made their way back into the classrooms for the first day of the 2025-26 school year Tuesday morning. Columbia Public Schools Superintendent Jeff Klein told he’s excited and that this is a great opportunity as he begin this new position. “Our focus this year is on
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Two additional school buildings in Columbia will have weapons detection systems on the first day of class on Tuesday for the first time. According to Columbia Public Schools spokeswoman Michelle Baumstark, Douglass High School and the Columbia Area Career Center will now have weapons detection systems. The district implemented the systems during
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) With less than a month before the 2026 fiscal budget is expected to be approved, the City Council will hold the second of three public hearings at City Hall as staff brace for a tighter budget after expected tax revenue fell 3% short last year. The 2026 budget projects roughly $560 million
Continue Reading COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Public Schools is implementing a “cellphone free” policy for the 2025–26 school year, aligning with a statewide mandate. In July, Gov. Mike Kehoe signed Senate Bill 68 banning the use of cell phones during instructional time, lunch breaks, study halls and between passing periods, for all K-12 students. To implement the
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Public Schools is still working toward the goal of having construction work finished next month at Ridgeway Elementary. CPS approved a $100,000 contract with PlayPower LT Inc. for work to be done at the school during one of its meetings in May. The work began on May 13 and is expected
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Public Schools is falling short of its goal to reduce suspension and discipline referrals, according to Columbia Board of Education documents. The district set a goal to decrease out-of-school suspension by 50% and office referrals by 10% between 2022 and 2027. During the 2022-2023 school year, the district reported 3,684 out-of-school
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. The Columbia Board of Education will vote on changes to the school district’s transfer policy for students Monday night. This is all apart of its summer session meetings ahead of the 2025-26 school year. The district called transfers a privilege, not a right. The school district will evaluate student transfer requests from non-district
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Fire marshals have determined a fire that occurred last week while crews were working on the new Eagle Bluffs Elementary School on Sinclair Road was accidental. Columbia Fire Department spokeswoman Katherine Rodriguez told ABC 17 News in an email the fire was accidentally caused by construction crews who were using hot torches.
Continue Reading COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Firefighters were seen at the site of Columbia’s new elementary school on Thursday afternoon after a fire was reported. First responders were called to the 5400 block of South Sinclair Road, the site of the new Eagle Bluffs Elementary School that is expected to open in 2026. Columbia Public Schools spokeswoman
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) For the first time in more than 15 years, the Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services will not be offering flu shots in local schools during the fall semester. The free flu vaccines were previously offered by the Health Department each fall for students in preschool through 12th grade. The change
Continue Reading
BOONE COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ) The first night of the Boone County Fair kicked off Tuesday evening with the use of a weapons detection systems loaned by Columbia Public Schools. CPS loaned the fair a total of four systems and two-to-four will be used depending on the day and volume of fair goers. It’s an upgrade
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Trial dates have been scheduled for next year in the case over the name of Rock Bridge High School’s football field. Wayne Sells refiled a lawsuit in October 2024 against Columbia Public Schools over the naming rights to the field. Sells previously filed a lawsuit against the school district in 2021, claiming
Continue Reading Editor’s note: The sentence referring to the percentage of families who do not qualify for free or reduced lunch has been corrected. COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Leaders at Columbia Public Schools are looking at how to best tackle the more than $90,000 of student meal debt. The conversation continued at the Columbia Public Schools’ Finance Committee
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A “handful” of students and staff from Columbia Public Schools attended a national speech and debate tournament in Des Moines, Iowa, where a hoax threat occurred, according to a district spokeswoman. Spokesperson Michelle Baumstark wrote in a text message to ABC 17 News that fewer than 20 people from CPS were in
Continue Reading
Editor’s note: The sentence referring to the percentage of families who do not qualify for free or reduced lunch has been corrected. COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Public Schools and a Pennsylvania-based debt collection agency have agreed to go after unpaid student lunch balances and other delinquent payments beginning July 1. The Columbia Board of Education
Continue Reading COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Board of Education at its Monday night meeting unanimously approved next school year’s budget for the district. The district expects to spend roughly $307 million this upcoming school year. Previous reporting indicates that roughly three-quarters of the budget is made up of staff salaries and benefits. The Board had approved a
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Talks continued Wednesday night within the Columbia Board of Education about how it plans to spend money for the upcoming school year and the impact it will have on the district’s five-year plan. The budget is made up of roughly $307 million. About 77% of that operating budget is comprised of staff
Continue Reading