COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Leila Willmore says she was first alerted to AI-generated content of her son at the end of September. Since then, things have only continued to escalate. “They were seeing Zachary in articles coming to their Facebook, like popping up one after the other,” Willmore said. “When I would try to look up
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Public Schools’ Adult English Language Learner program secured funding through fiscal year 2026 after facing uncertainty due to potential cuts to adult education grants. The proposed federal budget included a 24% cut to adult education funding, reducing it from $642 million to about $486 million. The CPS program provides free online
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia School District Policy Committee on Monday voted to clarify its tobacco and vaping policy, allowing for the immediate termination of employees after a single violation. It’s one of 180 policies under review by the committee, which hopes to update and eliminate outdated ones. The goal is to complete the full
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Public Schools is considering how to use a one-time $9 million payment it received from Boone County after a property-tax settlement with Ameren Missouri. Boone County Commissioner Kip Kendrick said the county reached a resolution earlier this year in a long-running dispute before the Missouri State Tax Commission. The agreement resolved
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Board of Education is advocating to change a state law. During its Monday night meeting, board members discussed their 2025-26 legislative priorities, one of which had to do with superintendent payouts. CPS is now advocating to change the state law, making it so that superintendents are paid no more than
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Public Schools will no longer use alternative methods of instruction for inclement weather days following recent changes to state law. The Columbia Board of Education addressed the recent changes during its meeting on Monday. The district announced the change in an email to families on Oct. 10, stating that new state
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Public Schools is working to strengthen safety by expanding the use of weapons detection systems across campuses and major district events. Weapon detection use is being considered at more extracurricular activities and athletic events, according to CPS documents. This year, all high school dances will include weapons screening. CPS first rolled
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Public Schools will no longer use alternative methods of instruction, the district wrote in an email to families on Friday night. The email – provided to ABC 17 News by a district spokesperson and Board President John Lyman – says that the district will not need to use AMI days for
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Public Schools said a police call to Hickman High School on Friday morning did not involve a student with a weapon. Hickman principal Mary Grupe sent a message to parents on Friday about the call. The district said the incident involved just one student, which had been “fully addressed and resolved.”
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A “disturbing message” on Snapchat seen by Columbia Public School students and parents has prompted a police investigation. Rock Bridge High School principal Jacob Sirna told families Thursday morning the district’s security team asked the Columbia Police Department to look into the message after parents and students reported the message. Sirna’s email
Continue Reading COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Board of Education met Thursday morning to discuss potentially implementing a public safety announcement on safe gun storage. The board discussed the use of the Be SMART campaign in Columbia Public Schools. The Be SMART campaign was launched by Everytown for Gun Safety to promote responsible gun ownership and reduce
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Board of Education on Monday evening approved the calendar for next school year. The first day of the 2026-27 school year will be Tuesday, Aug. 25. Winter break for students begins on Dec. 23, 2026, and students would return to class on Jan. 5, 2027, the calendar shows. Spring break
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Public Schools is working to get a handle on work that needs to be completed within its schools. The Long-Range Facilities Planning Committee met Tuesday afternoon to provide an update on its facility condition assessment. CPS narrowed down each facility’s needs into four categories: Immediate, critical, noncritical and deferred maintenance. Immediate
Continue Reading COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Hickman High School was on a brief secure protocol after a report of a single gunshot was heard near the school on Monday. The Columbia Police Department said in a social media post that officers were called to Forest Avenue in response to a single shot heard at 11:55 a.m. Officers found
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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