Education in Missouri facts for kids
Education in Missouri means all the ways kids and teens learn, from schools to colleges and even libraries! In Missouri, public schools are managed by the Missouri State Board of Education. This board has eight citizens chosen by the state's governor and approved by the Missouri Senate.
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Learning in Elementary and High School
In Missouri, the public schools for younger students are run by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Kids must go to school from age seven to seventeen. This usually means they go through elementary school, then middle or junior high school, and finally high school.
The public school system includes kindergarten all the way up to 12th grade. Sometimes, schools from one area might send their students to high schools in a different area. Sports and other school contests for high schoolers are managed by the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHAA). Missouri also has a special online school program called Missouri Course Access and Virtual School Program (MOCAP).
School Tests and What They Mean
The Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) is a set of tests students take every year from 3rd to 8th grade. Students also take tests at the end of certain classes. Some tests are required to graduate from high school, like Algebra I, Biology, and English II. There are also special MAP tests for students with certain learning needs and for students who are learning English.
Learning at Home: Homeschooling
Some families choose to teach their kids at home. This is called homeschooling. In Missouri, the state does not control homeschooling or give money or books to homeschooling families. Parents who homeschool must teach their kids for at least 1,000 hours during the school year. They also need to keep a daily record and samples of their child's schoolwork. Many homeschooled students go on to attend local colleges and universities. Studies have shown that homeschooled students often do very well on college entrance exams and get good grades in college.
Special Public Schools: Charter Schools
Charter schools are public schools that are allowed in bigger cities in Missouri. They are still considered public schools by the state, so they don't charge tuition fees.
Colleges and Universities
After high school, many students go to colleges and universities. In Missouri, public colleges are managed by the Missouri Department of Higher Education. The state has 13 universities where you can earn a four-year degree and 20 colleges where you can earn a two-year degree.
The biggest university system is the University of Missouri System. The main campus, and the largest university in the state, is the University of Missouri in Columbia. Other universities in this system include University of Missouri–St. Louis, University of Missouri–Kansas City, and Missouri University of Science and Technology.
Missouri also has other public universities that are not part of the University of Missouri system. These include Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, Missouri State University in Springfield, Truman State University in Kirksville, Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, and the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg.
The state also helps students pay for college with a special scholarship called Bright Flight. This scholarship gives $2000 each year to Missouri students who go to a college in the state and score very high on the ACT or SAT exams.
Besides public schools, there are many private universities in Missouri. Some well-known ones are Saint Louis University, Washington University in St. Louis, Maryville University, and Rockhurst University in Kansas City. There are also many smaller colleges, trade schools (for specific jobs), and church-related universities.
