Education Reforms Pushed

State senate leaders say the legislature needs to straighten out Missouri’s failing schools—but they’re not sure where they’re going with that idea. Senate President Pro-Tem Michael Gibbons, who lives in a St. Louis suburb, points to the St. Louis school system as the most glaring example of eduction failure, but he says there are a dozen other districts that are in trouble… Gibbons says every idea of what might work for urban education should be on the table. But he says it’s not just urban schools that need state scrutiny and help. He says thirteend districts are in “some sort of accreditation distress.” The state education department says six rural districts are in danger of losing their state accreditation–Gilliam C-4, Skyline R-2, Hayti, Winfield, Wyaconda, and East Prairie. Four St.Louis County districts are in the same boat–Hancock Place, Jennings, Normandy, and Riverview Gardens. Kansas City and the Hickman Mills district are on the edge in Jackson County. St. Louis faces eminent state takeover. A 14th district–Wellston–already is being run by the state. Gibbons says it will be hard to pass legislation that turns all those districts around…..because they all face different problems.