Missouri
Thousands of Missouri students have left public education. Here's why
Thousands of students in Missouri have left public school in the last four years, in line with a national trend of more families disengaging from public education.
An analysis by the Associated Press, Big Local News and Stanford University economist Thomas Dee found enrollment in Missouri’s public schools dropped by 2% from the 2019-2020 school year to the 2022-2023 school year — making up nearly 18,000 students.
Nationally, the AP’s study found private schooling grew nearly 8% and homeschooling grew by nearly 27% during the same time period among more than 30 states with credible private, public or homeschool enrollment data.
Collin Hitt, executive director of the PRiME Center, which studies education in Missouri, said it’s been an open question whether the state’s homeschooling jump was temporary.
“Given the fact that we’re seeing public K-12 enrollments stay relatively flat, it probably suggests this is something that’s going to continue for some time, which is a major development,” Hitt said.
Thousands of students across the country still haven’t returned to the classroom since the pandemic shut schools down for months. An estimated 230,000 students were considered “missing” in fall 2021, meaning demographic changes or increases in private school or homeschooling couldn’t account for their disappearance from public education.
Students have since slowly made their way back to varying forms of education or aged out of school, leaving only 50,000 kids unaccounted for.
Missouri doesn’t track private school data and doesn’t legally require parents to tell the state when they homeschool their child. However, most parents will notify their public school district if they switch to homeschooling.
Based on that limited data, Missouri has seen a 34% increase in homeschooling since 2019 — but that doesn’t include children who never attended public schools to begin with.
Education leaders anticipated a drop in enrollment across the country because of declining birth rates. U.S. birth rates have been on the downswing for more than a decade, hitting a record low in 2020.
The AP found there are 3,000 fewer school-aged children in Missouri compared to when the pandemic began.
Hitt said even if birth rates remain flat going forward, the declines between 2010 and 2020 have yet to age their way through the system, which will result in lower school enrollment.
However, he said birthrates can’t explain the steep drop in enrollment after the pandemic hit.
“What the pandemic did is it exposed more parents to homeschooling and virtual schooling,” Hitt said. “It also changed the work dynamic for tons of families, where tons of families are now working from home all or most of the time.”
That, combined with more private school vouchers and savings programs for families to spend on public school alternatives, Hitt said, has created the perfect conditions for a homeschooling boom.
Dannielle Joy Davis, known by many as Dr. Joy, runs a program for homeschooling families called “The Circle of Excellence” and is a professor of higher education at St. Louis University.
She began homeschooling her son before the pandemic, but said it was some families’ first exposure to homeschooling.
“Once students experienced that and enjoyed it, and once parents saw the joy of learning in their own households, as you imagine, some parents said, “‘This is nice — we should keep doing this,’” Davis said.
She said parents who choose to homeschool are drawn to the freedom to choose how to teach their children. For example, her son took a scuba class with a certified diver because he loves marine biology.
Davis said more families are turning to homeschooling for another reason.
Society and schools have seen dramatic changes in the last several years. Repeated mass shootings have heightened concerns around school safety. A white Minneapolis police officer’s 2020 murder of George Floyd kicked off international calls for justice and police reform. Republican state legislators in Missouri have targeted school curricula around history and race in recent years.
Davis said some parents see homeschooling as an opportunity to protect their children from bullying, sexism or racism at school — and even the stress of having to go through a metal detector to enter the building.
“A large part of the shift is out of love,” Davis said. “The parents’ love of the children to say, ‘Look, the system is not the ideal in terms of cultivating a safe, peaceful, loving environment for my kid and look, I get to do something about it.’”
Thinking “smaller and smarter”
Hitt said declining public school enrollment has some potential benefits, like smaller class sizes. He said that could also allow the state to give schools more money per pupil in the short term, since the state legislature is used to appropriating a certain amount for K-12 education.
“It’s possible that these enrollment declines will take some pressure off of the system and let them get down to a size that might actually work better for kids,” Hitt said.
But districts that see a significant decline in enrollment could have a substantial drop in state and federal resources, Hitt said, since those are typically determined on a per-pupil basis.
The steep enrollment drop following the pandemic has mostly leveled, but Hitt said schools will still have to cope with the fallout of declining birth rates for years to come.
“Going forward, I think 20 years from now, when we look back at who the most effective educational leaders were of this generation,” Hitt said. “It’s going to be the people who figured this out; how do we get smaller, and smarter and better all at once?”
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — “It’s difficult to call the Battle Line Rivalry a true rivalry when Arkansas has won just twice since Missouri joined the SEC.”
Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz has made this one matter even more for the Tigers during his time in Columbia due to his Natural State roots.
The Alma native is 5-1 against his home-state with three victories coming by seven points or less.
Silverfield has watched the Razorbacks from just across the river in Memphis, and has noticed a pattern in most of the losses over the years. Turnovers have been a major issue in this series through the years.
Whether it was the Alex Collins fumble in 2014, a blown 24-7 halftime lead in 2016, a 48-45 shootout loss in 2017, allowing Missouri to drive 60 yards in 43 seconds for a walk-off field goal by Harrison Mevis in 2020, or letting Brady Cook sprint 30 yards untouched during the Snowmaggedon game in 2024, the Razorbacks have been allergic to holding onto fourth quarter leads against the Tigers.
The biggest curse of all was Arkansas’ game against Missouri was scheduled for Thanksgiving weekend, which effectively replaced the Battle of the Golden Boot against LSU. Despite not playing on an annual basis prior to joining the SEC, this game became quite the underrated rivalry not only in the SEC, but nationally with eight games coming down to the final possession from 2005-2013.
Talent Advantage: Missouri
When it comes to talent on the field, this might be Drinkwitz’s deepest team since his arrival at Missouri in 2020. The Tigers have a total of 43 former 4-star prospects and 25 who were rated as 3-stars during their recruitment, according to the Razorbacks on SI offseason Tracker.
Between Austin Simmons at quarterback, Ahmad Hardy in the backfield, Ben Norfleet at tight end and wide receiver Donovan Olugbode there is plenty of firepower to create mismatches in space. Then, Missouri’s defense is fairly deep with linebacker Nicholas Rodriguez, safety Santana Banner and defensive lineman Darris Smith.
The Tigers can bring the heat to opposing backfields, field a standout secondary and always seem to have instinctive, hard hitting linebackers. Drinkwitz’s best year came in 2023 with an 11-3 overall record but have yet to officially breakthrough in the SEC.
And with this roster, it’s either time for the Tigers to solidify its place among SEC brethren in 2026 season, or continue its slow path back to mediocrity within the league.
A talent advantage alone won’t always win teams ball games, but one that plays disciplined and understands how to control momentum throughout a game can find ways to win.
The Razorbacks have held the talent edge several times over the years, but still suffered defeat in 2016, 2017 and 2022. Since Missouri joined the SEC, their teams have played with confidence that kept them in games they had no business winning.
Former National Championship winning coach Urban Meyer once said, “Leave no doubt” when it comes to winning at the Power Conference level. Maybe it’s Arkansas’ turn to have a coach whose players are ready to run through a wall for in Silverfield this fall.
The Silverfield Mindset
There’s something to be said about a coach who can motivate his team for the biggest of challenges and overcoming talent deficiencies.
Any team can have the Jimmys and Joes but it all comes down to execution, and that’s something that Arkansas has struggled with over the past several years. Silverfield believes a lot of Arkansas’ struggles came down to a culture of losing, which is something he’ll have to cleanse it of this offseason.
“We’ve had one Power Four win at home the last three years,” Silverfield said in an appearance on McElroy And Cubelic In The Morning radio show earlier this spring. “We have to play more disciplined football. Arkansas has not done a great job with penalties, pre-snap, post-snap, dead ball. Taking care of the football, ball security. That’s been part of some of the failures here.”
Silverfield understands Arkansas’ quickest path to improvement begins with eliminating self-inflicted mistakes. After all, the program is just 17-49 in one possession games since 2012.
Arkansas was close last season to being a very good team last year, but weren’t able to do the small things needed to win games.
The Razorbacks finished last season ranked No. 125 in turnover margin (-11), No. 121 in third down defense (45%), No. 99 in sacks allowed, No. 126 in penalties (7.8 per game) and No. 112 in total penalties showed that a change in leadership was sorely needed.
And the truth is, the Razorbacks might’ve found the right man for the job going into 2026. Arkansas has been close time and time again.
With this game being played on Halloween this fall, it’s possible Arkansas can practice its Houdini act and put the struggles against Missouri behind them once and for all.
Hogs on SI Season Preview Series
North Alabama: Why Week One Matters More Than It Should
Utah: Silverfield Doesn’t Know What Razorbacks Are, Utes Will Provide Answers
Georgia: Razorbacks Might Not Beat Georgia, But Offer Test Kirby Smart Didn’t Expect
Texas A&M: Can Hogs’ Rebuilt Defense Slow Down Marcel Reed?
Tennessee: Razorbacks Must Reclaim Homefield Advantage Against Tennessee
Vanderbilt: Arkansas Might Be Catching Vanderbilt at Right Time in 2026
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One person was killed and five others were wounded in a shooting in Kansas City, Missouri, Friday night, according to police.
Officers heard gunfire just before 10:30 p.m. and responded to the area of East 19th Street between The Paseo and Vine Street, police said. They located two adult women who were “conscious and alert,” along with an adult man who was unresponsive, the Kansas City Police Department said in a statement.
The man, identified as David E. Beck III, 29, was pronounced dead at the scene. The two women were transported to a local hospital for treatment.
Three additional victims — a man and a woman in stable condition and another man in critical condition — arrived at the hospital in a private vehicle, police said.
Preliminary information indicates the victims were gathered along 19th Street when multiple people opened fire. “All of the victims appear to have been standing in this vicinity when they were struck,” police said. Detectives are processing evidence and interviewing witnesses. No suspects are in custody.
The shooting took place roughly 7 miles from Arrowhead Stadium, which is hosting World Cup matches this summer under the name Kansas City Stadium. Ecuador and Curaçao are scheduled to play there Saturday night. Kansas City is touted as the “Soccer Capital of America.”
The city already has a large law enforcement presence to assist with World Cup security, including officers from all over the Midwest, Kansas City Police Capt. Jake Becchina told NBC News.
“We have the largest police presence we have ever had in our city for an event,” Becchina said.
Police are asking anyone with information to contact their anonymous tips hotline. A reward of up to $25,000 is available for information leading to an arrest.
Here’s a clearer, tighter version suitable for a news feature or community-interest article:
Opening June 18 at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, “From These Lands: Sharing Our Natural and Cultural Heritage” is a major new exhibition commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States. The exhibition features more than 600 rare specimens and cultural objects representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories.
Drawn from the museum’s collection of more than 148 million artifacts and specimens, the 5,000-square-foot exhibition explores the people, landscapes, discoveries, traditions and stories that have shaped the nation throughout millions of years of natural and cultural history. Many of the featured items have rarely, if ever, been displayed publicly.
Missouri is represented by an American paddlefish, one of seven objects from the state included in the exhibition. The American paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) is the last surviving member of an ancient fish family and one of the largest fish species found in North America’s rivers. Scientists estimate paddlefish diverged from other fish lineages more than 310 million years ago and have changed little since.
Once found throughout the Great Lakes region, the species is now limited to the Mississippi River watershed. Its distinctive paddle-shaped snout contains sensors that detect electrical signals in the water, helping the fish locate food and navigate its environment. The paddlefish serves as a living link to the distant past, illustrating how some ancient species have survived through hundreds of millions of years of evolutionary change.
The exhibition highlights natural, cultural, scientific and historical connections from across the United States, including Missouri, and is expected to be viewed by millions of visitors during its run in Washington, D.C., through December 2029.
“This exhibition brings the entire country into one gallery,” said Kirk Johnson, Sant Director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. “As the country marks its 250th anniversary, ‘From These Lands’ presents an opportunity to celebrate the diversity of our landscapes, the depth of our history and the connections that link people and the natural world across borders.”
The exhibition includes fossils, minerals, scientific specimens, cultural artifacts and interactive displays designed to help visitors explore the connections between people, places and the natural world. Featured objects range from a rare blue gemstone from California and a Northern bobwhite collected by a young Theodore Roosevelt to Indigenous cultural objects and specimens tied to major scientific discoveries and conservation efforts.
Organized around themes such as biodiversity, geology, state symbols, Indigenous traditions, environmental change and ecosystem restoration, the exhibition also features animated maps and digital interactives that allow visitors to explore shared natural features and state symbols from across the nation.
“From These Lands” is part of the Smithsonian-wide initiative “Our Shared Future: 250,” which commemorates the nation’s semiquincentennial. Related programming will include lectures, family activities, hands-on events, a companion book and an online version of the exhibition.
Opened in 1910, the National Museum of Natural History is one of the world’s most visited natural history museums and offers free admission to the public.
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