Education

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is moving forward with fully implementing new standards in Missouri’s K-12 schools for teaching math, English and language arts.

Spokeswoman Sarah Potter says the new standards are based on those crafted by the Common Core State Standards initiative.

“The standards say what students should know and be able to do by the end of each grade level to be on track for success in college and career,” Potter said.

The University of Central Missouri is taking aggressive steps designed to boost the number of students graduating in four years.

The Warrensburg school will require most incoming freshman to live in residence halls for two years, add academic advisers and encourage students to pick majors earlier. It also will offer tuition breaks for seniors who've taken full class loads their first three years.

The school has dubbed the effort the Learning to a Greater Degree Contract. The changes will take effect this fall.

Safety and security on public school grounds has become a prominent issue in several school districts following the recent school shootings in Newtown, Conn. Jefferson City Public Schools, the Hallsville School District, and the Fayette R3 School District are all asking for more tax money to improve school safety.

The STRIPES program designed to provide a safe ride for MU students on weekends is facing a potential budget cut. According to the Missouri Student Association, the program is set to receive about $10,000 less than what it expected. Because of the cuts in allocation, the STRIPES program is now responsible for its own funding. MSA Director of Student Communications Jimmy Hibsch says that if the budget is cut, STRIPES will have to look for other ways to fundraise, but believes they will not have any trouble in doing so.

A Columbia school district committee is considering a plan to allow two employees to carry guns on school grounds.