Weekly Update

Missouri literacy reforms, Kansas testing innovation, and cell phone bans advance
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Building blocks with letters.

This Week’s Highlights:

Top story — Missouri lawmakers advance major early literacy reforms in both chambers, focusing on prevention, intervention, and clearer expectations for third grade reading proficiency.

Kansas — The Senate advances bell-to-bell cell phone restrictions for schools while lawmakers also hear testimony on a potential innovative assessment pilot designed to distribute testing across the school year and provide faster instructional feedback.

Missouri — The House passes legislation creating an A–F school accountability system, sending the proposal to the Senate as lawmakers debate how to present school performance in a clearer format for families and the public.

Feature — Community leaders in Wichita are aligning efforts around kindergarten readiness and third grade reading through coordinated committees focused on early literacy and measurable student outcomes.

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