The Missouri State Board of Education has denied requests from multiple school districts to begin the 2026–2027 school year earlier than state law allows. The board also rejected all pending and future exemption petitions, following more than 130 appeals submitted to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).
State law requires that public schools cannot begin classes earlier than 14 days before the first Monday in September. While exemptions are allowed for a single academic year under extraordinary circumstances, the State Board determined that none of the recent requests met these criteria. These determinations are guided by Missouri law (171.031), which is publicly accessible.
During the exemption review, attention was also given to St. Louis Public Schools (SLPS), which was recently downgraded from accredited to provisionally accredited. Interim Superintendent Dr. Myra Berry provided an update on the district’s strategic improvement plan, covering attendance, literacy, finance, and transportation operations. The DESE recap noted that 863 K–3 students moved out of the lowest-performing reading category during the 2024–25 school year, indicating progress in literacy.
DESE Commissioner Dr. Karla Eslinger affirmed the department’s commitment to supporting St. Louis Public Schools (SLPS) in improving programs and outcomes for students. Weekly meetings between DESE deputy commissioners and SLPS have been established to address the district’s specific needs. Literacy initiatives across the state, including LETRS and the Comprehensive Literacy State Development grant, are supporting reading skills, with early improvements noted in districts such as Phelps County.
The State Board has approved revisions to Special Education teacher certification requirements to expand the qualified workforce in this area. The next State Board meeting is scheduled for March 24. Agendas, prior meeting materials, and minutes are available on DESE’s website.
