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2025 Sessions close with tight budgets and big debates
As Kansas and Missouri have wrapped up their legislative work for the year, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the common threads—and key differences—that emerged across both states.
One theme was impossible to ignore: tight fiscal conditions shaped nearly every major policy decision. Slowing revenue growth, an increasingly uncertain federal funding picture, and heightened scrutiny of state budgets all loomed large. Lawmakers in both states faced difficult trade-offs, and many proposals—particularly those with ongoing costs—were sidelined or scaled back.
Education policy, as always, took center stage. Both legislatures grappled with bold, and at times polarizing, proposals to reshape K–12 systems. Disagreements over school choice, local control, and state level accountability exposed deep divides — not just between parties, but within them. While some progress was made, many big-ticket education bills ultimately stalled.
Still, meaningful movement occurred. Kansas created a new Office of Early Childhood and extended key school funding provisions. Missouri laid groundwork for future reforms and required phonics-based literacy instruction to tackle the literacy crisis.
And both states set in motion something bigger: funding formula task forces charged with reexamining how public schools are financed.
👉 Catch up on the full session wrap-ups:
What’s next for Aligned (and this newsletter)
With sessions now in the rearview mirror, we’re shifting gears.
This will be the final weekly edition of the Aligned newsletter in 2025. Starting next month, we’ll move to a monthly schedule, delivering a more curated round up of what’s happening in education and workforce policy across Kansas and Missouri.
In addition, you can expect timely updates between monthly newsletters through our other content:
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New blog content that dives deeper into issues and emerging policy trends.
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Policy briefs and other resources, all soon to be organized on our growing Resources page.
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Aligned’s Education Policy Webinar series will continue monthly.
Make sure to tune into our upcoming webinar:
The Role of Property Taxes in Education Funding
Come learn how local property taxes intersect with state revenue sources to fund education in Kansas and Missouri.
📅 Wednesday, June 18 | ⏰ 12:00–1:00 PM | Register here
Importantly, we’ll continue keeping you up to date on funding formula task forces in both states. These groups are charged with work that will shape the future of public schools in Kansas and Missouri for years to come.
We’ll also keep an eye on emerging issues that matter to our mission: federal policy developments, major regional workforce announcements, and other trends that shape the education-to-employment pipeline.
As always, we’re grateful to have you with us. Your engagement helps amplify smart policy and strong outcomes for students and employers alike. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us, and we’ll see you in next month’s edition.
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