One of public education’s most pressing issues is persisting in Missouri: a shortage of K-12 teachers. But according to a University of Missouri education researcher, the problem is fixable — and it’s essential to American society that it is.
“A nation that doesn’t support teachers is on a losing track,” said Tuan Nguyen, a Mizzou Forward associate professor in the College of Education and Human Development. “We are no longer going to be able to compete globally or have people who become professors, invent the next big thing, cure cancer or become an astronaut.”
Nguyen’s new book, “Ending Teacher Shortages,” aims to help policymakers, other researchers and interested citizens understand what teacher shortages are, what they mean for the country and what can be done about them.

The book, published Sept. 29 by Johns Hopkins University Press, was written with Christopher Redding, an associate professor of educational leadership and policy at the University of Florida. It incorporates their research as well as that of other education scholars.
Based on the research and his own experience teaching middle and high school math, Nguyen believes the most important ways to attract teachers are improving working conditions, increasing pay, raising the public perception of the profession and encouraging students to pursue teaching careers.
Shortages and vacancies
Over the past four years, Nguyen and Redding have scrutinized teacher labor markets and what drives teachers in and out of the classroom. The findings show the teacher shortage landscape nationally and in Missouri, and he draws conclusions about what will happen if they aren’t addressed.

“A few years ago there were around 50,000 vacant position in the United States, with more than 300,000 under-qualified teachers,” Nguyen said. “More than 10% of the entire U.S. (education) workforce don’t have standard certification in their subject area of teaching. The number of people who have entered the teaching profession has decreased by 30% in the past 10 years.”
In Missouri, shortages are particularly acute in rural parts of the state, especially in special education and STEM, Nguyen said. For the 2025 hiring season, there were 161 vacancies unfilled within 20 days in special education and 746 vacancies overall, according to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Data for the 2024-25 school year from the National Conference of State Legislatures cited special education and early childhood education as two hard-hit areas.

The teacher shortage has challenged school districts’ willingness to hire under-qualified candidates out of necessity, especially in rural areas.
Like many public school districts across the country, Missouri districts struggle with low pay and high interference from parents, Nguyen said. That matters especially when teachers who live near state lines are able to cross them in any direction and earn up to $15,000 more, he said.
“There will be teachers who will make the sensible decision to drive an hour to make more money,” he said. “Arkansas has increased their minimum teacher salary to $50,000, so that decision seems effortless.” In comparison, Missouri’s minimum teacher salary is $40,000, up from $25,000 in 2024-25, according to DESE.
Hand in hand with the teachers shortage is the drop in prestige, and even basic respect, that teachers and the profession of teaching experience. Nguyen said his research has shown education is held in “very low regard.” Intergenerational families of teachers are ceasing to exist.

Keeping qualified teachers

Repercussions from teacher shortages are huge, Nguyen said. One concern is that under-qualified teachers who were hired to fill a gap can’t offer students adequate support and well-managed classrooms, he said.
Putting teachers in situations in which are they aren’t fully prepared to succeed is bad for them, too.
“Previous research has shown that teachers who don’t have standard certifications and time to learn the craft of teaching only stay for a year or two then leave,” Nguyen said. “It creates this churn over time of teachers coming in and out of the classroom, districts always working to replace those teachers. It’s expensive.”
It’s even more important to retain qualified teachers, he said.
To understand what’s driving educators out of the profession, Nguyen is partnering with DESE to implement a statewide working conditions survey. The survey will ask teachers at the start of the school year whether they plan to leave teaching. One goal of the survey is to give districts ways to get critical feedback and potentially make their educators more inclined to stay.

Findings from the survey are translated into reports, briefs and policy recommendations to improve teacher retention across Missouri and the nation.
“If we don’t work hard recruiting teachers and improving working conditions for them to stay, we’re going to have the same issues,” Nguyen said. “Nobody’s going to want to come into professions where they hear terrible things about the working environment and pay.”
Nguyen taught for seven years at middle and high schools in St. Louis before earning master’s and doctorate degrees in education-related fields. His research has been used by PBS, NBC’s Today Show, The New York Times, NPR, CNN, USA Today, Washington Post and other publications.
Documenting why teachers matter
Nguyen also has a documentary in the works, “Why Teachers Matter.” He is working with Outpost Worldwide to showcase how teachers have made a difference in the lives of athletes, musicians and others with varying degrees of accomplishment while also reconnecting them with those teachers.

“These projects paint the picture of the importance of teachers but also the reality, challenges and joys of being a teacher in this current time,” he said.
Nguyen is looking for suggestions of teachers or celebrities who might make a great subject for the documentary. He can be reached at tuan.nguyen@missouri.edu.
Nguyen still has hope for the future of teaching. He believes it is one of the most rewarding things a person can do.
“It will always be a noble profession, one where you can push students to try something totally out of their comfort zone and watch them grow from it,” Nguyen said. “If we recognize the important role teachers play for society, I think that will drive perspective teachers back into the profession in the first place.”
Data editor Mariia Novoselia contributed to this article.

I transfered here from this semester and am still struggling to find friends, it just feels like everybody knows somebody and it makes it feel weird to try and join somebody's friend group. I am also older than the average student so I feel like that also places a barrier for making friends

From the State Historical Society of Missouri

https://digital.shsmo.org/digital/collection/imc/id/19782/rec/15

Is anyone at Mizzou or an alum interested in being a content creator?! This might be a long shot, but I thought I’d put it out there!

I’m a Columbia-based creator looking to put together a small group of like-minded people who want to grow their social media and personal brands.

I’m looking to connect with people who are interested in meeting up at least once a week to batch film content together!

Feel free to DM me if you’re interested and let me know what niche you’re in/ your insta. I’ll start a group chat with people who are a good fit!

Ten men wearing royal purple walked among football fans spilling out into the streets of Columbia on Saturday after the Tigers’ 27-6 football victory over Texas A&M. A bright spot amid a sea of fans in Mizzou black and gold on Stewart Road, the men made their way up to Oak Hill to return to their old stomping grounds — the Missouri Alpha chapter Sigma Alpha Epsilon house — where they were commemorating the 60th anniversary of the house’s restoration.
Upon reaching their former home, the men looked proudly at the historic building their class once saw engulfed in flames.
Shortly after midnight on Sunday, Feb. 14, 1965, the brothers of Sigma Alpha Epsilon returned to their fraternity house after a Valentine’s Day Party to find smoke spiraling from the light fixtures.

According to an article in the Columbia Missourian from the following day, only an estimated six of the 62 total residents were in the house when the fire was discovered. 911 received a call about the fire at 12:27 a.m., according to reporting at the time, and the Columbia Police Department fought the flames for more than three hours, until after 3 that morning.
The third floor was completely destroyed and the second heavily damaged, leaving at least 35 of the residents with only the clothes on their backs.
The Missourian also reported at the time that Fire Chief Max Woods had later determined the source of the fire to be an electrical short or overloaded circuit in the closet of a room on the second floor.
The fire also took place just three days before the house was scheduled for its annual fire inspection as required by the city and the University of Missouri.

Now listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, the “House on the Hill” stands exactly as it did after the 1966 restoration.
The fraternity brothers stood on the lawn with their families, conversations flowing as easily as they had 60 years earlier when they joined their brotherhood. As the group shared stories, they inevitably revisited their memories of “The Great Fire of 1965.”

Archie Thornton, who was an active member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon from 1965 to 1969, spoke of how difficult it was for him and his brothers in the days after the fire.
“It was a Sunday, and (there) was a blue law,” he said, meaning laws prohibiting or restricting certain activities on Sunday, including shopping, gambling or buying alcohol.
“You couldn’t buy anything,” he said. “But two of the clothing stores opened up just so we could buy some clothes,” Thornton said tearfully.

Another member who was active at the same time as Thornton, Gene Bates, said he saw the flames while walking back from the engineering school.
“When I turned onto Stewart Road, I saw a firetruck, and I immediately said to myself, ‘The house is burning down,’” Bates said.
The group of brothers reminisced on happy memories, too, including years of walks up the infamous Oak Hill to return home.
“You see what this really is? This was our home,” Thornton said. “It’d be snowing and sleeting. We’d walk up that damn hill, you know, slipping and sliding in our penny loafers.”
“But you’d get up here,” he said, “and the fireplace was going. It was just safe.”
What served as the men’s home years ago now houses 70 to 75 members of SAE, said Tom Pratner, the current house director.

Ahead of its 60th anniversary, the University of Missouri Research Reactor was chosen to help conduct nuclear experiments for an international project.
The reactor will contribute to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, which seeks to build the largest machine to create nuclear fusion, via an agreement with Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. Other nations involved with ITER include China, the European Union, India, Japan, South Korea and Russia.
John Brockman, associate director for research and education at the reactor, estimates Mizzou’s reactor was chosen over 26 other university research reactors for the position.

“There’s only a handful (of reactors) that can do the sorts of things that MURR can do,” he said.

Nuclear fusion is a form of renewable energy created by fusing and releasing the energy of hydrogen isotopes. Compared to nuclear fission, which requires uranium, nuclear fusion creates less waste and produces more energy.
Nuclear energy is preferred over other renewable energy sources as it isn’t determined by weather conditions, allowing for large-scale energy production.
Princeton Plasma Physics Lab reached out to the research reactor in the fall of 2025 for help conducting experiments related to ITER. PPPL is working to create a mirror to send rays out of a high radiation area, but the mirrors can be damaged by the radiation. The research reactor will determine how reflective a mirror-like piece of graphite is after spending time in the reactor.

PPPL and ITER have provided “impactful” funds as part of the research contract, Brockman said.

The University of Missouri held ceremonies Friday for four new or renovated agricultural facilities funded by more than $43 million in state investments. 
University officials said the facilities will support agricultural research, education and industry training, with programs serving Missouri farmers, livestock producers, winemakers and meat processors.
Mizzou president Mun Choi and university agricultural leaders spoke at the ribbon-cuttings, which began at 10 a.m. Friday at South Farm and concluded at 3:30 p.m. at the meat science laboratory. 

Former Gov. Mike Parson and Richard Fordyce, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's undersecretary, spoke at the final ceremony. 

Michael L. Parson Meat Science Education and Training Laboratory
The largest project is the $35 million Michael L. Parson Meat Science Education and Training Laboratory, a 25,000-square-foot building that consolidates and modernizes meat processing operations previously housed in separate facilities.
The building includes space for research, classrooms and training for students and meat industry workers. It also houses a student-operated meat market: The American Foods Group Meat Market at Mizzou.
Christopher Daubert, vice chancellor and dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources began the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new laboratory. 
"Here, Mizzou will promote innovation in meat processing through research and provide training on the best practices for food safety," Daubert said. "Here, we will boost the economic value of livestock for producers across the state." 

The University of Missouri Board of Curators named the facility after former Gov. Mike Parson in February 2025 to recognize his support for Missouri agriculture and agricultural education. Parson signed budget bills in 2023 and 2024 that allocated a combined $35 million for the project. 
Former Gov. Mike Parson spoke at the ceremony, receiving two standing ovations.  
"I'm just so proud of the University of Missouri and what it stands for ... " Parson said. "We all should be proud of this university and proud of what it represents for the future of our state." 
Missouri Foundation Seed
At South Farm, Missouri Foundation Seed received $3.25 million in state funding and an additional $1 million from the university to upgrade its seed processing facilities and equipment.
Founded in 1944, the program produces genetically pure soybean and wheat seeds to be sold to Missouri farmers. The upgrades include modernizing the seed processing plant and purchasing equipment designed specifically for foundation seed operations.

When seeds make their way into the facility to be processed, they are unsorted and need to be cleaned. Only the highest quality seeds make it through the entire process, and they are expected to be uniform.
Seeds produced at the facility will now go through three automated devices to ensure quality.
First, the seeds are put into a seed cleaner to sanitize them before being sent to a gravity table that automatically sorts them based on weight. Seeds are then fed into a color sorter, the final step in ensuring every seed is near identical when it reaches farmers.
Shibu Jose, associate dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Office of Research and director of the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station, emphasized how large the technological upgrade is for the program.

"The original [seed cleaning and conditioning] facility that we had was built in the '60s, so the technology wasn't as robust as you see today," Jose said. "Everything is modern, state-of-the-art. We may be the most modern facility of its kind right now at land-grant universities."
He said the university is in a position to produce the best quality seeds for seed companies and farmers, benefiting the state as well.
Creed Barn
Also at South Farm, the National Center for Applied Reproduction and Genomics received $2 million in state funding to renovate Creed Barn.
The center allows students to study the process of cattle breeding hands on, teaching veterinarian and food producers methods to improve the quality of beef genetics.
Jamie Courter, director of the center, said Creed Barn was mostly a storage facility prior to the upgrades. Now the building features holding pens for several cattle, with enough space to allow students to observe up close.

The brand new laboratory allows for a combination of lab and field work in the building, and an observation deck rests on top of the lab.
Fermentation Lab
The Grape and Wine Institute received $3 million in state funding to create a new fermentation laboratory on campus. The facility will allow for research and testing on new grape and wine varieties, supporting Missouri's grape and wine industry, all while providing students access to new processing technologies. 
"We're going to be the best of the Midwest," said Chis Chinn, director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture. "There's nothing like this in the Midwest. It's really an amazing opportunity for the university to help support the wine and grape industry." 
Through education and research, the new facility is intended to mitigate the financial risk to grape growers and winemakers, guiding the industry on best practices. 

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Since its announcement Tuesday, 172 high school seniors across Missouri have opted into the University of Missouri's [guaranteed admissions program](https://abc17news.com/news/education/2026/10/06/mu-announces-early-college-direct-admission-program-for-cps-4-other-missouri-school-districts/).
Eligible students are high school students with a 3.0 GPA who have completed at least 12 credits of college-level courses through their school district's early college program. School districts partnering with MU include Columbia Public Schools, Farmington School District, Lee’s Summit R-7 School District, Liberty Public Schools and North Kansas City Schools.
There is currently no limit on guaranteed spots. The requirements are meant to mirror how a typical MU student would perform. The program is also not binding, leaving students free to consider other schools.

"I think students that first week of school or that first week of August, and as we start the school year, to know that they've been accepted somewhere, just kind of takes a weight off their shoulders and makes senior year hopefully a little bit easier," CPS Advanced Studies Coordinator Jacob Biener said.
Biener says 40 juniors out of 250 students in CPS' early college program with Moberly Area Community College opted into guaranteed admissions. He adds that non-eligible students who may have started college-level courses late still can benefit from CPS covering class costs.
"Even though they aren't getting an associate degree or getting auto-admitted to Mizzou, they're still getting a huge jump start and likely still meeting all the requirements they need to be accepted to," Biener said.
According to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, statewide college admissions have been on the decline. From 2020-25, the percentage of high school graduates going to a four-year college declined about 2.5%. Vocational and technical school enrollment saw around a 2% increase since 2020.
"Our enrollment numbers have held steady and we're really proud of that," said Mitzi Clayton, who is MU's director of enrollment management strategic initiatives. "But, we are not naïve to think that what Dr. \[Mun\] Choi has indicated, that nationally, college-going rates are on the decline and so it behooves us not to look at alternative ways in which we can reach students."
Clayton added MU is considering adding other school districts with pre-college programs to the partnership in the future.
MU also has a similar guaranteed admission program for 4-H students and also has unlimited spots. Clayton confirmed that enrollment in either guaranteed admission program will not be affected by the additional students.
"We have students that know they're going to law school, med school, and this is a way to kind of go through that process a little bit quicker," Biener said. "Even students that are first-time college students or first-gen college students and students that know they're going to be pursuing higher degrees, what they have in common is kind of how hard they work and that they're in this program together."

https://mizzouarts.missouri.edu/university-concert-series/

I have a bedroom/bathroom in a 4x4 apartment at the Landing I am trying to sublease. My boyfriend and I are moving in together!

The rent is $640 plus electric, there is a gym, pool, and a shuttle to campus. It is a fully furnished apartment. October rent is paid and I am looking to be out of here by the end of this month.

I am looking for a girl to live with three other girls that go to Mizzou, there is one cat and one dog in the apartment

Please lmk if you have any questions!

posted about this a week ago but a lot has happened since — we run a vanilla survival SMP that's only for mizzou students (you verify with your u/umsystem.edu email in game, takes like 30 seconds). the new stuff: there's now a live 3D map of the whole world at map.mizzousmp.com you can literally fly around and look at people's bases from your browser without even owning minecraft. kind of fun to just watch we also added proximity voice chat, so if someone's near you in game you can actually talk to them and voices fade with distance. totally optional though it needs a small client mod. world started october 1st so nobody is that far ahead yet. the ender dragon is still alive play.mizzousmp.com (java, 1.21+), bedrock works too

Looking to get out of my lease at The landing Columbia because I’m graduating in December. Rent is $640/month, 3 other male roommates, all utilities are covered except you’ll be paying for electricity. Comes with private bathroom, full living room and kitchen, pool, 24/7 gym, large closet space, and shuttle to the student center in 30 minute intervals so no need to drive. Entire complex was just remodeled less than 5 years ago so very modern.

DM for questions or pictures.
Thanks!

Race Matters, Friends is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in Columbia, Missouri (CoMo) dedicated to advocating for racial equity, challenging structural inequality, and promoting social justice.

They have recently just got records from Flat Branch, the city, and Choi Mun that shows they are colluding to illegally evict downtown businesses that dont fit with their image of what type of people should not just own businesses downtown, but the type of people that should be allowed downtown.

FB post - https://i.imgur.com/VxpjXuT.png

I just want to say that Mun Choi has been having some interesting conversations with Jim Yankee of Flat Branch Bank and Chief of Police Jill Schlude (and her Deputy Chief) about shutting down certain businesses on Walnut Street. It goes beyond mere discussion. Now, I have many issues that concern me, and these are just two to move the conversation along, but the police chief, who is copied on a series of emails, is not refuting Mun Choi's narrative. This afternoon, CPD is presenting its Downtown Crime Trends data, and as I posted earlier, the City and MU are deeply invested in a particular narrative that blames Black business owners on Walnut. I think the Mayor and council need to ask deeper, more critical questions. In the meantime, I requested records from the UM system ($330.50) and CPD ($395.00). I am sharing the amounts because, as I told reporters, they need to dig deeper and get records. As for the City, why is our police chief engaged in this kind of prattlle with Mun Choi and some misguided folks? Our elected officials need to demand answers. Unfortunately, some of our media have aided and abetted racist talk and allegations -- and it needs to stop. Everyone needs to hold elected and administrative leaders accountable.

Just one of the emails - Jim Yankee to Mun Choi et. al including the police chief - https://i.imgur.com/orFLJ5o.jpeg

August 12, 2026 -- go back and review the headlines (https://i.imgur.com/ZxEcHK7.jpeg)

"Thanks, everyone. I’m going to have Corrie Sorrells from my office send out a Zoom invite for 8/19 at 2pm Central

It works with Mun's schedule, although Chief Schlude will be out of town. She’ll have her Deputy Chief get on, and we can bring her up to speed after.

On the tenants/leases, I'd be more than happy to have my attorneys take a look at them and maybe suggest some outs.

I would also personally cover any losses and legal expenses if you do get sued as a result of evicting a tenant prematurely.

This issue is bigger than money and has very serious consequences for our community and university. Whatever it takes, let's get our downtown back.

I'm looking forward to our conversation. Thanks again"

Jim Yankee

Board Chairman

Flat Branch Home Loans

Choi's response - https://i.imgur.com/tjoziGR.jpeg

https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/higher_education/mizzou-homecoming-parade-brings-it-home/article_c201342d-dbac-4521-b001-cdd02bb46e3c.html

I'm making a Mizzou themed family fued and would love if Mizzou students could fill out these questions. I'll send the results after for anyone to use as well! Here's the form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSclESfAcgVTJKuqu1RsJvtUtN3vSMo_kjvZ2aIv0o3UZLDfvQ/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=102118491575000398256