EVERY. STUDENT. PREPARED. INVESTING IN THE WORKFORCE OF TOMORROW

Every. Student. Prepared.

Aligned is a nonprofit, nonpartisan coalition of business leaders committed to improving education in Kansas and Missouri.

40% of 4th graders are not proficient in reading
Missouri is behind the national average in educational attainment
47% of Kansas graduates leave the state
Edunomics Ad

Edunomics Certificate in Education Finance – June 10-11, 2025

Kauffman Foundation Conference Center | Kansas City, Missouri

Earn a Certificate in Education Finance from Georgetown University
Aligned is proud to partner with Georgetown University to offer an exclusive opportunity for school and business leaders to participate in the Certificate in Education Finance (CEF) course.
 

Click here to learn more

Aligned aims to crack this paradox by advocating for policies that will improve K-12 education and post-secondary outcomes, strengthen our workforce, and empower a generation of learners. Together with business leaders and policymakers, we’re reforming systems to unlock the full potential of Kansas and Missouri students and create a brighter future for all learners.
Updates & News
Cut out family over currency

This week’s highlights: Top News - Congress Weighs Child Tax Credit Expansion Missouri Update - Kehoe replaces state board president Kansas Update - Legislative Session Recap Additional Highlights - Under the hood of the North Kansas City School District's nationally recognized Automotive Technology...

Children on playground

This week’s highlights: Top News – With tariffs back in the spotlight, Aligned examines what it will take to build a workforce ready for the future of advanced manufacturing in Kansas and Missouri. Missouri Update – Voters approve more than $1 billion in local school bonds and tax measures to fund...

Birds eye view of Kansas City

This week’s highlights: Top News - KCPS seeks its first bond approval since 1967, but it’s just one of dozens of districts asking voters to fund facilities, teacher pay, and school safety upgrades. Missouri Update - Aligned co-sponsors reception celebrating women in government at the Governor's...

Problems Solved
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Missouri law prohibited measuring quality in early care and education centers. We removed that ban and established the Quality Assurance Report.
School districts could not use state aid dollars to partner with quality early childhood programs. We worked to pass language to allow contracting which increased the supply of quality pre-K. .
Administrators had few ways to address staffing challenges. We wrote language to allow alternative certification pathways for hard-to-staff schools and subject areas.
Kansas lacked a way to answer questions about education and workforce policy. We supported efforts to create a state longitudinal data system.
Uncover the power of aligning business with education to prepare every student.
Success Story
Aligned Case Study
Authored on

In this case study, we showcase the success of the Visiting Scholars Certification Pathway. In 2018, Aligned worked with the Missouri General Assembly to pass legislation establishing and expanding the Visiting Scholar Certificate. This certificate is available to individuals with an academic degree or related occupational experience in a secondary content area. Qualified individuals must be employed by a Missouri public school district as part of a business-education partnership initiative designed to build career pathways systems for students or employed as part of an initiative designed to fill vacant positions in hard-to-staff public schools or hard-to-fill subject areas for students in a grade or grades not lower than the ninth grade.

In this case study, we showcase the success of the Visiting Scholars Certification Pathway. In 2018, Aligned worked with the Missouri General Assembly to pass legislation establishing and expanding the Visiting Scholar Certificate. This certificate is available to individuals with an academic degree or related occupational experience in a secondary content area. Qualified individuals must be employed by a Missouri public school district as part of a business-education partnership initiative designed to build career pathways systems for students or employed as part of an initiative designed to fill vacant...

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Professional lead classroom instruction
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Students work on electronics with teacher
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Students work on electronics with teacher