St. Joseph Central High School promoted from within as they sought a successor for now former head football coach Regi Trotter.

Sheldon Farrell, a 2009 Central alum and offensive coordinator for the Indians, was named as the 31st head coach in program history Tuesday.

Farrell has served as offensive coordinator under coach Trotter for each of the last five seasons. Taking over as the head coach is a dream that was born more than 14 years ago back when Farrell himself was the Indians' quarterback.

"It started with coach Tony Dudik," Farrell said. "He was an amazing mentor, a loving father figure. He kind of built my desire to want to come back and give back to Central. This is where my heart is. This is where it's always been."

Farrell brings plenty of playing and coaching experience to the table. He played quarterback at Central under coach Dudik. He spent two years playing college ball at Buena Vista University and two more at Baker University.

Before coming back to Central, Farrell spent two seasons as an assistant at Bonner Springs High School and two more as offensive coordinator at Leavenworth - both in Kansas.

Through all of those stops, Farrell knew he wanted to ultimately come back home one day.

"The last 24 hours, I've thought about the people who have impacted me here," he said. "Coaches, teachers, former players. It's all kind of coming back full circle and it's kind of cool."

Farrell takes over after Trotter announced his resignation in November as Central's head football coach after six seasons.

Trotter and Farrell both helped lead the Indians to a 7-3 record this fall - the first winning season for Central football since 2013 and the program's most regular season wins since 1989.

"I feel like we put Central football back into the limelight a little bit," Farrell said about the 2023 season. "Teams are respecting us and they know it's going to be a hard fought game. Just continue to build on that and take it even farther than we already have."

Seeing the Indians set a handful of offensive school records over the last couple of years, Lau is confident that Central picked the right man for the job.

"We have kind of been grooming Sheldon for the last couple of years under Regi," Lau said. "Knowing Coach Trotter was going to be <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/66deb83c-9c85-40cf-b2a6-392eb98b4a63">moving on to his family</a> (in Minnesota). This was opened internally."

"Knowing what he's done with the offensive coordinator position here and with our offense setting some new school records the last few years, to us there was no question who our next head football coach needed to be."

You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703021221959.jpeg" alt="New Central head football coach Sheldon Farrell (center) is introduced at a press conference Tuesday with athletic director David Lau (right) and principal Heather Renk (left). Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>New Central head football coach Sheldon Farrell (center) is introduced at a press conference Tuesday with athletic director David Lau (right) and principal Heather Renk (left). Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph Central High School promoted from within as they sought a successor for now former head football coach Regi Trotter.Sheldon Farrell, a 2009 Central alum and offensive coordinator for the Indians, was named as the 31st head coach in program history Tuesday.Farrell has served as offensive coordinator under coach Trotter for each of the last five seasons. Taking over as the head coach is a dream that was born more than 14 years ago back when Farrell himself was the Indians' quarterback."It started with coach Tony Dudik," Farrell said. "He was an amazing mentor, a loving father figure. He kind of built my desire to want to come back and give back to Central. This is where my heart is. This is where it's always been."Farrell brings plenty of playing and coaching experience to the table. He played quarterback at Central under coach Dudik. He spent two years playing college ball at Buena Vista University and two more at Baker University.Before coming back to Central, Farrell spent two seasons as an assistant at Bonner Springs High School and two more as offensive coordinator at Leavenworth - both in Kansas.Through all of those stops, Farrell knew he wanted to ultimately come back home one day."The last 24 hours, I've thought about the people who have impacted me here," he said. "Coaches, teachers, former players. It's all kind of coming back full circle and it's kind of cool."Farrell takes over after Trotter announced his resignation in November as Central's head football coach after six seasons.Trotter and Farrell both helped lead the Indians to a 7-3 record this fall - the first winning season for Central football since 2013 and the program's most regular season wins since 1989."I feel like we put Central football back into the limelight a little bit," Farrell said about the 2023 season. "Teams are respecting us and they know it's going to be a hard fought game. Just continue to build on that and take it even farther than we already have."Seeing the Indians set a handful of offensive school records over the last couple of years, Lau is confident that Central picked the right man for the job."We have kind of been grooming Sheldon for the last couple of years under Regi," Lau said. "Knowing Coach Trotter was going to be <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/66deb83c-9c85-40cf-b2a6-392eb98b4a63">moving on to his family</a> (in Minnesota). This was opened internally.""Knowing what he's done with the offensive coordinator position here and with our offense setting some new school records the last few years, to us there was no question who our next head football coach needed to be."Press conference audio<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-sports/embed/episodes/Sheldon-Farrell--David-Lau---121923-e2df4bd" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703023003524.jpeg" alt="Sheldon Farrell speaks to the media Tuesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Sheldon Farrell speaks to the media Tuesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Central alum Sheldon Farrell named as the Indians' new head football coach

The Albrecht Kemper Museum of Art will host an annual exhibition coming up early in January, an exhibition it has hosted for the past 50 years. 

Marketing and Communications Manager Dansare Marks says this exhibition will feature works from current Albrecht members. 

"This is a chance for all the members to really showcase what they've been working on over the last year, it gives every member a chance to submit artwork and be in an exhibition, it's kind of a big deal," Marks tells host of the KFEQ Hotline Barry Birr. "You don't have to be a professional, you don't have to meet any criteria, as long as you're a member you can submit works." 

Members are allowed to submit two works between January 2nd and 7th.  The exhibition will open in the upstairs gallery on January 13th, with an opening ceremony on the 12th. 

Executive Director Eric Fuson says last year the exhibit featured 225 works of art, and he's expecting even more to show up this year.  

"We've been pushing really hard on the idea that it's the 50th anniversary, it's going to be upstairs, that really has kind of triggered everybody's creativity," Fuson says. "I've had more people this year come up and say I'm working on something, I'm going to have something ready, I'm working on it, and we're very fortunate to keep this tradition going." 

The membership exhibition will run until April 14th. 

Another new exhibit coming to the Albrecht next month will feature works of art done in a unique form.  

The exhibit, called Stillness and Life in Colored Pencil, features pieces from Wanda Taylor.  

Marks says she's seen some of the art pieces and has been blown away by how realistic colored pencil can look. 

"I think anyone who would come into this who's not really familiar with colored pencil work might be surprised that this is what medium she works in," Marks explains. 

Taylor will also be teaching a class at the museum, coming up this Thursday.  Marks says Taylor will lead Colored Pencil Happy Hour. 

"That's just a fun evening for you to bring a friend, get your colored pencils out, very low pressure, but she usually has some sort of guide and there's a theme to it," Marks says. "We have a cash bar available, so it's a really fun evening to just kind of let loose." 

Taylors exhibit will also open on January 13th and will run until February 18th.  An opening ceremony for the exhibit will be held on January 12th. 

By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post The Albrecht Kemper Museum of Art will host an annual exhibition coming up early in January, an exhibition it has hosted for the past 50 years. It's the annual membership exhibition. Marketing and Communications Manager Dansare Marks says this exhibition will feature works from current Albrecht members. "This is a chance for all the members to really showcase what they've been working on over the last year, it gives every member a chance to submit artwork and be in an exhibition, it's kind of a big deal," Marks tells host of the KFEQ Hotline Barry Birr. "You don't have to be a professional, you don't have to meet any criteria, as long as you're a member you can submit works." Members are allowed to submit two works between January 2nd and 7th. The exhibition will open in the upstairs gallery on January 13th, with an opening ceremony on the 12th. Executive Director Eric Fuson says last year the exhibit featured 225 works of art, and he's expecting even more to show up this year. "We've been pushing really hard on the idea that it's the 50th anniversary, it's going to be upstairs, that really has kind of triggered everybody's creativity," Fuson says. "I've had more people this year come up and say I'm working on something, I'm going to have something ready, I'm working on it, and we're very fortunate to keep this tradition going." The membership exhibition will run until April 14th. Another new exhibit coming to the Albrecht next month will feature works of art done in a unique form. The exhibit, called Stillness and Life in Colored Pencil, features pieces from Wanda Taylor. Marks says she's seen some of the art pieces and has been blown away by how realistic colored pencil can look. "I think anyone who would come into this who's not really familiar with colored pencil work might be surprised that this is what medium she works in," Marks explains. Taylor will also be teaching a class at the museum, coming up this Thursday. Marks says Taylor will lead Colored Pencil Happy Hour. "That's just a fun evening for you to bring a friend, get your colored pencils out, very low pressure, but she usually has some sort of guide and there's a theme to it," Marks says. "We have a cash bar available, so it's a really fun evening to just kind of let loose." Taylors exhibit will also open on January 13th and will run until February 18th. An opening ceremony for the exhibit will be held on January 12th.

New exhibits coming to Albrecht Kemper Museum of Art next year

By CLARA BATES&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>

A&nbsp;wide-ranging bill passed by the state legislature last year banning sleeping on public land was struck down on Tuesday by the Missouri Supreme Court for violating the constitution’s single subject requirement.&nbsp;

Missouri lawmakers last year made<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/01/17/advocates-providers-scramble-as-missouris-new-homelessness-law-goes-into-effect/">&nbsp;sleeping on state-owned land a Class C misdemeanor</a>&nbsp;and restricted state funds for combating homelessness. The legislation was passed as an amendment in a broader&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills221/hlrbillspdf/3703H.08T.pdf">bill</a>&nbsp;relating to political subdivisions just before the end of the 2022 session.

Critics of the bill&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/01/17/advocates-providers-scramble-as-missouris-new-homelessness-law-goes-into-effect/">feared</a>&nbsp;it essentially criminalized homelessness. Supporters characterized it as reducing the prevalence of encampments they deemed dangerous to unhoused people and surrounding communities.

Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, along with Public Citizen Litigation Group and a Springfield homeless shelter, filed a lawsuit last year against the state, arguing the homelessness provisions did not fit within the bill’s overarching subject of “relating to political subdivisions.”

The case centered on whether the way the law was passed — as an amendment in a bill pertaining to “political subdivisions”&nbsp; — violates constitutional requirements that legislation have a single subject, clear title and adhere to its original purpose. Those requirements were designed to support transparency and discourage legislative maneuvering to tack amendments that wouldn’t pass as stand-alone bills onto popular bills in order to pass.

In March, Cole County Circuit Court Judge Cotton Walker ruled in favor of the state, and the plaintiffs appealed to the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court unanimously overturned the circuit court’s decision Tuesday, with Judge Paul C. Wilson authoring the opinion.

The homelessness provisions added on to the bill “introduced at least one impermissible&nbsp; additional subject, i.e., homelessness,” Wilson wrote.

The “primary inquiry,” he wrote, is whether all provisions of the bill “fairly relate to, have a natural connection with, or are means to accomplish [the bill’s] subject, i.e., ‘political subdivisions.’”

Even though some of the homelessness provisions regulate state funds that would apply to political subdivisions receiving those funds, Wilson wrote, the provisions also apply to nonprofits and private developers.

Other homelessness-related provisions in the bill, he wrote, don’t relate to political subdivisions at all.&nbsp;

With the homelessness provisions found unconstitutional, the court then weighed whether that required it to strike down the rest of the sprawling bill.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“It takes an extraordinary showing to convince this court to engage in judicial surgery to save a bill infected with the otherwise fatal constitutional disease of multiple subjects” Wilson wrote, “and no effort was made by any party to make such a showing here.”

As a result, the rest of the bill — including provisions related to county financial statements, county coroners’ salaries, and more — were also struck down Tuesday, with the court arguing it was unable to determine whether the bill would’ve passed without the homelessness provisions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689729912291.png" alt="The Missouri Supreme Court Building in Jefferson City (Jason Hancock/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>The Missouri Supreme Court Building in Jefferson City (Jason Hancock/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>By CLARA BATES&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>A&nbsp;wide-ranging bill passed by the state legislature last year banning sleeping on public land was struck down on Tuesday by the Missouri Supreme Court for violating the constitution’s single subject requirement.&nbsp;Missouri lawmakers last year made<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/01/17/advocates-providers-scramble-as-missouris-new-homelessness-law-goes-into-effect/">&nbsp;sleeping on state-owned land a Class C misdemeanor</a>&nbsp;and restricted state funds for combating homelessness. The legislation was passed as an amendment in a broader&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills221/hlrbillspdf/3703H.08T.pdf">bill</a>&nbsp;relating to political subdivisions just before the end of the 2022 session.Critics of the bill&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/01/17/advocates-providers-scramble-as-missouris-new-homelessness-law-goes-into-effect/">feared</a>&nbsp;it essentially criminalized homelessness. Supporters characterized it as reducing the prevalence of encampments they deemed dangerous to unhoused people and surrounding communities.Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, along with Public Citizen Litigation Group and a Springfield homeless shelter, filed a lawsuit last year against the state, arguing the homelessness provisions did not fit within the bill’s overarching subject of “relating to political subdivisions.”The case centered on whether the way the law was passed — as an amendment in a bill pertaining to “political subdivisions”&nbsp; — violates constitutional requirements that legislation have a single subject, clear title and adhere to its original purpose. Those requirements were designed to support transparency and discourage legislative maneuvering to tack amendments that wouldn’t pass as stand-alone bills onto popular bills in order to pass.In March, Cole County Circuit Court Judge Cotton Walker ruled in favor of the state, and the plaintiffs appealed to the Supreme Court.The Supreme Court unanimously overturned the circuit court’s decision Tuesday, with Judge Paul C. Wilson authoring the opinion.The homelessness provisions added on to the bill “introduced at least one impermissible&nbsp; additional subject, i.e., homelessness,” Wilson wrote.The “primary inquiry,” he wrote, is whether all provisions of the bill “fairly relate to, have a natural connection with, or are means to accomplish [the bill’s] subject, i.e., ‘political subdivisions.’”Even though some of the homelessness provisions regulate state funds that would apply to political subdivisions receiving those funds, Wilson wrote, the provisions also apply to nonprofits and private developers.Other homelessness-related provisions in the bill, he wrote, don’t relate to political subdivisions at all.&nbsp;With the homelessness provisions found unconstitutional, the court then weighed whether that required it to strike down the rest of the sprawling bill.&nbsp;&nbsp;“It takes an extraordinary showing to convince this court to engage in judicial surgery to save a bill infected with the otherwise fatal constitutional disease of multiple subjects” Wilson wrote, “and no effort was made by any party to make such a showing here.”As a result, the rest of the bill — including provisions related to county financial statements, county coroners’ salaries, and more — were also struck down Tuesday, with the court arguing it was unable to determine whether the bill would’ve passed without the homelessness provisions.

Missouri Supreme Court strikes down law banning sleeping on public land

The Buchanan County Sheriff's Department was out in full force this morning; giving gifts rather than taking people to jail.&nbsp;

The department raised money throughout the year to adopt several people in need.  

Sheriff Bill Puett says every year deputies make the gift distribution a sort of spectacle to bring Christmas cheer to needy families. 

"For the family, especially those that are struggling and everything else, so usually there's lots of vehicles and lights and those types of things," Puett tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr.  

The Buchanan County Sheriff's Department distributed several gifts to families in need that were adopted by the department.

Puett says it's extremely special to get to do something like this every year. 

"All of our staff does an excellent job all year, I mean they focus on this, raising money throughout the whole year just so we can try to help some that are less fortunate in the community," Puett explains to KFEQ/St. Joseph Post following the distribution. "And it's a special thing for us to be able to that and help people who just need help this time of year, so we're just really happy to do it."

Puett says the annual distribution is a great effort by many members of the department.  

"We just like to do things to help, it's not all about going out and taking people to jail, we like to help people and there's some folks that are just in need of a little help this time of year," Puett says. "So, we were happy we could help some of those folks." 

Donning his Santa hat, Puett and several of his deputies and staff hit the streets to hand out the gifts, and even sang carols to help put people in the holiday spirit.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703020989237.jpeg" alt="Members of the Buchanan County Sheriff's Department prepare to distribute gifts during their annual event giving gifts to people adopted by the department/ Photo by Matt Pike." />
 <figcaption>Members of the Buchanan County Sheriff's Department prepare to distribute gifts during their annual event giving gifts to people adopted by the department/ Photo by Matt Pike.</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post The Buchanan County Sheriff's Department was out in full force this morning; giving gifts rather than taking people to jail.&nbsp;The department raised money throughout the year to adopt several people in need. Sheriff Bill Puett says every year deputies make the gift distribution a sort of spectacle to bring Christmas cheer to needy families. "For the family, especially those that are struggling and everything else, so usually there's lots of vehicles and lights and those types of things," Puett tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. The Buchanan County Sheriff's Department distributed several gifts to families in need that were adopted by the department.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703021308731.jpeg" alt="Buchanan County Sheriff deputies load up a patrol car with gifts to distribute to adopted families/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Buchanan County Sheriff deputies load up a patrol car with gifts to distribute to adopted families/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>Puett says it's extremely special to get to do something like this every year. "All of our staff does an excellent job all year, I mean they focus on this, raising money throughout the whole year just so we can try to help some that are less fortunate in the community," Puett explains to KFEQ/St. Joseph Post following the distribution. "And it's a special thing for us to be able to that and help people who just need help this time of year, so we're just really happy to do it."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703021368843.jpeg" alt="Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett prepares his staff before heading out to distribute gifts to adopted families/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett prepares his staff before heading out to distribute gifts to adopted families/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>Puett says the annual distribution is a great effort by many members of the department. "We just like to do things to help, it's not all about going out and taking people to jail, we like to help people and there's some folks that are just in need of a little help this time of year," Puett says. "So, we were happy we could help some of those folks." Donning his Santa hat, Puett and several of his deputies and staff hit the streets to hand out the gifts, and even sang carols to help put people in the holiday spirit.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703021422939.jpeg" alt="Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703021243411.jpeg" alt="Sheriff Bill Puett (Santa hat) and deputies sing Christmas carols after dropping off gifts at the home of an adopted family/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Sheriff Bill Puett (Santa hat) and deputies sing Christmas carols after dropping off gifts at the home of an adopted family/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>

Buchanan County Sheriff's Department spreads holiday cheer to families in need

As the state’s education department assigns scores to school districts and charter schools, some educators request a deeper look at the grading system

By ANNELISE HANSHAW<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>

Livingston County R-III was among a litany of school districts last year with a performance report that could have put its accreditation in jeopardy.

But this year, it has the highest score in Missouri, swelling more than 35 points to receive 96.1% of the points possible — a synthesis of student test scores, attendance, school-district planning and other metrics.

Holliday C-2 School District swung the opposite direction. After scoring in the top 20% of Missouri’s 550 districts and charter schools last year, it now sits among the bottom five with zeros and “null” across standardized-testing criteria.

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released its annual performance reports on Monday, which measure districts on standardized tests, attendance rates and other factors. It showed 70% of districts had a lower score for the 2022-23 school year than the previous year.

But school administrators are raising red flags about the data, pointing to massive swings in scores in both directions across the state and wondering — with only a year to go before the data will impact school-district accreditation — whether the testing program’s formula needs to be adjusted.

“In some districts that I know of, who are having essentially the same faculty and the same students using the same resources and the same methodologies are seeing perhaps a 10 to 15%&nbsp; drop in their (annual performance report) score from the first year of MSIP6 to the current year,” Kyle Kruse, superintendent of the St. Clair School District, told The Independent. “That raises some question marks for me.”

The Missouri School Improvement Program 6, known as MSIP 6, is being phased in over a period of three years for the department to be able to fully apply its point system. This year, the program included “growth scores,” which administrators say can lower the district’s overall grade and be misunderstood.

“What (the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) is calling the growth scores really isn’t growth at all,” Gregg Klinginsmith, superintendent of the Warren County School District, told The Independent.

He said the growth scores show if students are beating expectations on standardized tests but don’t&nbsp; represent how much the student body has learned. A school can receive a low score for growth, but it only shows that students are not meeting the target the growth formula predicted.

Klinginsmith, who serves on the MSIP advisory committee, would like a deeper look at the way growth is calculated. He’s asked for a copy of the formula, only receiving a summary of it rather than the full calculation.

When The Independent asked for the formula’s documentation, the department pointed to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/missouri-growth-model-primer">resources that summarize the calculations</a>.

<a target="_blank" href="https://dese.mo.gov/missouri-growth-model">Reports from 2013</a>&nbsp;explains the Missouri Growth Model in more detail, though the multi-step formula is blotted out from the technical documentation.

Doug Hayter, executive director of the Missouri Association of School Administrators, said educators have a lot of questions about the growth model.

“There’s more work to be done in investigating that change because that has had an impact on the scores,” he said. “And I’m not sure that everyone really fully understands how it works and the impact that it’s having.”

It really boils down to “how well DESE predicted your school will do,” Klinginsmith said. “They adjust that formula from year to year, and the growth scores really is what is separating districts.”

“The lack of transparency on it is an even bigger issue,” he continued.

The model relies on predicting standardized test scores based on previous years’ performance and comparing the result to the prediction. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education believes the model reveals a school’s instructional effectiveness, according to the summary report.

The previous annual performance report scores were the first in the sixth version of the Missouri School Improvement Program, and growth scores were only available for English and math. Monday’s release, which gives scores from the 2022-23 school year, includes growth points for social studies and science as well — an additional 12 points of MSIP 6’s possible 192 points.

Growth is a quarter of a school district’s score. Other data includes the maintenance of school improvement plans, attendance and career and academic plans for students entering high school.

Kruse believes there are “cliffs” throughout the scoring system — so crossing a threshold, like a 90% attendance rate, can boost a score significantly and not proportional to the actual performance.

The department’s guide to MSIP 6 shows scoring tables where points are assigned in levels. For example, the “postsecondary readiness” metric (which looks at students’ scores on the ACT and advanced coursework) gives schools 10 points for student averages 75% and above. For 67.2% to 71.4%, schools receive 7.5 points.

There are many table-based scores in the MSIP 6 system, allowing districts to drop in score while performing similarly to previous years.

&nbsp;“This year, in year two of the MSIP 6 accreditation system, we may have exposed some potential flaws in the system that will need to be studied and addressed,” Kruse told The Independent.

Under MSIP6,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/03/13/impact-of-declining-scores-unclear-as-missouri-lawmakers-continue-education-debate/">fewer schools are scoring high marks</a>&nbsp;when compared to the previous scoring system.

In 2018 under MSIP 5, 371 school districts and charter schools scored at least 90%. Now, just 26 districts and charters met that target.

Growth is one of the things that is measured differently between the two systems.

“In MSIP 6, a (district) must show growth using the Missouri Growth Model in order to receive full points. In MSIP 5, an (district) could earn points through status, growth, or improvement — or through a combination of status and growth or status and improvement,” the department’s chief communications officer Mallory McGowin said. “This policy change was made based on feedback from multiple stakeholder groups.”

A bar chart showing the distribution of scores looks more like a bell curve now than the top-heavy MSIP 5.

Lisa Sireno, assistant commissioner of the office of quality schools, told reporters last week that the department believes MSIP6 is “a more accurate representation of performance.”

Hayter said some educators have questioned the scoring when looking at districts’ ranking between the two scoring systems.

“They’re not afraid of accountability, but they want it to be fair and balanced,” he told The Independent. “Where is the realistic picture of so many districts in MSIP5 apparently doing exceedingly well, and then now because we change the system, they’ve been dispersed.”

The top-scoring district in 2018, Clever R-V School District, is 331st under MSIP 6 — sinking from 99% to 75.2%.

Although it has become harder to maintain a top score, the score needed to be an accredited school district has not changed.

Sireno said that full accreditation is 70% and above, under 50% is unaccredited and between is provisionally accredited.

The department is set to make accreditation decisions after reviewing next year’s data. But Klinginsmith worries the scores aren’t steady enough to make the classification decision in a year.

Scores this year moved by an average of 5.4%, in either direction, with some districts seeing larger changes.

A total of 42 districts’ and charter schools’ scores decreased by at least 10% compared to their last annual performance report, and 39 had an increase of at least 10%.

Kruse worries about the number of districts losing double digits in points.

“If a school does essentially the same performance and the district score drops 10% or 14%, I don’t think that’s an accurate portrayal of how that district is serving students,” he said. “That has ramifications that go beyond just the school setting. It goes into how a community could be perceived.”

If based solely on this year’s scores, 447 districts and charter schools are in the accredited range, 99 would be provisionally accredited and five are in the unaccredited tier.

The five in the unaccredited range, four charter schools and one single-school district, are smaller and more likely to be impacted by changes in the student body,

McGowin told The Independent that classification decisions would consider all three years of MSIP 6 scores.

Klinginsmith hopes the department will look at districts’ highest scores in each category over three years to determine accreditation.

“That gives everybody an opportunity if they have a good year to carry that through to show, ‘hey, we can do good things,’” he said.

Ultimately, though, he — and others — would like a second look at the scoring system before it determines districts’ fate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1698860060134.jpg" alt="-&nbsp;The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released its annual performance reports on Monday, which measure districts on standardized tests,&nbsp;attendance rates and other factors. It showed 70% of districts had a lower score for the 2022-23 school year than the previous year&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>-&nbsp;The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released its annual performance reports on Monday, which measure districts on standardized tests,&nbsp;attendance rates and other factors. It showed 70% of districts had a lower score for the 2022-23 school year than the previous year&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>As the state’s education department assigns scores to school districts and charter schools, some educators request a deeper look at the grading system</h2>By ANNELISE HANSHAW<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>Livingston County R-III was among a litany of school districts last year with a performance report that could have put its accreditation in jeopardy.But this year, it has the highest score in Missouri, swelling more than 35 points to receive 96.1% of the points possible — a synthesis of student test scores, attendance, school-district planning and other metrics.Holliday C-2 School District swung the opposite direction. After scoring in the top 20% of Missouri’s 550 districts and charter schools last year, it now sits among the bottom five with zeros and “null” across standardized-testing criteria.The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released its annual performance reports on Monday, which measure districts on standardized tests, attendance rates and other factors. It showed 70% of districts had a lower score for the 2022-23 school year than the previous year.But school administrators are raising red flags about the data, pointing to massive swings in scores in both directions across the state and wondering — with only a year to go before the data will impact school-district accreditation — whether the testing program’s formula needs to be adjusted.“In some districts that I know of, who are having essentially the same faculty and the same students using the same resources and the same methodologies are seeing perhaps a 10 to 15%&nbsp; drop in their (annual performance report) score from the first year of MSIP6 to the current year,” Kyle Kruse, superintendent of the St. Clair School District, told The Independent. “That raises some question marks for me.”The Missouri School Improvement Program 6, known as MSIP 6, is being phased in over a period of three years for the department to be able to fully apply its point system. This year, the program included “growth scores,” which administrators say can lower the district’s overall grade and be misunderstood.“What (the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) is calling the growth scores really isn’t growth at all,” Gregg Klinginsmith, superintendent of the Warren County School District, told The Independent.He said the growth scores show if students are beating expectations on standardized tests but don’t&nbsp; represent how much the student body has learned. A school can receive a low score for growth, but it only shows that students are not meeting the target the growth formula predicted.Klinginsmith, who serves on the MSIP advisory committee, would like a deeper look at the way growth is calculated. He’s asked for a copy of the formula, only receiving a summary of it rather than the full calculation.When The Independent asked for the formula’s documentation, the department pointed to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/missouri-growth-model-primer">resources that summarize the calculations</a>.<a target="_blank" href="https://dese.mo.gov/missouri-growth-model">Reports from 2013</a>&nbsp;explains the Missouri Growth Model in more detail, though the multi-step formula is blotted out from the technical documentation.Doug Hayter, executive director of the Missouri Association of School Administrators, said educators have a lot of questions about the growth model.“There’s more work to be done in investigating that change because that has had an impact on the scores,” he said. “And I’m not sure that everyone really fully understands how it works and the impact that it’s having.”It really boils down to “how well DESE predicted your school will do,” Klinginsmith said. “They adjust that formula from year to year, and the growth scores really is what is separating districts.”“The lack of transparency on it is an even bigger issue,” he continued.The model relies on predicting standardized test scores based on previous years’ performance and comparing the result to the prediction. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education believes the model reveals a school’s instructional effectiveness, according to the summary report.The previous annual performance report scores were the first in the sixth version of the Missouri School Improvement Program, and growth scores were only available for English and math. Monday’s release, which gives scores from the 2022-23 school year, includes growth points for social studies and science as well — an additional 12 points of MSIP 6’s possible 192 points.Growth is a quarter of a school district’s score. Other data includes the maintenance of school improvement plans, attendance and career and academic plans for students entering high school.Kruse believes there are “cliffs” throughout the scoring system — so crossing a threshold, like a 90% attendance rate, can boost a score significantly and not proportional to the actual performance.The department’s guide to MSIP 6 shows scoring tables where points are assigned in levels. For example, the “postsecondary readiness” metric (which looks at students’ scores on the ACT and advanced coursework) gives schools 10 points for student averages 75% and above. For 67.2% to 71.4%, schools receive 7.5 points.There are many table-based scores in the MSIP 6 system, allowing districts to drop in score while performing similarly to previous years.&nbsp;“This year, in year two of the MSIP 6 accreditation system, we may have exposed some potential flaws in the system that will need to be studied and addressed,” Kruse told The Independent.<h2>Recalibration</h2>Under MSIP6,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/03/13/impact-of-declining-scores-unclear-as-missouri-lawmakers-continue-education-debate/">fewer schools are scoring high marks</a>&nbsp;when compared to the previous scoring system.In 2018 under MSIP 5, 371 school districts and charter schools scored at least 90%. Now, just 26 districts and charters met that target.Growth is one of the things that is measured differently between the two systems.“In MSIP 6, a (district) must show growth using the Missouri Growth Model in order to receive full points. In MSIP 5, an (district) could earn points through status, growth, or improvement — or through a combination of status and growth or status and improvement,” the department’s chief communications officer Mallory McGowin said. “This policy change was made based on feedback from multiple stakeholder groups.”A bar chart showing the distribution of scores looks more like a bell curve now than the top-heavy MSIP 5.Lisa Sireno, assistant commissioner of the office of quality schools, told reporters last week that the department believes MSIP6 is “a more accurate representation of performance.”Hayter said some educators have questioned the scoring when looking at districts’ ranking between the two scoring systems.“They’re not afraid of accountability, but they want it to be fair and balanced,” he told The Independent. “Where is the realistic picture of so many districts in MSIP5 apparently doing exceedingly well, and then now because we change the system, they’ve been dispersed.”The top-scoring district in 2018, Clever R-V School District, is 331st under MSIP 6 — sinking from 99% to 75.2%.Although it has become harder to maintain a top score, the score needed to be an accredited school district has not changed.Sireno said that full accreditation is 70% and above, under 50% is unaccredited and between is provisionally accredited.The department is set to make accreditation decisions after reviewing next year’s data. But Klinginsmith worries the scores aren’t steady enough to make the classification decision in a year.Scores this year moved by an average of 5.4%, in either direction, with some districts seeing larger changes.A total of 42 districts’ and charter schools’ scores decreased by at least 10% compared to their last annual performance report, and 39 had an increase of at least 10%.Kruse worries about the number of districts losing double digits in points.“If a school does essentially the same performance and the district score drops 10% or 14%, I don’t think that’s an accurate portrayal of how that district is serving students,” he said. “That has ramifications that go beyond just the school setting. It goes into how a community could be perceived.”If based solely on this year’s scores, 447 districts and charter schools are in the accredited range, 99 would be provisionally accredited and five are in the unaccredited tier.The five in the unaccredited range, four charter schools and one single-school district, are smaller and more likely to be impacted by changes in the student body,McGowin told The Independent that classification decisions would consider all three years of MSIP 6 scores.Klinginsmith hopes the department will look at districts’ highest scores in each category over three years to determine accreditation.“That gives everybody an opportunity if they have a good year to carry that through to show, ‘hey, we can do good things,’” he said.Ultimately, though, he — and others — would like a second look at the scoring system before it determines districts’ fate.

Mo. school administrators question district scores in second year of new formula

St. Joseph city officials are still working on ways to tackle a growing homeless population.  

One way the city is addressing the problem is with numerous agencies working together to tackle it.  

Mayor John Josendale says at the forefront of those agencies is the United Way. 

"They've kind of been the leader, but they bring whether it be Family Guidance or CAP or the different organizations, they all come together and they meet on a regular basis and they talk about what the issues are," Josendale tells host of the KFEQ Hotline Barry Birr. 

Josendale says work is also being done by Community Services, putting together cold shelters for homeless people during these winter months. 

Josendale says several agencies around the city put in a lot of time and effort to help the homeless population 

"The amount of money that is put into just making sure that the cold weather shelters are there, or the ones to make sure that there are vouchers for some people to get rooms or to get out of the cold, or to get someone started in the right direction," Josendale explains. 

Josendale says many times help getting started is what people need and there are a number of agencies that help in that aspect. 

Cities saw the homeless population beginning to grow after several state mental health facilities were shut down.  

Josendale says that is a big issue because many people suffering from homelessness has mental health issues, drug problems, and numerous other issues.  

"The point that we made to the legislators is, you know we had a facility that took care of that in the past, now if you have that where do they go, where do you put them, or where how do you get them help, and the ones that don't want help how do you deal with that," Josendale says. 

Josendale says the feedback they got from legislators is that they have an understanding of the problem. 

By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post St. Joseph city officials are still working on ways to tackle a growing homeless population. One way the city is addressing the problem is with numerous agencies working together to tackle it. Mayor John Josendale says at the forefront of those agencies is the United Way. "They've kind of been the leader, but they bring whether it be Family Guidance or CAP or the different organizations, they all come together and they meet on a regular basis and they talk about what the issues are," Josendale tells host of the KFEQ Hotline Barry Birr. Josendale says work is also being done by Community Services, putting together cold shelters for homeless people during these winter months. Josendale says several agencies around the city put in a lot of time and effort to help the homeless population "The amount of money that is put into just making sure that the cold weather shelters are there, or the ones to make sure that there are vouchers for some people to get rooms or to get out of the cold, or to get someone started in the right direction," Josendale explains. Josendale says many times help getting started is what people need and there are a number of agencies that help in that aspect. Cities saw the homeless population beginning to grow after several state mental health facilities were shut down. Josendale says that is a big issue because many people suffering from homelessness has mental health issues, drug problems, and numerous other issues. "The point that we made to the legislators is, you know we had a facility that took care of that in the past, now if you have that where do they go, where do you put them, or where how do you get them help, and the ones that don't want help how do you deal with that," Josendale says. Josendale says the feedback they got from legislators is that they have an understanding of the problem.

St. Joseph city officials continue working to find ways to tackle growing homeless problem

St. Joseph public school officials are poring over the report
card issued by the state, working to make improvements in the score compiled by
the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

St. Joseph school Superintendent Gabe Edgar says attendance
remains a stubborn problem for the district.

“Attendance is the biggest one from a challenge standpoint,”
Edgar tells reporters during a news conference. “But as far as the report is
concerned, I don’t necessarily look at the bottom-line score, I look at where
we make improvements and where we need to make improvements.”

Attendance rose from around 71% to 79%, but still fell just
shy of the 80% state standard.

St. Joseph, along with every Missouri public school district,
is having trouble recruiting and retaining teachers. Veteran teachers are
retiring and not enough students are choosing education. In Missouri, around 5,000
teachers leave the profession for various reasons with only 3,500 leaving Missouri
colleges with education degrees.

As for academics, Edgar says that while the scores released by
the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education show improvement
in Social Studies test scores, they disclose a weakness in math and Language
Arts.

“And we need to look at those offerings, look at options for
embedded credits for students,” Edgar says. “There are things out there. When I
told you about thinking outside the box, that’s what we’re going to have to do.”

Edgar suggests each student needs more individualized educational
plans, similar to the individual education plans devised for Special Education
students. The superintendent says that is something school officials are
discussing.

Edgar says pay remains a barrier to attracting quality
candidates for teachers and state lawmakers need to address the fact that
Missouri ranks near or at the bottom in teacher pay.

“Right now, they’re funding the formula,” according to Edgar. “They’re
funding the formula that was built in 2006. So, maybe it’s time for a new
funding formula. I don’t know what the answer is.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702929581187.jpeg" alt="Asst. Superintendent of Academics, Ashly McGinnis (2nd to right), addresses reporters questions during the news conference on the state report card. School Improvement Dir. Kendra Lau is to McGinnis' left with Superintendent Gabe Edgar and Asst. Supt. of Human Resources Brian Kraus to her right./Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>Asst. Superintendent of Academics, Ashly McGinnis (2nd to right), addresses reporters questions during the news conference on the state report card. School Improvement Dir. Kendra Lau is to McGinnis' left with Superintendent Gabe Edgar and Asst. Supt. of Human Resources Brian Kraus to her right./Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph public school officials are poring over the report
card issued by the state, working to make improvements in the score compiled by
the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.St. Joseph school Superintendent Gabe Edgar says attendance
remains a stubborn problem for the district.“Attendance is the biggest one from a challenge standpoint,”
Edgar tells reporters during a news conference. “But as far as the report is
concerned, I don’t necessarily look at the bottom-line score, I look at where
we make improvements and where we need to make improvements.”Attendance rose from around 71% to 79%, but still fell just
shy of the 80% state standard.St. Joseph, along with every Missouri public school district,
is having trouble recruiting and retaining teachers. Veteran teachers are
retiring and not enough students are choosing education. In Missouri, around 5,000
teachers leave the profession for various reasons with only 3,500 leaving Missouri
colleges with education degrees.As for academics, Edgar says that while the scores released by
the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education show improvement
in Social Studies test scores, they disclose a weakness in math and Language
Arts.“And we need to look at those offerings, look at options for
embedded credits for students,” Edgar says. “There are things out there. When I
told you about thinking outside the box, that’s what we’re going to have to do.”Edgar suggests each student needs more individualized educational
plans, similar to the individual education plans devised for Special Education
students. The superintendent says that is something school officials are
discussing.Edgar says pay remains a barrier to attracting quality
candidates for teachers and state lawmakers need to address the fact that
Missouri ranks near or at the bottom in teacher pay.“Right now, they’re funding the formula,” according to Edgar. “They’re
funding the formula that was built in 2006. So, maybe it’s time for a new
funding formula. I don’t know what the answer is.”<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/St--Joseph-School-District-receives-report-card-e2ddk32" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>

St. Joseph School District gets its report card, works to improve

Northern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves made a surprise visit
to the KFEQ studios for an appearance on the Hotline with host Barry Birr to commemorate
the radio station’s 100th anniversary.

Graves earlier read into the Congressional record a short
piece about KFEQ’s history, praising its service to the community over its 100
years on the air.

“It’s good to be here today for the 100th
anniversary and for the fact that KFEQ’s been around so long and a part of the
community,” Graves tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “And, really, it’s broader than
that, because it’s all the counties out there that you have listeners in and
folks paying attention. KFEQ does a great service and I appreciate that.”

Graves says KFEQ’s anniversary prompted him to reflect on the history
of St. Joseph over the past 100 years, especially its tie to agriculture, and
how much things have changed.

“When I first started farming and was raising hogs and I
remember hauling hogs down (to the St. Joseph Stockyards), and you know the
Stockyards were immense down there, and then of course the Exchange Building
that was there,” Graves recollected. “And then you go down there today and we
obviously have the packing houses down there, but the Stockyards themselves, it’s
gone and, of course, we all know what happened with the Exchange Building and
all that’s left is the arch.”

Graves says KFEQ’s history reflects St. Joseph’s history.

“St. Joseph has changed a lot in a hundred years and the radio
station has been there for the entire time and it’s part of the foundation of
the community.”

Graves presented KFEQ officials a commemorative copy of the
speech he gave on the floor of the United States House of Representatives.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702920215917.jpeg" alt="KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr (left) and Eagle Radio General Manager Liby Waltemath (right) are presented with a copy of&nbsp; Congressman Sam Graves' speech read on the congressional floor to commemorate the 100th anniversary of KFEQ/ Photo by Justin Peacock" />
 <figcaption>KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr (left) and Eagle Radio General Manager Liby Waltemath (right) are presented with a copy of&nbsp; Congressman Sam Graves' speech read on the congressional floor to commemorate the 100th anniversary of KFEQ/ Photo by Justin Peacock</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostNorthern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves made a surprise visit
to the KFEQ studios for an appearance on the Hotline with host Barry Birr to commemorate
the radio station’s 100th anniversary.Graves earlier read into the Congressional record a short
piece about KFEQ’s history, praising its service to the community over its 100
years on the air.“It’s good to be here today for the 100th
anniversary and for the fact that KFEQ’s been around so long and a part of the
community,” Graves tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “And, really, it’s broader than
that, because it’s all the counties out there that you have listeners in and
folks paying attention. KFEQ does a great service and I appreciate that.”Graves says KFEQ’s anniversary prompted him to reflect on the history
of St. Joseph over the past 100 years, especially its tie to agriculture, and
how much things have changed.“When I first started farming and was raising hogs and I
remember hauling hogs down (to the St. Joseph Stockyards), and you know the
Stockyards were immense down there, and then of course the Exchange Building
that was there,” Graves recollected. “And then you go down there today and we
obviously have the packing houses down there, but the Stockyards themselves, it’s
gone and, of course, we all know what happened with the Exchange Building and
all that’s left is the arch.”Graves says KFEQ’s history reflects St. Joseph’s history.“St. Joseph has changed a lot in a hundred years and the radio
station has been there for the entire time and it’s part of the foundation of
the community.”Graves presented KFEQ officials a commemorative copy of the
speech he gave on the floor of the United States House of Representatives.<div><div style="position:relative;overflow:hidden;padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/YWpdwoBU-KcBmu4K3.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Sam Graved Kfeq Dec 2023" style="position:absolute;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div>

Graves honors KFEQ by reading history into Congressional record

The question currently before the commission is whether or not Missouri regulators have the authority to prohibit licensed companies from infusing Missouri-grown marijuana products with hemp-derived THC&nbsp;

By REBECCA RIVAS,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

Missouri’s crackdown on a cannabis company accused of illegally importing THC concentrate could lead to a showdown over the state’s authority to regulate the industry.

Delta Extraction had its<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/16/cannabis-regulators-to-revoke-license-of-missouri-company-at-center-of-recall/">&nbsp;license to manufacture cannabis products revoked</a>&nbsp;in November, months after a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/08/16/state-faces-pushback-from-missouri-marijuana-industry-over-product-recall/">massive recall</a>&nbsp;pulled more than 60,000 products off the shelves — which the state says were illegally made with a hemp-derived THC concentrate imported from out of state.

As the legal battle continues to drag out, the company has upped the ante: If the state continues its efforts to sanction Delta and the recalled products, it will respond with litigation the company’s attorneys believe could gut Missouri’s marijuana regulations.

“Delta is also not limited to only challenging the [Department of Health and Senior Services’] authority to regulate hemp-derived products,” Delta’s attorney Chuck Hatfield, wrote in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24220291-ltr-to-douglass-from-hatfield-re-non-admissible-settlement-communication-regarding-delta-extractiion-20231115">Nov. 15 letter</a>&nbsp;to the state. “Any lawsuit will likely include claims relating to the department’s regulatory authority in other areas of the marijuana industry.”

On the outside, the company with 20 employees located at the end of a dusty farm road near Pacific seems an unlikely candidate for upending Missouri’s regulatory framework.

But behind the scenes, Delta’s owners and associates include some of the most influential players in Missouri cannabis.

From its ownership group — which hosted Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey at a Ladue fundraiser just two weeks after his office took over defending the state in Delta’s litigation — to the powerful lobbyists and attorneys enlisted to represent the company and its affiliates, Delta is anything but an underdog.

State Sen. Nick Schroer, a Republican from O’Fallon who chairs the legislative committee that oversees Missouri’s marijuana rules, said Delta hired the “big guns” to win its license back — including longtime Jefferson City attorneys Hatfield, a Democrat, and Lowell Pearson, a Republican.

“That’s where I think this is a very interesting issue because it’s not necessarily political,” Schroer said. “It impacts all the parties, all individuals across the state, from veterans to people that just like to smoke recreationally and so many others in between.”&nbsp;

In order to reach a settlement with state regulators, Delta was willing to admit that it “failed to strictly comply with regulatory requirements,” according to Hatfield’s letter.&nbsp;

However, the company won’t admit that it did something wrong when it imported a hemp-derived THC concentrate, Hatfield said, because hemp is not a federally controlled substance.

Lisa Cox, the department’s spokeswoman, said Delta Extraction’s license was revoked for “numerous violations of rules, including extensive failure to comply with seed-to-sale tracking requirements.”&nbsp;

Cox also said the company “was not permitted to use THC in its products unless that THC was created from cannabis grown by a licensed cultivation facility.”&nbsp;

At the center of Missouri’s massive marijuana recall is a THC concentrate, or distillate, made partially from hemp.

Delta bought oil from&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/25/missouri-cannabis-recall-hemp/">a Florida lab containing THC-A</a>&nbsp;extracted from the hemp plant. Once the oil was in Missouri, the company heated it through a decarboxylation process&nbsp;— which turns it into Delta-9 THC, the cannabinoid most commonly known for producing a high.&nbsp;

Buying hemp-derived THC-A from Florida is much cheaper than producing it from Missouri marijuana.

While hemp is federally legal, state regulators argue that once hemp-derived THC comes into the marijuana realm, they can regulate it.&nbsp;

The Missouri constitution “expressly requires all marijuana and marijuana-infused products sold in Missouri to be cultivated or manufactured in Missouri,” the department argued in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24220290-20231204-delta-extraction-23-0608-answer-to-second-amended-complaint-00594566xbdf2d">Dec. 4 document</a>&nbsp;in the Delta’s&nbsp;appeal of the recall and license revocation&nbsp;before the Administrative Hearing Commission.

The question currently before the commission is whether or not Missouri regulators have the authority to prohibit licensed companies from infusing Missouri-grown marijuana products with hemp-derived THC.&nbsp;

The commissioner overseeing the case, Carole Iles, has already said in an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23933159-order-denying-motion-for-stay">Aug. 29 order</a>&nbsp;that it’s illegal to add “hemp-derived chemically modified ‘converted’ cannabinoids” to marijuana products.

That’s why the fight will likely end up in court.&nbsp;

In September, a federal judge in Arkansas sided with hemp companies in granting a preliminary injunction on a state law aimed at regulating hemp-derived THC.&nbsp;

U.S. District Judge Billy Roy Wilson said if Arkansas wants to participate in the federal hemp program, then it can’t pick and choose which parts of the law it wants to follow.

“Clearly, under the 2018 Farm Bill, Arkansas can regulate hemp production and even ban it outright if it is so inclined,” the Sept. 7 ruling states. “The legislature seems to have tried to keep the parts of the program it likes (purely industrial uses) and eliminate the parts it doesn’t (human consumption).”

Hatfield said that’s what Missouri cannabis regulators are trying to do.&nbsp;

“The Division of Cannabis Regulation’s authority to regulate is limited to non-hemp marijuana and does not depend on whether it is used to make THC,” he states in the letter to the department.&nbsp;

Schroer said he’s heard from numerous marijuana businesses that are suffering from the recall, and he’s not sure the state’s decision to pull Delta’s license and thousands of products from the shelves was the right one. He believes voters wanted a marijuana program where all products were homegrown in Missouri.&nbsp;

“And arguably, was hemp part of that?” he said. “I think we’re gonna find out in the courts.”&nbsp;

Aside from the legal battle, the case sets up another conflict.&nbsp;

For Missouri’s marijuana cultivators, hemp-derived THC poses a threat to their livelihoods because Missouri marijuana licensees must go through a rigorous and costly regulatory process — one that hemp companies don’t.

If Delta and other manufacturers can buy hemp-derived THC concentrate for a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/11/missouri-company-at-center-of-cannabis-recall-used-hemp-instead-of-marijuana-in-products/">fourth of the price</a>&nbsp;that it costs to purchase Missouri-grown marijuana THC concentrate, then the state’s marijuana cultivators will suffer.&nbsp;

But it would be a big win for the state’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/10/11/farm-bill-debate-includes-hemp-regulation-as-issue-takes-center-stage-in-missouri-recall/">hemp farmers</a>.&nbsp;

Sean Hackmann, president of the Missouri Hemp Trade Association, said Delta sold more than $20 million of distillate that was a mixture of marijuana grown in Missouri and hemp from other states.

“Twenty million dollars in the Missouri hemp industry would be huge, if that was produced, extracted and processed inside our state,”&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/25/missouri-cannabis-recall-hemp/">Hackmann told The Independent in September</a>. “But it was all some other state that benefited from that. Not our Missouri industry.”&nbsp;

While normally the underdogs, the hemp industry now has people like the marijuana industry’s top lobbyist Steve Tilley and attorneys Hatfield, Pearson and Alec Rosenblum fighting for its interests because it benefits their clients.

And the web of political ties runs deep.&nbsp;

A member of Delta Extraction’s ownership team, Josh Ferguson, hosted a fundraiser for Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s election campaign on Nov. 7.&nbsp;

Delta’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-judge-dismisses-cannabis-companys-lawsuit-against-state-to-stop-recall/">lawsuit</a>&nbsp;against the state has made its way to the Court of Appeals, and that’s where the attorney general’s office normally takes over legal representation in marijuana cases.&nbsp;

Two weeks before the fundraiser, Bailey’s office began representing the state in Delta’s appeal. The case is being handled by Solicitor General Josh Devine, the highest-ranking lawyer in the attorney general’s office.&nbsp;

“The AG’s Office represents state agencies in these cases at the appellate level,” said Madeline Sieren, Bailey’s spokeswoman. “That is what we did here. Any political activity is separate and apart from his work as attorney general. I would direct any questions about political activity to the campaign.”

Delta Extraction is 50% owned by A Joint Operation,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://mogreenway.com/2022/03/01/greenway-best-of-the-industry-a-joint-operation-best-compliance-consultant/">a management group with three principals</a>: Ferguson, Josh Corson, and Ryan Rich.&nbsp;

Ferguson is the owner and founder of Kaldi’s Coffee. Corson comes from a real estate background and Rich is owner and CEO of Hot Box Cookies.&nbsp;

Rachael Herndon Dunn is chief development officer at A Joint Operation and one of the initial founders of Greenway Magazine, which covers the cannabis industry.&nbsp;

The other half of Delta Extraction is owned by Ozark Highland Cannabis LLC, which is the umbrella for the Midwest Magic brand that uses Delta Extraction’s facility to make its products. Edward Maritz is the registered agent for Ozark, and Jack Maritz is the general manager for Delta Extraction.

Delta was also manufacturing products for the Conte brand. According to documents filed in both the lawsuit and appeal with the commission, Delta has been producing Conte’s THC distillate for over a year. The majority of the distillate is hemp-derived THC-A combined with a small amount of Missouri marijuana.&nbsp;

The company has sold 700 liters of this concoction since at least July 2022, Jack Maritz said in his&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23932926-ahc-testimony-delta-case">Aug.14 testimony before the Administrative Hearing Commission</a>.&nbsp;

And it’s sold to 135 Missouri marijuana license holders, with Delta making $20 million since it began offering a hemp-marijuana distillate in April 2022, company leaders said in their testimonies.&nbsp;

The 700 liters of oil has the potential to make “millions of packs of edibles,” Maritz said in his testimony.

Over the summer, Conte Enterprise Holdings hired the Jefferson City lobbying firm Strategic Capitol Consulting. The firm is owned by Tilley, a former state lawmaker and fundraiser for Gov. Mike Parson.&nbsp;

The Administrative Hearing Commission will hold a three-day hearing on the company’s appeal of the recall and license revocation in February or early March. If the commissioner sides with the state, then Delta will continue the fight in court.&nbsp;

A separate lawsuit against the state was filed in September by a company that purchased the recalled THC oil from Delta and is now challenging the regulators’ authority to pull the product from the shelves.&nbsp;

While not a Missouri licensee, the company, Integrated Sales Solutions, argues that its products are on lockdown and the company’s livelihood is suffering.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698668144157.png" alt="&nbsp;(Rebecca Rivas/The Missouri Independent)" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;(Rebecca Rivas/The Missouri Independent)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The question currently before the commission is whether or not Missouri regulators have the authority to prohibit licensed companies from infusing Missouri-grown marijuana products with hemp-derived THC&nbsp;</h2>By REBECCA RIVAS,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>Missouri’s crackdown on a cannabis company accused of illegally importing THC concentrate could lead to a showdown over the state’s authority to regulate the industry.Delta Extraction had its<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/16/cannabis-regulators-to-revoke-license-of-missouri-company-at-center-of-recall/">&nbsp;license to manufacture cannabis products revoked</a>&nbsp;in November, months after a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/08/16/state-faces-pushback-from-missouri-marijuana-industry-over-product-recall/">massive recall</a>&nbsp;pulled more than 60,000 products off the shelves — which the state says were illegally made with a hemp-derived THC concentrate imported from out of state.As the legal battle continues to drag out, the company has upped the ante: If the state continues its efforts to sanction Delta and the recalled products, it will respond with litigation the company’s attorneys believe could gut Missouri’s marijuana regulations.“Delta is also not limited to only challenging the [Department of Health and Senior Services’] authority to regulate hemp-derived products,” Delta’s attorney Chuck Hatfield, wrote in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24220291-ltr-to-douglass-from-hatfield-re-non-admissible-settlement-communication-regarding-delta-extractiion-20231115">Nov. 15 letter</a>&nbsp;to the state. “Any lawsuit will likely include claims relating to the department’s regulatory authority in other areas of the marijuana industry.”On the outside, the company with 20 employees located at the end of a dusty farm road near Pacific seems an unlikely candidate for upending Missouri’s regulatory framework.But behind the scenes, Delta’s owners and associates include some of the most influential players in Missouri cannabis.From its ownership group — which hosted Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey at a Ladue fundraiser just two weeks after his office took over defending the state in Delta’s litigation — to the powerful lobbyists and attorneys enlisted to represent the company and its affiliates, Delta is anything but an underdog.State Sen. Nick Schroer, a Republican from O’Fallon who chairs the legislative committee that oversees Missouri’s marijuana rules, said Delta hired the “big guns” to win its license back — including longtime Jefferson City attorneys Hatfield, a Democrat, and Lowell Pearson, a Republican.“That’s where I think this is a very interesting issue because it’s not necessarily political,” Schroer said. “It impacts all the parties, all individuals across the state, from veterans to people that just like to smoke recreationally and so many others in between.”&nbsp;In order to reach a settlement with state regulators, Delta was willing to admit that it “failed to strictly comply with regulatory requirements,” according to Hatfield’s letter.&nbsp;However, the company won’t admit that it did something wrong when it imported a hemp-derived THC concentrate, Hatfield said, because hemp is not a federally controlled substance.Lisa Cox, the department’s spokeswoman, said Delta Extraction’s license was revoked for “numerous violations of rules, including extensive failure to comply with seed-to-sale tracking requirements.”&nbsp;Cox also said the company “was not permitted to use THC in its products unless that THC was created from cannabis grown by a licensed cultivation facility.”&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698531124512.png" alt="issouri voters legalized medical marijuana in 2018 and recreational marijuana in 2022 (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>issouri voters legalized medical marijuana in 2018 and recreational marijuana in 2022 (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>A question for the courts</h2>At the center of Missouri’s massive marijuana recall is a THC concentrate, or distillate, made partially from hemp.Delta bought oil from&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/25/missouri-cannabis-recall-hemp/">a Florida lab containing THC-A</a>&nbsp;extracted from the hemp plant. Once the oil was in Missouri, the company heated it through a decarboxylation process&nbsp;— which turns it into Delta-9 THC, the cannabinoid most commonly known for producing a high.&nbsp;Buying hemp-derived THC-A from Florida is much cheaper than producing it from Missouri marijuana.While hemp is federally legal, state regulators argue that once hemp-derived THC comes into the marijuana realm, they can regulate it.&nbsp;The Missouri constitution “expressly requires all marijuana and marijuana-infused products sold in Missouri to be cultivated or manufactured in Missouri,” the department argued in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24220290-20231204-delta-extraction-23-0608-answer-to-second-amended-complaint-00594566xbdf2d">Dec. 4 document</a>&nbsp;in the Delta’s&nbsp;appeal of the recall and license revocation&nbsp;before the Administrative Hearing Commission.The question currently before the commission is whether or not Missouri regulators have the authority to prohibit licensed companies from infusing Missouri-grown marijuana products with hemp-derived THC.&nbsp;The commissioner overseeing the case, Carole Iles, has already said in an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23933159-order-denying-motion-for-stay">Aug. 29 order</a>&nbsp;that it’s illegal to add “hemp-derived chemically modified ‘converted’ cannabinoids” to marijuana products.That’s why the fight will likely end up in court.&nbsp;In September, a federal judge in Arkansas sided with hemp companies in granting a preliminary injunction on a state law aimed at regulating hemp-derived THC.&nbsp;U.S. District Judge Billy Roy Wilson said if Arkansas wants to participate in the federal hemp program, then it can’t pick and choose which parts of the law it wants to follow.“Clearly, under the 2018 Farm Bill, Arkansas can regulate hemp production and even ban it outright if it is so inclined,” the Sept. 7 ruling states. “The legislature seems to have tried to keep the parts of the program it likes (purely industrial uses) and eliminate the parts it doesn’t (human consumption).”Hatfield said that’s what Missouri cannabis regulators are trying to do.&nbsp;“The Division of Cannabis Regulation’s authority to regulate is limited to non-hemp marijuana and does not depend on whether it is used to make THC,” he states in the letter to the department.&nbsp;Schroer said he’s heard from numerous marijuana businesses that are suffering from the recall, and he’s not sure the state’s decision to pull Delta’s license and thousands of products from the shelves was the right one. He believes voters wanted a marijuana program where all products were homegrown in Missouri.&nbsp;“And arguably, was hemp part of that?” he said. “I think we’re gonna find out in the courts.”&nbsp;<h2>The underdog</h2>Aside from the legal battle, the case sets up another conflict.&nbsp;For Missouri’s marijuana cultivators, hemp-derived THC poses a threat to their livelihoods because Missouri marijuana licensees must go through a rigorous and costly regulatory process — one that hemp companies don’t.If Delta and other manufacturers can buy hemp-derived THC concentrate for a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/11/missouri-company-at-center-of-cannabis-recall-used-hemp-instead-of-marijuana-in-products/">fourth of the price</a>&nbsp;that it costs to purchase Missouri-grown marijuana THC concentrate, then the state’s marijuana cultivators will suffer.&nbsp;But it would be a big win for the state’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/10/11/farm-bill-debate-includes-hemp-regulation-as-issue-takes-center-stage-in-missouri-recall/">hemp farmers</a>.&nbsp;Sean Hackmann, president of the Missouri Hemp Trade Association, said Delta sold more than $20 million of distillate that was a mixture of marijuana grown in Missouri and hemp from other states.“Twenty million dollars in the Missouri hemp industry would be huge, if that was produced, extracted and processed inside our state,”&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/25/missouri-cannabis-recall-hemp/">Hackmann told The Independent in September</a>. “But it was all some other state that benefited from that. Not our Missouri industry.”&nbsp;While normally the underdogs, the hemp industry now has people like the marijuana industry’s top lobbyist Steve Tilley and attorneys Hatfield, Pearson and Alec Rosenblum fighting for its interests because it benefits their clients.And the web of political ties runs deep.&nbsp;A member of Delta Extraction’s ownership team, Josh Ferguson, hosted a fundraiser for Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s election campaign on Nov. 7.&nbsp;Delta’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-judge-dismisses-cannabis-companys-lawsuit-against-state-to-stop-recall/">lawsuit</a>&nbsp;against the state has made its way to the Court of Appeals, and that’s where the attorney general’s office normally takes over legal representation in marijuana cases.&nbsp;Two weeks before the fundraiser, Bailey’s office began representing the state in Delta’s appeal. The case is being handled by Solicitor General Josh Devine, the highest-ranking lawyer in the attorney general’s office.&nbsp;“The AG’s Office represents state agencies in these cases at the appellate level,” said Madeline Sieren, Bailey’s spokeswoman. “That is what we did here. Any political activity is separate and apart from his work as attorney general. I would direct any questions about political activity to the campaign.”<h2>Political power</h2>Delta Extraction is 50% owned by A Joint Operation,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://mogreenway.com/2022/03/01/greenway-best-of-the-industry-a-joint-operation-best-compliance-consultant/">a management group with three principals</a>: Ferguson, Josh Corson, and Ryan Rich.&nbsp;Ferguson is the owner and founder of Kaldi’s Coffee. Corson comes from a real estate background and Rich is owner and CEO of Hot Box Cookies.&nbsp;Rachael Herndon Dunn is chief development officer at A Joint Operation and one of the initial founders of Greenway Magazine, which covers the cannabis industry.&nbsp;The other half of Delta Extraction is owned by Ozark Highland Cannabis LLC, which is the umbrella for the Midwest Magic brand that uses Delta Extraction’s facility to make its products. Edward Maritz is the registered agent for Ozark, and Jack Maritz is the general manager for Delta Extraction.Delta was also manufacturing products for the Conte brand. According to documents filed in both the lawsuit and appeal with the commission, Delta has been producing Conte’s THC distillate for over a year. The majority of the distillate is hemp-derived THC-A combined with a small amount of Missouri marijuana.&nbsp;The company has sold 700 liters of this concoction since at least July 2022, Jack Maritz said in his&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23932926-ahc-testimony-delta-case">Aug.14 testimony before the Administrative Hearing Commission</a>.&nbsp;And it’s sold to 135 Missouri marijuana license holders, with Delta making $20 million since it began offering a hemp-marijuana distillate in April 2022, company leaders said in their testimonies.&nbsp;The 700 liters of oil has the potential to make “millions of packs of edibles,” Maritz said in his testimony.Over the summer, Conte Enterprise Holdings hired the Jefferson City lobbying firm Strategic Capitol Consulting. The firm is owned by Tilley, a former state lawmaker and fundraiser for Gov. Mike Parson.&nbsp;Rosenblum serves as Conte’s attorney.The Administrative Hearing Commission will hold a three-day hearing on the company’s appeal of the recall and license revocation in February or early March. If the commissioner sides with the state, then Delta will continue the fight in court.&nbsp;A separate lawsuit against the state was filed in September by a company that purchased the recalled THC oil from Delta and is now challenging the regulators’ authority to pull the product from the shelves.&nbsp;While not a Missouri licensee, the company, Integrated Sales Solutions, argues that its products are on lockdown and the company’s livelihood is suffering.&nbsp;Integrated Sales Solutions&nbsp; is represented in the lawsuit by Marc Ellinger — Bailey’s campaign treasurer.&nbsp;Ellinger did not return The Independent’s request for comment.

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