A persistent difference in test scores among students from various racial or socio-economic groups has become a central point in discussion about education nationwide. Columbia Public Schools Superintendent Chris Belcher says he wants the Columbia school district to be one of the first in the country to solve this problem of an "achievement gap," and he's reaching out to the community to improve student performance from outside the school walls. In this conversation, we look at what exactly needs fixing, and how Belcher and others believe the community can help.

Panelists:
Chris Belcher, superintendent, Columbia Public Schools
Steve Calloway, president, Minority Men’s Network
Sarah Horn, reporter, Columbia Missourian (joining the program by phone)

The Missouri River was once the lifeblood of this region, bringing goods and prosperity through towns across the state. But like the muddy water itself, the river's ideal use and flow is not as clear as it may have been years ago. Dams and levees have altered its course and threatened aquatic life; and over the past decade outdoor and nature enthusiasts have led a growing effort to clean up trash littered along the river and turn the waterway into a central point for recreation. We look at statewide conservation efforts and what lies in store for the Big Muddy.

Panelists:
Jeff Barrow, director, Missouri River Relief
Steve Johnson, executive director, Missouri River Communities Network
Ken Midkiff, director, Sierra Club Clean Water Campaign
Scott Mansker, host of PBS show "River Miles" (joining the program by phone)

With Juan Williams-gate, the controversial resignation of NPR’s president, and legislators threatening to pull funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the heat has been on for public media. The question is: Can public media survive? We tackle the question head on, with help from our panelists and input from the live audience, including representatives from Columbia's other public media outlets, KOPN/89.5 FM and CAT-TV.

Panelists:
Barbara Cochran, Curtis B. Hurley Chair in Public Affairs Journalism at the MU School of Journalism
Tim Eby, General Manager, St. Louis Public Radio
Frank Morris, News Director, KCUR Kansas City and Harvest Public Media

Although scientists say it is possible to provide everyone with more than enough food calories, humanity still faces the stark reality of chronic hunger, and not just in the developing world. In this town-hall forum, our panelists explain the challenges -- for consumers, farmers, governments, and scientists -- that make it difficult to feed the world now and into the future.

Panelists:
Maria Rodriguez Alcala, assistant director of undergraduate studies in agricultural and applied economics, University of Missouri
Bill Allen, assistant professor of science journalism, University of Missouri
Paul Lasley, professor and chair of the Sociology and Anthropology departments, Iowa State University.