Estimates place Columbia’s dropout rate at about 3 percent in 2011, close to the state average. Nationally, the  U.S. Department of education places the dropout rate at around 3.4 percent in the school year ending in 2010.

So what’s being done to reduce these numbers? Intersection explored the factors that lead students to drop out of high school, and heard about what's being done in our community to change that.

Hosted by Ryan Famuliner.

Panelists:
Eryca Neville, principal, Douglass High School
Lorenzo Lawson, executive director, Youth Empowerment Zone

As Missouri’s legislature prepares to take on the issue of Medicaid expansion, we explore the potential benefits and drawbacks, and learn how it could impact people across the state.

Panelists:
Karen Edison, dermatologist and director of the University of Missouri Center for Health Policy
Rep. Keith Frederick, R-Rolla, chair of the Missouri House of Representatives Health Care Policy Committee and an orthopedic surgeon

Among the many proposals outlined in Gov. Jay Nixon's State of the State address last week, his proposed budget includes a $17 million increase in funding for early childhood education programs. We look into what the early-childhood needs are, what kind of impact state-funded programs might have, and how far the additional funding would go.

Scheduled panelists:
Steve Calloway, president, Minority Men’s Network
Jack Jensen, executive director, First Chance for Children
Mernell King, early childhood programs director, Central Missouri Community Action (CMCA)

The Columbia Public School district is in the midst of deciding new start times for the district's elementary, middle and high schools. We discuss the options on the table and explore how the changes could affect parents, students and teachers.

Panelists:
Christine King, vice president, Columbia Board of Education
Mark Maus, principal, Rock Bridge High School

As the year comes to a close, we recap some of the stories that made headlines over the past 12 months, and take a look ahead into what 2013 might bring.

Panelists:
Scott Swafford, senior city editor, Columbia Missourian
Lora Wegman, city editor, Columbia Daily Tribune
David Lieb, correspondent, The Associated Press
 (joining by phone)

A two-part program hosted by KBIA's Rehman Tungekar:
FIRST HALF OF PROGRAM: The tragedy in Connecticut has brought renewed focus on school safety, both locally, and across the nation. We learn how a training program that deals with responding to an armed intruder is being used in Columbia Public Schools.
SECOND HALF OF PROGRAM: According to a recent poll, the number of Missourians opposing the Affordable Care Act has dropped in the last two years. Despite this, many folks still might not know what’s in the nearly 1,000-page law. We talk about the federal health care law and find out how it affects everyday Missourians.

Panelists:
Michelle Baumstark, spokesperson, Columbia Public Schools
Greg Crane, coordinator of ALiCE training for schools and campuses (joining by phone)

Thomas McAuliffe, policy analyst for the Missouri Foundation for Health
Andrew Quint, medical director, Family Health Center in Columbia
Mary Timmel, outreach manager at Small Business Majority (joining by phone)

As the nation continues its delicate path toward economic recovery, the future prosperity of those living in rural areas remains in question. We take a look at the social and economic situation facing young rural residents. Today's conversation comes on the eve of a public screening on Tuesday of new work in an ongoing collaboration from KBIA and the Columbia Missourian titled "My Life, My Town."

Panelists:
Roger Brallier, technology integration specialist/public relations, Hallsville School District
Shirley LeBlanc, Harrisburg resident featured in the "My Life, My Town" project
Kathleen Miller, program director, Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI)
Dallas LaRoe, Hallsville High School senior (joining the program in the second half)

Both the United Way and a recent tax approved by Boone County voters will direct funds specifically toward helping young people. We explore why we're seeing an increased focus on childhood program, learn about the needs in mid-Missouri, and hear what agency leaders hope the additional funding might accomplish.

Panelists:
Christine Corcoran, director of regional operations, Lutheran Family and Children Services of Missouri; and director of the “Putting Kids First” campaign
Cande Iveson, board president, Heart of Missouri CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates)
Tim Rich, executive director, Heart of Missouri United Way
Bruce Sowatsky, executive director, The Community and Children’s Resource Board of St. Charles County (joining the program by phone)

How do we know whether our schools are doing a good job of what they are supposed to do? Standardized tests have often been the answer, but what exactly should the tests be measuring? We discuss efforts in Missouri to encourage success in schools, and we talk about how best to measure -- and to improve -- the quality of student learning.

Panelists:
Carol Maher, assistant professor, University of Missouri College of Education
Sally Beth Lyon, chief academic officer, Columbia Public Schools
Margie Vandeven, assistant commissioner in the Office of Quality Schools at the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Why does the amount of college debt keep rising? Are students threatening their own futures by taking on unwieldy debt loads? And how big is the danger of indebted graduates not being able to pay back what they borrowed? We explore the causes and effects of large amounts of student debt.

Panelists:
Richard Schwartz, professor of English, University of Missouri and author of “Is a College Education Still Worth the Price? A Dean’s Sobering Perspective”
Paul Wagner, deputy commissioner, Missouri Department of Higher Education
Sandy Baum, professor of economics emerita at Skidmore College and independent higher education policy analyst for the College Board (joining by phone)