Monica Obradovic
@monicaobradovic.bsky.social
Education reporter covering St. Louis and St. Charles counties for @stltoday.com
Public schools bore the brunt of St. Louis County's senior tax freeze. Across the county, school districts will receive $19.6 million less in revenue this year. That amount is more than half of the total $30 million seniors saved in the first year of the tax break.
www.stltoday.com/news/local/e...
www.stltoday.com/news/local/e...
St. Louis County senior tax freeze will cost public schools millions of dollars
The freeze comes as many area school districts grapple with budget shortfalls amid rising supply prices, higher healthcare and staffing costs, declining enrollments and the end of pandemic relief fund...
www.stltoday.com
November 18, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Public schools bore the brunt of St. Louis County's senior tax freeze. Across the county, school districts will receive $19.6 million less in revenue this year. That amount is more than half of the total $30 million seniors saved in the first year of the tax break.
www.stltoday.com/news/local/e...
www.stltoday.com/news/local/e...
This graphic in a Riverview Gardens budget presentation oh my god
November 10, 2025 at 4:55 PM
This graphic in a Riverview Gardens budget presentation oh my god
Reposted by Monica Obradovic
Rents across the #STL region are soaring, but nowhere more than neighborhoods that have become targets of real estate investors.
Four of the ZIP codes with the top increases in rent since 2023 are in a swath of North County from the airport to the Mississippi.
www.stltoday.com/news/local/g...
Four of the ZIP codes with the top increases in rent since 2023 are in a swath of North County from the airport to the Mississippi.
www.stltoday.com/news/local/g...
Rents soar across St. Louis region, especially where investors buy homes
Rents across the region are soaring, but nowhere more so than neighborhoods that have become the targets of real estate investors.
www.stltoday.com
November 7, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Rents across the #STL region are soaring, but nowhere more than neighborhoods that have become targets of real estate investors.
Four of the ZIP codes with the top increases in rent since 2023 are in a swath of North County from the airport to the Mississippi.
www.stltoday.com/news/local/g...
Four of the ZIP codes with the top increases in rent since 2023 are in a swath of North County from the airport to the Mississippi.
www.stltoday.com/news/local/g...
Reposted by Monica Obradovic
To understand the Trump administration’s vision for American education, @megomatz.bsky.social and I studied dozens of hours of political appointees’ speeches and podcasts and essays. What emerged is a desire to dismantle the nation’s system of public schools.
These Activists Want to Dismantle Public Schools. Now They Run the Education Department.
Under Trump, the Department of Education has been bringing in activists hostile to public schools. It could mean a new era of private and religious schools boosted by tax dollars — and the end of publ...
www.propublica.org
October 9, 2025 at 2:37 AM
To understand the Trump administration’s vision for American education, @megomatz.bsky.social and I studied dozens of hours of political appointees’ speeches and podcasts and essays. What emerged is a desire to dismantle the nation’s system of public schools.
A new record for expired tags in STL
October 5, 2025 at 10:10 PM
A new record for expired tags in STL
U.S. congressman Bob Onder and Missouri state Sens. Nick Schroer and Adam Schnelting are working with a conservative PAC to give Francis Howell high schoolers $1,000 to set up Turning Point USA chapters
www.stltoday.com/news/local/e...
www.stltoday.com/news/local/e...
Francis Howell students offered $1,000 to start Turning Point chapters after Kirk's death
A U.S. congressman and two state senators are offering a $1,000 gift to Francis Howell School District high schoolers to set up Turning Point USA chapters.
www.stltoday.com
September 21, 2025 at 9:13 PM
U.S. congressman Bob Onder and Missouri state Sens. Nick Schroer and Adam Schnelting are working with a conservative PAC to give Francis Howell high schoolers $1,000 to set up Turning Point USA chapters
www.stltoday.com/news/local/e...
www.stltoday.com/news/local/e...
Reposted by Monica Obradovic
The Dunklin School District said the employee's comment on her personal Facebook account did "not align with the mission of our district."
Jefferson County school aide resigns over comment celebrating death of Charlie Kirk
The Dunklin School District said the employee's comment on her personal Facebook account did "not align with the mission of our district."
www.stltoday.com
September 15, 2025 at 8:49 PM
The Dunklin School District said the employee's comment on her personal Facebook account did "not align with the mission of our district."
I talked to over a dozen students in St. Louis about what school has been like under Missouri's cell phone ban. To my surprise, a lot of them are enjoying phone-free days.
www.stltoday.com/news/local/e...
www.stltoday.com/news/local/e...
Missouri school cellphone ban: Fewer fights, less anxiety, more 'boredom' for students
Missouri educators report more social interaction. Students play games or read books instead of scrolling on social media. And handwritten notes are back.
www.stltoday.com
September 15, 2025 at 5:01 PM
I talked to over a dozen students in St. Louis about what school has been like under Missouri's cell phone ban. To my surprise, a lot of them are enjoying phone-free days.
www.stltoday.com/news/local/e...
www.stltoday.com/news/local/e...
Me: flips a light switch on
Ameren: 🫴🏻 that’ll be $5 🫴🏻
Ameren: 🫴🏻 that’ll be $5 🫴🏻
August 28, 2025 at 10:04 PM
Me: flips a light switch on
Ameren: 🫴🏻 that’ll be $5 🫴🏻
Ameren: 🫴🏻 that’ll be $5 🫴🏻
Reposted by Monica Obradovic
NEW @chronicle.com: I sat down with the chancellors of Vanderbilt and WashU to talk about how they believe #HigherEd should respond to Trumpism, and the pushback that stance has gotten from their peers. #AcademicSky
Two Chancellors Push Back Against Claims They’re Dividing the Sector Amid Trump Threats
They argue that this is a moment of structural change for higher ed’s relationship with the government.
www.chronicle.com
August 21, 2025 at 3:41 PM
NEW @chronicle.com: I sat down with the chancellors of Vanderbilt and WashU to talk about how they believe #HigherEd should respond to Trumpism, and the pushback that stance has gotten from their peers. #AcademicSky
The first day of classes was not without glitches. Dozens of buses were delayed up to an hour or longer. Several students showed up to schools not knowing they were closed due to tornado damage. None of the school buses appeared to be even half-full.
stltoday.com/news/local/e...
stltoday.com/news/local/e...
Plenty of buses for fewer students on first day of classes in St. Louis Public Schools
Expectations are high for new transportation provider Zum Services after the chaos of last year with 19 different vendors including taxis.
stltoday.com
August 18, 2025 at 6:07 PM
The first day of classes was not without glitches. Dozens of buses were delayed up to an hour or longer. Several students showed up to schools not knowing they were closed due to tornado damage. None of the school buses appeared to be even half-full.
stltoday.com/news/local/e...
stltoday.com/news/local/e...
"Some members of the Missouri House and Senate want to make citizen-led initiative petitions more difficult to enact, particularly after Missouri voters approved a laundry list of progressive changes at the ballot box in recent years."
www.stltoday.com/news/local/g...
www.stltoday.com/news/local/g...
Missouri GOP sees redistricting call as opening for limiting constitutional amendments
Progressive groups are working to block Republican changes to the initiative petition process
www.stltoday.com
August 6, 2025 at 7:00 PM
"Some members of the Missouri House and Senate want to make citizen-led initiative petitions more difficult to enact, particularly after Missouri voters approved a laundry list of progressive changes at the ballot box in recent years."
www.stltoday.com/news/local/g...
www.stltoday.com/news/local/g...
Donors to Missouri's tax credit program for private school tuition is no longer available through Missouri’s transparency portal. The state treasurer's office "didn't seem to be aware" the list was available until @missouriindependent.com reported on it.
missouriindependent.com/2025/07/29/d...
missouriindependent.com/2025/07/29/d...
Donors to private school voucher program removed from Missouri transparency site • Missouri Independent
The names of MOScholars donors were taken down from a Missouri-run website, leaving questions of accountability for the tax-credit program.
missouriindependent.com
July 29, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Donors to Missouri's tax credit program for private school tuition is no longer available through Missouri’s transparency portal. The state treasurer's office "didn't seem to be aware" the list was available until @missouriindependent.com reported on it.
missouriindependent.com/2025/07/29/d...
missouriindependent.com/2025/07/29/d...
This is Bob Suberi of St. Louis
www.stltoday.com/news/local/m...
www.stltoday.com/news/local/m...
July 26, 2025 at 11:10 PM
This is Bob Suberi of St. Louis
www.stltoday.com/news/local/m...
www.stltoday.com/news/local/m...
Reposted by Monica Obradovic
St. Louis’ leading research university has quietly removed references to the university’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion from many of its websites amid rising federal scrutiny of higher education.
Washington University scrubs webpages of DEI content. ‘If you fight, you will be punished.’
St. Louis’ leading research university has quietly removed references to the university’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion from many of its websites amid rising federal scrutiny of higher education.
www.stltoday.com
July 17, 2025 at 5:21 PM
St. Louis’ leading research university has quietly removed references to the university’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion from many of its websites amid rising federal scrutiny of higher education.
Reposted by Monica Obradovic
Wow: "The fate of NCES remains uncertain. The Education Department says that it is restarting and reassessing some of the data collections that DOGE terminated, but the scope of the work might be much smaller."
Suddenly sacked hechingerreport.org/proof-points...
Suddenly sacked hechingerreport.org/proof-points...
Suddenly sacked
Former education stats chief describes her final days under DOGE
hechingerreport.org
July 14, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Wow: "The fate of NCES remains uncertain. The Education Department says that it is restarting and reassessing some of the data collections that DOGE terminated, but the scope of the work might be much smaller."
Suddenly sacked hechingerreport.org/proof-points...
Suddenly sacked hechingerreport.org/proof-points...
Superman promotion during STL arch fireworks was crazy
July 5, 2025 at 5:00 AM
Superman promotion during STL arch fireworks was crazy
Reposted by Monica Obradovic
Drone footage compares how neighborhoods and parks around St. Louis have changed more than a month after the May 16 tornado. Read full coverage of the May 16 tornado here: https://go.stltoday.com/516tornado?utm_medium=social&utm_source=bluesky_
July 1, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Drone footage compares how neighborhoods and parks around St. Louis have changed more than a month after the May 16 tornado. Read full coverage of the May 16 tornado here: https://go.stltoday.com/516tornado?utm_medium=social&utm_source=bluesky_
I know I go to the Royale too much because Maps assumes I’m going there whenever I get in the car on a weekday evening
June 27, 2025 at 1:03 AM
I know I go to the Royale too much because Maps assumes I’m going there whenever I get in the car on a weekday evening
Reposted by Monica Obradovic
“I’m looking forward to getting relief to people devastated by this storm.”
St. Louis leaders plan to spend $30M from Rams settlement on tornado relief
“I’m looking forward to getting relief to people devastated by this storm.”
www.stltoday.com
June 2, 2025 at 9:45 PM
“I’m looking forward to getting relief to people devastated by this storm.”
Reposted by Monica Obradovic
"Within the span of four days, the Brown family faced the reality of two destroyed homes, as well as the loss of its matriarch and any semblance of a certain future."
Important, in-depth, heart-rending local reporting on this ongoing crisis, by @monicaobradovic.bsky.social
Important, in-depth, heart-rending local reporting on this ongoing crisis, by @monicaobradovic.bsky.social
After tornado, family tries to save its home and legacy on historic St. Louis street
The Shelley House played a role in paving the way for minority homeownership. After the tornado, residents on the street try to save their family histories.
www.stltoday.com
June 1, 2025 at 6:22 PM
"Within the span of four days, the Brown family faced the reality of two destroyed homes, as well as the loss of its matriarch and any semblance of a certain future."
Important, in-depth, heart-rending local reporting on this ongoing crisis, by @monicaobradovic.bsky.social
Important, in-depth, heart-rending local reporting on this ongoing crisis, by @monicaobradovic.bsky.social
Reposted by Monica Obradovic
"I cannot move on from this without providing accountability and ensuring that our emergency management is in trusted hands."
St. Louis mayor places emergency management chief on leave for tornado siren failure
"I cannot move on from this without providing accountability and ensuring that our emergency management is in trusted hands."
www.stltoday.com
May 21, 2025 at 5:30 AM
"I cannot move on from this without providing accountability and ensuring that our emergency management is in trusted hands."
Reposted by Monica Obradovic
Do you have damage? Send pictures and a description, if you're in a safe place. www.stltoday.com/online/submi...
Submit a news tip
www.stltoday.com
May 16, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Do you have damage? Send pictures and a description, if you're in a safe place. www.stltoday.com/online/submi...