Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

What Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education does

Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is the state education agency responsible for administering Missouri's public K-12 system under the authority of the Missouri State Board of Education. Headquartered at 205 Jefferson St., Jefferson City, the department accredits public school districts through the Missouri School Improvement Program (MSIP), certifies all professional personnel working in Missouri public schools, administers the annual Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) for grades 3-8 and end-of-course high school assessments, and manages Title I, Title III, and other federal programs. DESE also directly operates three specialized state schools: the Missouri School for the Blind, the Missouri School for the Deaf, and the Missouri Schools for Severely Disabled (MSSD), and administers Adult Learning and Rehabilitation Services including vocational rehabilitation, disability determination, and veterans' education.

The department's technology backbone centers on the Missouri Comprehensive Data System (MCDS), a statewide P-20 longitudinal data system for tracking student progress, achievement, postsecondary and workforce preparation, and adult learning completers. Adjacent core systems include Missouri Student Information System (MOSIS/Core Data), the DESE Application Sign-In (DAS) portal, the DESE Applications System Manager (DASM) for user account access, and the Missouri School Directory. Educator development is supported through the Missouri Teacher Development System (MTDS), the Educator Growth Toolbox, and nine Regional Professional Development Centers hosted at state universities across Cape Girardeau, Columbia, Kansas City, Kirksville, Maryville, Rolla, Springfield, St. Louis, and Warrensburg. The teacher workforce stack includes the Missouri Educator Job Board (powered by Nimble), Teacher Baseline Salary Grants targeting a $40,000 minimum, Grow Your Own pipeline grants, and the Career Ladder performance-pay program.

DESE does not earn revenue from its regulatory and educational services; it operates on state and federal appropriations and redistributes funds to local education agencies, charter schools, and contracted service providers. Public-facing engagement runs through the official dese.mo.gov website, social channels under the MOEducation brand, the DESE Update newsletter, and programs such as Show Me Success, Teacher of the Year, and Support Staff of the Year. Recent strategic activity has centered on school funding formula modernization, a proposed A-F school grading system, an alternative certification pathway under Senate Bill 68 (2025), and a leadership transition at the Commissioner level in mid-2026.

Name

Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Legal name

Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Website

https://dese.mo.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

10,001+ employees

Short description

Missouri's state education agency, administering public K-12 through district accreditation (MSIP), educator certification, student assessment (MAP), and statewide funding distribution, supplemented by three specialized schools for students with disabilities and adult rehabilitation services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Jefferson City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is the state education agency that administers Missouri's public K-12 education system. It provides regulatory oversight and accreditation for public school districts, distributes federal and state education funds, issues educator certifications, administers the Missouri Assessment Program, and operates specialized state schools for students with disabilities. The department also provides early childhood education oversight, adult learning and rehabilitation services, and teacher workforce development programs.

Product overview

Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) provides a comprehensive platform of educational products and services organized across two main divisions: Financial and Administrative Services (managing federal and state funds, school lunch programs, and internal operations) and Learning Services (supporting student, educator, and school success). The core technology infrastructure includes the Missouri Comprehensive Data System (MCDS) for P-20 longitudinal data, the DESE Application Sign-In portal for secure access to web applications, and the Missouri School Directory. Key programmatic offerings include the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) for student evaluation, the Missouri School Improvement Program (MSIP) for district accreditation, Educator Certification services, Adult Learning and Rehabilitation Services, the Office of Childhood for early learning programs, and Quality Schools initiatives. Professional development is delivered through the Missouri Teacher Development System (MTDS), Educator Growth Toolbox, and nine Regional Professional Development Centers. Teacher workforce support includes the Missouri Educator Job Board, Grow Your Own Grants, Career Ladder Program, and Teacher Baseline Salary Grants. The department also oversees specialized state schools for students with disabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Missouri Comprehensive Data System (MCDS) Statewide P-20 longitudinal data system for tracking and research of student progress, achievement, postsecondary and workforce preparation, and adult learning completers. Powers the School Directory and provides weekly refreshed data.
• Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) Annual grade-level assessments for grades 3-8 and end-of-course high school assessments. Includes administration of NAEP (National Assessment on Educational Progress).
• Missouri School Improvement Program (MSIP) State's accreditation system for public school districts, managed by the Office of Quality Schools. Administers state- and federally-funded programs including Title I, Title III, and charter school programs.
• Educator Certification System Issues certificates (licenses) to all professional personnel working in Missouri's public school systems, handles certificate reviews for misconduct, and processes applications through online portals.
• Adult Learning and Rehabilitation Services Division administering vocational rehabilitation, disability determination services, independent living programs, and veterans' education and training across the state.
• Missouri Schools for Severely Disabled State-administered school system including Missouri School for the Blind, Missouri School for the Deaf, and Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled, providing outreach and consulting services statewide.
• Regional Professional Development Centers (RPDCs) Network of nine regional centers across Missouri providing professional development, educator training, and technical assistance through partnerships with state universities.
• Office of Childhood Oversees early learning opportunities for children birth to age five and afterschool programs. Administers early intervention, early childhood special education, home visiting, child care subsidy, and Preschool Development Grant Birth to Five.
• Missouri Teacher Development System (MTDS) Competency-based learning system for educators at all career stages, aligned with Missouri Educator Evaluation System and Teacher Standards. Includes programs for beginning teachers, mentoring, and mid-career advancement.
• Missouri Educator Job Board Statewide teacher recruitment platform enabling Missouri schools to post positions and connect with educator candidates, powered by Nimble partnership.
• Teacher Baseline Salary Grant Grant program supporting salary increases to ensure teachers receive a baseline salary of $40,000, with 100% of additional salary and benefits funded by state grants.
• Career Ladder Program Voluntary performance pay matching program supporting salary supplements for teaching staff with additional responsibilities. State provides up to 60% of funding with local matching requirement.
• Grow Your Own Program Statewide grant program (FY2024) designed to increase recruitment of quality teachers by supporting local education agencies in creating teacher pipeline programs from existing students and non-certified staff.
• Missouri School Directory Interactive online directory of Missouri schools with filtering by County-District Code, District Name, State Supervisor Area, and geographic criteria. Powered by MCDS and refreshed weekly.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% district response rate on educator vacancy reporting
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Southeast Missouri State University (Southeast RPDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSoutheast RPDC at Southeast Missouri State University provides Regional Professional Development Center services for educators in the southeast region. Contact: 1 University Plaza, MS0120, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701, 800-401-6680.
• University of Missouri-Columbia (Heart of Missouri RPDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeart of Missouri RPDC at University of Missouri-Columbia provides Regional Professional Development Center services. Contact: 2 London Hall, Columbia, MO 65211, 800-214-2753.
• University of Missouri-Kansas City (Kansas City RPDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKansas City RPDC at University of Missouri-Kansas City provides Regional Professional Development Center services. Contact: 30 West Pershing Road, Union Station Ste. 401, Kansas City, MO 64108, 816-235-5486.
• Truman State University (Northeast RPDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNortheast RPDC at Truman State University provides Regional Professional Development Center services. Contact: 2200 Violette Hall, 100 E. Normal, Kirksville, MO 63501, 660-785-4310.
• Northwest Missouri State University (Northwest RPDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorthwest RPDC at Northwest Missouri State University provides Regional Professional Development Center services. Contact: 800 University Dr., Maryville, MO 64468, 800-663-3348.
• Missouri University of Science and Technology (South Central RPDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouth Central RPDC at Missouri University of Science and Technology provides Regional Professional Development Center services. Contact: 1100 W 10th Street, Rolla, MO 65409-1530, 800-667-0665.
• Missouri State University (Agency for Teaching, Leading and Learning)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgency for Teaching, Leading and Learning at Missouri State University provides Regional Professional Development Center services. Contact: 901 South National, Hill Hall 312, Springfield, MO 65897, 800-735-3702, 417-836-4090.
• Education Plus (St. Louis RPDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation Plus/St. Louis RPDC provides Regional Professional Development Center services for the St. Louis region. Contact: 1460 Craig Rd., St. Louis, MO 63146, 800-835-8282.
• University of Central Missouri (Central RPDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentral RPDC at University of Central Missouri provides Regional Professional Development Center services. Contact: 232 Foster Knox, Warrensburg, MO 64093, 800-762-4146.
• Child Care Aware of Missouri (CCAMO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCAMO is contracted by DESE to provide Early Childhood Resource and Referral services statewide, helping improve access to quality child care and support for families.
• NimblecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDESE expanded its partnership with Nimble to support Missouri schools in finding the best teachers for every classroom through the Missouri Educator Job Board platform.
• Community Training and Assistance Center (CTAC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCTAC collaborated with DESE to develop the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Playbook based on data gathered through three-year evaluation of approximately $40 million in grant programs.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Illinois State Board of Education: Illinois's state education authority administering K-12 funding, standards, and accountability — directly comparable in regulatory scope.
• California Department of Education: California's state education agency responsible for K-12 oversight, federal fund distribution, and educator certification — directly comparable in function and regulatory scope to Missouri DESE.
• New York State Education Department: New York's state education agency administering K-12 policy, assessment programs, and educator certification — directly comparable in regulatory scope and services.
• Florida Department of Education: Florida's state education agency overseeing public school districts, accountability, and educator certification — directly comparable in mandate.
• North Carolina Department of Public Instruction: North Carolina's state education agency overseeing K-12 accountability, educator preparation, and federal program administration — directly comparable in scope.
• Texas Education Agency: Texas's state education agency overseeing public K-12 schools, accreditation, and educator certification — directly comparable in mandate and operational scope.
• Georgia Department of Education: Georgia's state education agency responsible for K-12 policy, Title programs administration, and educator certification — directly comparable in function.
• Ohio Department of Education and Workforce: Ohio's state education agency overseeing public K-12 schools, educator licensing, and accountability systems — directly comparable in scope.
• Pennsylvania Department of Education: Pennsylvania's state education agency responsible for K-12 oversight, certification, and school funding — directly comparable in scope and function.

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Department of Education: Federal-level education authority that distributes Title funds and sets national policy framing under which DESE and other state agencies operate — broader incumbent relationship.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/MOEducation
• Facebookfacebook.com/MOEducation
• Instagraminstagram.com/moeducation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/state-of-missouri

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education