It was changed to The Missouri Educator for a few years. These publications were the forerunners of School and Community magazine, which became a monthly periodical in 1920 and is still being published today. The association was divided into four auxiliary associations in 1878 and eight territorial divisions in 1917. Today, MSTA encompasses 12 regions. Each region has a governing body and elects members to the state Executive Board.
Representation is proportional to membership.
1900 was the year that the organization became incorporated and underwent a name change to become known as the Missouri State Teachers Association. MSTA has had many important successes in the Missouri Legislature. Victories include a minimum school term, compulsory school attendance, state board of education, child labor laws, free textbooks, school consolidation, equal educational opportunities for all children, transportation for students, the teacher retirement system, school bus safety laws, the school foundation program, a code of professional ethics, and a revised Missouri Constitution that included sections on education and taxation, especially school levies. In its efforts to protect the interests of education and educators through the years, MSTA has participated in many court cases. Suits were initiated concerning diversion of state taxes, reduction of state school funds, securing a share of insurance fines, the governor's veto of school appropriations, discipline of students by teachers, constitutionality of a majority vote, and constitutionality of the state cigarette tax.