Jodi Fortino
Education ReporterAs KCUR’s education reporter, I cover how the economy, housing and school funding shape kids' education. I’ll meet teachers, students and their families where they are — late night board meetings, in the classroom or in their homes — to break down the big decisions and cover what matters most to you. You can reach me at jodifortino@kcur.org.
I'm a graduate of the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
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School districts in the Kansas City area are holding hiring fairs and offering incentives for hard-to-fill roles before students head back to school next month. -
Schools in the Kansas City area and across the country have already earmarked the nearly $7 billion of federal grants to programs supporting teacher training, before- and after- school programs, and English language learners and immigrant students. -
An Overland Park high schooler traveled to Washington, D.C., to advocate for cancer research funding after the Trump administration proposed slashing the National Institutes of Health budget. -
The annual child wellness report Kids Count found child poverty has improved in Kansas and Missouri compared to the years before the pandemic. But federal budget cuts could threaten access to food and health assistance for families in need. -
A new report shows Missouri's teacher retention slightly improved after the pandemic drove more educators out of the field, but is still at record highs. -
A fifth grader from Lee's Summit is one of 243 competitors in this year's Scripps National Spelling Bee. She's been studying every day — even through recess — to learn hundreds of words. -
Summer break can be difficult for students who rely on schools for free meals, mental health services and other support. Kansas City area schools are trying to bridge that gap. -
Johnson County school district leaders worry a federal school voucher program would divert much-need funding from the public school system. -
A new $1 million exhibit at Science City was inspired by students from Delta Woods Middle School. The group won the Burns & McDonnell Battle of the Brains last year and has been working with engineers since then to bring their ideas to life, including a laser maze. -
School nutrition teams worry their jobs could get harder as the Trump administration floats budget cuts that could gut their ability to offer free meals, even as they face rising prices for already-costly food and equipment.
