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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Instead of getting financial advice from social media, students at Winnetonka High School take charge of a real-life credit union. They learn how to manage money, open accounts and make transactions without leaving campus.
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Parents around the Kansas City area said it's a challenge finding early education programs that fit their budget, schedules and children's needs.
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Missouri has approved three recovery high schools to open in Kansas City, St. Louis and Cape Girardeau. The schools will help support students with their recovery from substance use while they earn their high school degree.
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Operation Breakthrough in Kansas City was waiting on $400,000 in federal subsidies. Educators say the freeze put smaller child care providers in a "heartbreaking" situation.
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Kansas City and other World Cup host cities are eagerly waiting to learn where teams will set up their base camps for the 2026 tournament. The locations would serve as a place where teams can practice and train.
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As 2025 nears its end, we’re catching up on the biggest stories we reported this year. It was a hard year for federal workers in Kansas City, who weathered mass layoffs and the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. Hear how that impacted workers' jobs and mental health.
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A group of Kansas City parents is calling on lawmakers to protect the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act amid changes to education at the federal level.
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The King Empowerment Center will include a new elementary school, an early childhood center and community services like a food pantry, clothing closet and mini laundromat when it opens in 2027.
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La organización Latinx Education Collaborative afirmó que en el 2019 solo el 1% de los educadores del área de Kansas City eran latinos. Un nuevo informe reveló que esa proporción casi se triplicó el año pasado escolar, pero la organización afirma que aún queda mucho por hacer.
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The Latinx Education Collaborative said just 1% of educators in the Kansas City area were Latino in 2019. A new report found that share nearly tripled last school year, but the organization says there's more work to be done.