Rebuilding Kansas City's relationship with its public schools

By Jodi Fortino,

Mackenzie Martin

Published March 27, 2025 at 3:00 AM CDT

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Kansas City is asking voters to buy into its public school system for the first time in nearly 60 years. Even after Kansas City Public Schools regained accreditation and turned around student performance, its crumbling buildings offer a persistent reminder of the city’s disinvestment and distrust — a relationship strained by decades of racism, a history-making desegregation case, and plenty of internal turmoil.

KCUR’s Jodi Fortino explains how the city and its schools got to this critical point.

This episode of A People's History of Kansas City was reported by Jodi Fortino and produced and mixed by Mackenzie Martin, with editing by Gabe Rosenberg and Madeline Fox.

A People's History of Kansas City

Jodi Fortino

As 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.

See stories by Jodi Fortino

Mackenzie Martin

As senior podcast producer for KCUR Studios and a host of A People’s History of Kansas City, I interview everyday people and dig through old newspaper articles to unearth stories of the visionaries and renegades who created this region. I focus on bringing the past to life, so we can all better understand the city we live in today. Email me at mackenzie@kcur.org.

See stories by Mackenzie Martin

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