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A huge win for Kansas City Public Schools

Kansas City Public Schools has regained full accreditation after a decades-long struggle. But while the district is celebrating the news, Superintendent Mark Bedell says they "have a lot of work to do." Plus, workers providing care for people with intellectual and
developmental disabilities have been quitting in droves during the pandemic.

After 22 years, Kansas City Public Schools is fully accredited. In 2000, the district was the first in the nation to lose accreditation. Since then, students, staff and parents endured multiple leadership changes and a cycle of gaining and losing provisional accreditation. KCPS superintendent Mark Bedell spoke with KCUR's Steve Kraske about what it took to get the district back on track — and what accreditation means for KCPS families.

Plus, direct care workers, who care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, have been quitting in droves. In response, Missouri and Kansas service providers are working long hours, wait-listing care and consolidating services. KCUR reporter Jodi Fortino tells us what this exodus means in 2022.

Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR onTwitter andFacebook for the latest news.

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love with Trevor Grandin and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Lisa Rodriguez.

You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate

As a newscaster and a host of a daily news podcast, I want to deliver the most important and interesting news of the day in an engaging and easily understandable way. No matter where you live in the metro or what you’re interested in, I want you to learn something from each newscast or podcast – and maybe even give you something to talk about at the dinner table.
As an on-demand producer, I am focused on using my skills and experiences across multiple digital applications, platforms and media fields to create community focused audio, video and on-demand products for KCUR Studios. The media that I produce aims to inform, entertain and connect with the Kansas City metro area as we continue to learn from each other. Email me at byronlove@kcur.org.
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