The biggest education stories of 2023

By Savannah Hawley-Bates,

Published December 28, 2023 at 4:00 AM CST

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Schools are still struggling to raise attendance rates and student performance to where they were before the COVID-19 pandemic. Plus, school districts are preparing for a new law in Kansas that allows students to transfer to schools outside the district where they live.

More than two years after returning to in-person instruction, Kansas City schools are still being impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, school lunch debt in Kansas climbed to over $23 million and almost one-fourth of Missouri students are considered chronically absentee.

KCUR's Nomin Ujiyediin and Jodi Fortino discuss the biggest issues facing schools in the region.

A new law that goes into effect in January allows Kansas students to transfer to schools outside the district where they live, as long as there is space available. But open enrollment won’t be simple, and it doesn’t come with guarantees.

Suzanne Perez with the Kansas News Service shares how Kansas districts are preparing for the shift.

Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news.

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Anna Schmidt and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Lisa Rodriguez.

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