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Taylor Swift gets engaged, plus more Kansas City news

An illustration showing the Kansas City skyline with the words "Kansas City Today"

Frequent Kansas City visitor Taylor Swift is entering her engagement era to Chiefs tight end and fellow podcaster Travis Kelce. Plus: We'll hear about how the four-day school week is working in Missouri and other Midwest states, while some Kansas families are going back to the one-room schoolhouse.

As school starts up in the Midwest, many students are returning to a new schedule — with more districts in Missouri and Kansas opting for a four-day school week. District leaders say they see benefits like improved teacher recruitment and better student behavior. But some research warns there could be academic losses over time. The Midwest Newsroom’s Nicole Grundmeier reports.

There’s a growing trend in education, and you might say it’s a step back in time. More Kansas families are leaving traditional public or private schools and opting instead for "microschools," which serve small groups of students in a one-room-schoolhouse format. Suzanne Perez of the Kansas News Service looks at how one Wichita microschool is expanding and gaining national attention.

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

Kansas City Today is hosted by Madeline Fox. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Emily Younker and Gabe Rosenberg.

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

The vibrant, diverse Kansas City metro is trying to make its mark on the global stage. As KCUR’s interim news director, I strive to bring you stories — wherever you usually find them — that help you stay informed, better know your home and reflect the joy of being in your community. Email me at madeline@kcur.org.
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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