Newly promoted Superintendent Dennis Carpenter is leading the Hickman Mills School District as it faces a $14 million budget deficit.
Carpenter said the cause of the shortfall is still unclear, and he hopes an ongoing state audit will provide answers. The school board has already begun approving cuts and changes, hoping to largely resolve the deficit by the end of the 2027 school year.
“This board of education cares deeply about this school district,” Carpenter told KCUR’s Up to Date. “They understand the district must be in a better position financially, and it must have a lifeline into the future. If not, that's a tough situation for South Kansas City. The board will not rest until we have something that's sustainable, and that's the journey we are on.”
Among the approved changes is the closure of Truman Elementary School. Students will move to Alvin Brooks Elementary School, where Carpenter said class sizes will be maintained as additional teachers and staff move as well.
- Superintendent Dennis Carpenter, Hickman Mills School District
