back to school

Central High students were eating more than school lunch with their first-day outfits. Fashion trends are constantly cycling, but these kids say there’s one easy way to never be out of style: “Just be you.”

On Monday, Aug. 10, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that aims to cut the number of routine immunizations for American children. Only states can require vaccinations for children to enter school or day care. But many health experts pushed back, saying the order would not make children's lives safer and further erodes vaccine trust for parents.

Independence's superintendent said the district still needs to hire two elementary teachers, while Kansas City Public Schools has around 13 vacancies in "core content areas." Improving literacy and math comprehension remain top priorities.

Foster children moving to new homes might mean a new school district. That means education records, course credits and other information need to be transferred to a new school. That can delay enrollment.

Central High students were ready to learn — and serve style — with their first-day-of-school fits. The key to a perfect look? Students said it’s “being yourself.”

Educators at Silver City Elementary School want to improve student attendance after the COVID-19 pandemic drove up chronic absenteeism. They said making sure students are "seen and loved on" is a big way to motivate them to show up.

The growth in the number of students learning English is one of several ways the district is becoming more diverse.

The tax-free holiday weekend in Missouri, which runs August 1-3, is scheduled during the prime time for back-to-school shopping. But you don’t have to be a student, parent or teacher to benefit from tax-free clothing, computers and more.

School districts in the Kansas City area are holding hiring fairs and offering incentives for hard-to-fill roles before students head back to school next month.

Students across Kansas and Missouri have not been in school since Dec. 21, as road conditions and cold made it too risky to return to classrooms after winter break. They're pitching in to shovel, building snow forts and, in some cases, running out of indoor activities.

Kansas City Public Schools has racked up $650 million in deferred maintenance. In April, the district is hoping voters will approve a more than $400 million bond to address the issue, something that hasn't happened since 1967.

Summer break has come to an end, and students and staff have made their way back into classrooms across the Kansas City metro. Superintendents from both sides of the state line joined KCUR's Up To Date to discuss how they're addressing mental health challenges and cellphones in schools.