charter schools

Voters overwhelmingly approved the measure that will provide nine charter schools and traditional Kansas City Public Schools campuses with nearly $500 million to address longstanding maintenance needs and improve learning environments.

Kansas City Public Schools will ask voters on April 8 to approve $474 million in higher property taxes to help the district update classrooms, build new schools and address long-standing maintenance needs. In order to pass the bond measure, the district will have to convince 57% of voters to sign off.

Kansas City is asking voters to buy into its public school system for the first time in nearly 60 years. Even after Kansas City Public Schools regained accreditation and turned the tide of student performance, crumbling buildings offer a persistent reminder of the city's disinvestment. It's a relationship strained by decades of racism, a history-making desegregation case and plenty of internal turmoil.

The bond plan calls for building new elementary schools, major renovations and reopening Southwest High School as a middle school. Kansas City voters have not passed a bond for KCPS since the 1960s, and the district has been left with more than $600 million worth of repair needs.

The Missouri Charter Public School Commission voted not to renew Genesis School's charter for another five years. The charter school has long served students in Kansas City who struggle academically.

Dean Johnson, who also co-founded Crossroad Charter Schools in Kansas City, said that Quality Schools Coalition was forced to shutter after four years when a top donor declined to renew their funding.

Bills largely split by partisan divides seek to expand or modify charter school operation in Missouri

The district scored higher than 70% on its state performance report, but Missouri wants more data before it changes accreditation.

Officials have refined the details of how the school district would spend a $474 million bond that Jackson County voters will decide on in April. It would be the first time since 1967 that Kansas City’s school district would get tax revenue for building improvements and new construction.

Of the $474 million bond on April's ballot, up to $50 million in funding would go to participating charter schools to address facility needs. The charters' agreements with the district will go before the KCPS board on November 20.

Missouri State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick says he'll only investigate the state's charter schools — which are all in Kansas City or St. Louis — if formal complaints show “specific problems. Union leaders sent a letter to the auditor's office in August.

Kansas City Public Schools hasn’t passed a bond measure since 1967, and hopes to win over enough voters between now and April to change its luck with feedback from students, staff and the community. The district is asking for $474 million to address deferred maintenance and update school buildings.