Hickman Mills

Preliminary results from the April 7, 2026, elections in Hickman Mills, Independence and other districts saw some new candidates win seats, while incumbents returned for another term in others.

Hickman Mills, Independence and other school districts got the green light from voters to improve school buildings and pay off debt in the April 7 municipal election. Some passed measures that will let them pay teachers and staff more.

The Hickman Mills School District is trying to help fill its budget shortfall by asking voters to approve a $20 million bond and free up more money for operating expenses like teacher pay, staff benefits and more.

The Hickman Mills School District is trying to help fill its budget shortfall by asking voters to approve a $20 general obligation bond, and allow it to shift 30 cents of the district’s debt service levy into the operating levy. Voters will decide both questions in the April 7 election.

On April 7, voters around Kansas City, Missouri, will decide a number of critical local issues in their communities. That includes multiple school board races, whether to renew Kansas City’s earnings tax, who will lead Independence, and more.

Missouri lawmakers argue that state education officials must make it easier for families to understand students' academic performance. Educators believe it disproportionately punishes districts serving socioeconomically disadvantaged students.

As a state audit continues, the Hickman Mills School District is approving cuts and restructuring to improve its financial sustainability by the end of the 2027 school year.

The Missouri State Board of Education voted to retain provisional accreditation for Hickman Mills School District. It also voted to receive more reporting on lower-performing districts such as Center and Grandview in the Kansas City area.

Kim Sixta, a social studies teacher at Ruskin High School in the Hickman Mills School District, was named Missouri's 2026 Teacher of the Year. She's the busiest person her students know, but they say she makes time for them all.

The student at Ingels Elementary School in south Kansas City was on her bicycle in a marked crosswalk and had a green signal when she was fatally struck by a vehicle, according to the Kansas City Police Department.

Missouri Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick said the investigation his office started in March into the Hickman Mills School District prompted a full audit. The investigation began after a whistleblower complaint about the potential misuse of school funds.

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.