public education

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.

Decades of disinvestment have left Kansas City Public Schools buildings in rough condition, but on April 8, Kansas City voters will decide the fate of a bond that could bring some much-needed fixes. It's been six decades since the city last passed a school bond measure. How did we end up in this critical moment?

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.

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.

Kansas Education Commissioner Randy Watson urged districts to cancel breaks or extend the school year to make up for snow days. He is also proposing half-day summer school for young students who are struggling in reading and math.

This year’s supplemental budget includes money for services for developmentally disabled people and avian flu response, among other programs. The budget also has about $300 million for public education.

Unofficial results updated Wednesday by the Sedgwick County election office show bond issue opponents leading by just less than 300 votes, with potentially up to 4,000 mail and provisional ballots still to be counted.

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.

Arts programs are among the first to be trimmed by Missouri school districts, especially after the COVID pandemic. But arts educators are trying to turn the tide in arts education disinvestment.

The Independence School District transitioned to a four-day week with the hope to attract and retain more teachers. Applications skyrocketed after it made the switch, but a new Missouri law may do away with the shortened schedule.

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.