KANSAS CITY, Mo. — On Wednesday, Kansas City Public Schools shared an update to the district's 10-year capital funding plan.
As part of the update, staff announced KCPS will pursue a general obligation (GO) bond, something the district hasn't had in nearly 60 years.
KCPS will pursue a GO bond on the April 8, 2025, ballot, asking taxpayers to fund a total of $474 million for the district.
The bond passage would require support from four out of seven voters.
For property owners with homes valued at $200,000, KCPS estimates the bond would cost them 64 cents per day.
Jordan Gordan, chief operating officer for KCPS, noted the bond would also include a portion for area charter schools.
"Even though we are not obligated by any statute, KCPS is wanting to share a proceed with charter schools as well to serve the entire community," said KCPS Deputy Superintendent Dr. Derald Davis. "It’s not only about uplifting our schools but also saying that in Kansas City, every student matters and their future is worth investing in."
KCPS Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Collier expressed a similar sentiment.
"We want to make sure that all of Kansas City children can benefit from this; we think that’s the right thing to do," she said. "The truth is that many of the children in this system matriculate back and forth between the charters and us. So, we have to think about how we make sure conditions are better for all of the children in our systems."
A KCPS spokesperson said on Thursday that the area charter schools could receive up to $50 million, totaling the bond ask at $474 million.
However, that amount is still being negotiated.
Before the GO bond is pursued, district officials said they will also ask their school board to approve a $100 million certificate of participation (COP) bond.
Similar to a home equity loan, a COP bond is a loan against KCPS' existing assets and is required to be paid back; it is not a tax increase and does not require a public vote.
Collier said the passage of a GO bond is required for students to do their best when learning. She also said it would help provide better outcomes.
"An investment in the children in this city is an investment in Kansas City; you can’t have a great city without having a great school district," she said. "If we want to improve outcomes, raise up citizens that are critical thinkers — are contributing to society and contribute to their communities and families — we are going to have to make an investment."
Collier also emphasized KCPS is the only school district in the Missouri region without a voter-approved bond.
"It is what our children need, our staff need and what they deserve," she said.
The superintendent said if the GO bond doesn’t pass, the district will face $650 million in unfunded building repairs and an additional $600 million needed to improve teaching and learning environments, totaling $1.25 billion in unfunded needs.
"It’s quite difficult, quite challenging to make any real impact without the dedicated funds," she said.
In a building condition assessment, KCPS said the district scored a 5.99 — the goal is to reach 8.0.
The district also conducted a learning environment assessment. The district scored 1.88 but has a goal to reach 3.2.
KCPS staff told KSHB 41's Megan Abundis the district will focus on three priorities — improve the learning environment and utilizing space, address deferred maintenance, and transition middle schools to a 6-8 grade level configuration.
Staff said the configuration and bond money would be used to add instructional spaces, outdoor spaces and other learning areas. Funds would also help fix the HVAC, physical structure, roof, electrical and water systems.
KCPS' COO said with the passage of a GO and COP bond, the first phase's total funding could look like $525 million.
School investment
KCPS staff said the investments will be spread across the district.
If the bond is passed, part of the Phase 1 investment plan includes allocating $64.2 million across 18 schools for improved learning environments and deferred maintenance, such as roofs, HVAC, building envelope, electrical and public repairs.
New construction for schools
When it comes to new construction, the bond would fund two new schools with an estimated price tag of $136 million.
"This is kind of my baby; this is something I’m extremely excited about," Collier said. "When we think about serving our families in a different way, we really want these two new buildings to be the hub of our communities, serving our families, staff and community."
Collier said when the Mary Harmon Weeks King site was shut down in 2015 due to building conditions, students were moved to a different school.
"That community was told at that time the move would be temporary and that we will demolish the building and build new, and that did not happen," she said. "So, we want to start with this project and keep that promise to the community."
KCPS has plans for a new King Empowerment Campus at 4301 Indiana Avenue.
The district said King Elementary, the pre-K Richardson Early Learning Center and special education services will be available in the new building.
Collier said plans include a dedicated wing on-site to provide the community access to wrap-around services.
"A food pantry, a clothing closet, a laundry mat where many of our homeless families and students could access — we’re also looking at a dental annex clinic, a site where students could get physicals," she said. "So as students and families come to school, they and other members of the community can access this empowerment site."
KCPS staff also shared the vision for the Woodland Empowerment Campus at 711 Woodland Avenue.
Collier said Whittier Elementary, Global Academy and Woodland Early Childhood Center — which have low building condition scores — will all be housed in this new building.
Major reinvestments in schools
KCPS has between $104-$135 million in estimated plans for major reinvestments that would cross four secondary schools.
Nicole Collier-White, chief communications officer for KCPS, said because Northeast and Central middle schools do not have sufficient capacity to accommodate all sixth graders, KCPS must open a third neighborhood middle school — South Middle School.
"We need to have a 6-8th grade configuration, and unfortunately, the middle schools that we currently have just won’t fit all the sixth graders that are coming out of the elementary schools, so we need to open up a third middle school site to accommodate those needs," Collier-White said.
KCPS is evaluating three options for South Middle School — renovating Southwest High School, a new build at Bingham Middle School or a potential middle school on the Southeast High School campus location.
The district said the site will be determined before November.
KCPS said the grade-level configuration would require renovations at Northeast and Central middle schools to accommodate incoming sixth graders.
High schools in the district could also see changes such as a new competition gym at East High School, pods replacement at Lincoln Prep High School and cafeteria relocation at Southeast High School.
"East High School is our largest enrolled, most diverse high school — we'd like to see a new competition gym," said Jordan Gordan, chief operating officer for KCPS.
Co-locations for schools
KCPS has $48.9 million in estimated plans for co-locations that would impact two secondary schools.
"The end goal is to ensure our students and staff are transitioning into a newer, greater, better-invested environment than they are currently in," Gordon said.
Gordon said KCPS is looking to merge Manual Career Technical Education (CTE) programs at a renovated Central High School site.
He explained the merge would improve building use and eliminate deferred maintenance at Manual.
KCPS said the second co-location move is planned for Success Academy at Anderson to move to a renovated Knotts Elementary School at 7301 Jackson Avenue.
A renovation would create separate spaces for the elementary and secondary programs, per the district.
School relocations
KCPS estimates $62.4 million will be used for relocations that would impact five schools.
Gordon explained this would move older schools with low building scores to renovated spaces.
The proposal includes:
- A relocation of Carver Dual Language Academy to a renovated KCMSA building that shares a campus with Paseo Academy;
- A relocation of AC Prep Academy to a renovated Satchel Paige, located at 3301 East 75th Street, for an African-centered curriculum;
- A relocation of Wheatley Elementary to a renovated J.A. Rogers Elementary and Wendel Phillips Elementary locations.
Collier said for some of the buildings, the district has plans to move out completely because of low building scores.
In the future, the district will finalize a plan of what to do with the empty buildings created through its re-purposing process.
Schools engagement
Collier said the bond proposal was shaped and formed around community engagement sessions.
In the last six months, she spoke with parents, families and community members, totaling 3,314 participants, to see what people wanted.
"We said, 'Tell us what’s happening in your building? What would make you excited to come to school every single day?'" Collier-White said. "We also went to teachers and asked about the learning environment in your classroom — 'Tell us what you need and what’s missing?'"
KCPS also used examples of area schools — showing before and after photos of districts using GO bond funds like Ottawa High School, Shawnee Mission Northwest High School, and Kearney Middle School.
The district said it will create a bond oversight committee so the community knows how and when the money is being spent.
KCPS is looking for members who would like to be involved.
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KSHB 41 reporter Megan Abundis covers Kansas City, Missouri, including neighborhoods in the southern part of the city. Share your story idea with Megan.