KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Public Schools board signed off on its Blueprint 2030 on Wednesday night, meaning students in two of its schools will need to find a new place to learn.
KCPS' original plan proposed closing or repurposing two high schools and eight elementary schools.
Among those included Central High School and Longfellow Elementary, but after several community meetings, the district went back to the drawing board.
Related: Longfellow Elementary parents react to KCPS Blueprint 2030 plan
On Jan. 11, the district released its revised plan, which no longer proposed Central High School. However, Longfellow and Troost elementary schools remained on the chopping block.
Though the district decided to move forward, it gave families more options about where they could send students as opposed to the previously planned assigned schools.
The district also said it would offer transition resources for families impacted by the closures, including open houses, school tours and pen pal programs.
Though school closures caught the eye of many, the impact of the plan stretches beyond that.
Notably, as part of the plan, the district will begin to propose a general obligation bond, which it hasn't successfully passed since 1967.
Also, the plan will next focus on student achievement.
This includes reading, math and writing strategies, music and college and career pathways, among others.
Dr. Jennifer Collier, interim superintendent for KCPS, says the plan makes a way forward for the district to be a premier choice.
“These are all academic experiences that allow students to accelerate in their learning," Collier said. "But also kids learning to develop their social emotion skills, lean into their innate strengths and abilities like in music or performance, places where they can gain confidence; a sense of belonging.”
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