KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Will an early release day help improve test scores and performance in the Kansas City Public School District?
District leaders sent a survey to KCPS parents and asked for their opinions on early release days. The survey questions discussed after school care options available to parents.
The early release would allow students to leave 90 minutes early on Wednesdays. The teachers would stay behind for professional development.
Andrea Flinders is the president of the Kansas City Federation of Teachers. She said her union has been lobbying for early release days for teacher development for years.
"We think the consistency of weekly development will benefit the teachers and the students," said Flinders.
Flinders plans to meet with district leaders on Friday to iron out details before the idea is presented to the school board.
Meanwhile, Hannah Lofthus, the CEO and founder of the Ewing Marion Kauffman School, said their teachers have development days every Friday starting at 1:30 p.m.
"Teachers want to come to a place where they are treated as professionals and their craft is developed every single week," said Lofthus.
District leaders told 41 Action News the extended day plans are still in their infancy stages. They plan to present the idea to the school board in the coming weeks.
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