KSHB 41 reporter Megan Abundis covers Kansas City, Missouri, including neighborhoods in the southern part of the city. Share your story idea with Megan.
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The Kansas City Public Schools district will ask voters to approve a general obligation bond next spring, and some parents are on board.
KCPS Chief Operating Officer Jordan Gordon explained why the district needs the funding.
"We are sitting in front of a whopping $1.2 billion total needs," Gordon said.
Gordon said the district found more than $650 million is needed for building repairs and another $600 million in learning environment needs.
KCPS hasn't successfully passed a GO bond in nearly 60 years.
They'll ask taxpayers to pass a $474 million GO bond on the April 2025 ballot to improve learning environments, provide a path for financial sustainability, and make stronger schools and neighborhoods.
A KCPS spokesperson shared on Thursday that area charter schools could receive up to $50 million.
The district shared the exact list of renovations and modifications that would happen if it were to pass.
KCPS laid out a plan for some new schools, renovated spaces, moving schools, and major repairs.
The ideas came from feedback from more than 3,000 people made up of community members parents and staff.
KSHB 41's Megan Abundis spoke with district leaders who are sharing their message with the community on the importance of the bond and investing in the futures of students.
She also spoke with a parent who’s been a part of the district for years, during high and low times.
"It is what our children need, our staff need, and what they deserve," KCPS Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Collier said.
Collier said a GO bond passage is required for students to do their best learning and provide better outcomes.
"We want to level the playing field; we want our kids to know they are important and worthy — that they have the same learning spaces compared to the children they see each and every other day," Collier said.
That importance comes with a price tag of $424 million dollars in Phase 1 of KCPS' plan.
"My initial reaction is, 'Wow, that’s a lot of money,' but I know it’s so needed to upgrade our schools; they need safe buildings to learn in," said Kaci Darnell, a KCPS parent.
Safety is Darnell’s focus as she has two boys in KCPS.
One of them went to Longfellow Elementary School before it was shut down.
Darnell recalls an incident when several students and children were hospitalized after a carbon monoxide leak at the school.
"When I got that phone call that said that my kid had been exposed to carbon monoxide, I was thinking the worst, so being able to have that peace of mind of a safe building would be a tremendous relief as a parent," Darnell said.
If a bond passes, the district will focus on three areas:
- Improving the learning environment by adding new spaces and buildings, which involves some location changes;
- Addressing maintenance repairs like HVAC, roof, and plumbing;
- Transitioning middle schools to a sixth through eighth-grade level format
"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," KCPS Chief Communications & Community Engagement Officer Dr. Nicole Collier-White said.
For Darnell, investment in the district makes sense.
“All of our children deserve to have the best learning environment — this is our literal future," she said. "People who would be running the city and world, why wouldn't we give them every tool that we can? I think it would be amazing to be in a setting where everything is new. I think the learning outcomes would be a lot better, especially for my student who struggles with some things."
A bond passage could mean big changes for a long-term lesson plan.
"It is surprising that this is something that has not been addressed earlier, considering how important this is," Darnell said.
Collier said the GO bond would be more than just investing into the district.
"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," Collier 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."
For a full list of locations, and potentially impacted schools visit this link.
KSHB 41 reached out to the Kansas City Federation of Teachers and School-Related Personnel, Local 691, a local teacher's union, for comment on the district's proposal.
"The AFT 691 executive board has not yet taken an official stance on the passing of the bond. While we believe that the need for this bond as long overdue, we have significant concerns," the statement read. "Our priority is to ensure that any bond funds are used to directly benefit our students, school based staff and the schools they serve. If KCPS can make clear commitments to reducing managerial staff at the district level and prioritize investments in our schools, staff, and students, we believe that a path forward can be found that serves the best interest of both the district and the community. We remain open to further discussions and will continue to advocate for decisions that truly benefit our students and educators."
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