Studies show that students of color and students with disabilities are suspended and referred to police more often than their peers in schools across Missouri. This disproportionate rate of discipline can disrupt their education and push these students into the criminal justice system. A new Missouri grant aims to help change the process. The Missouri […]
How a Missouri council is looking to combat the school-to-prison pipeline for students with disabilities
Posted inEducation
“I’ve spent $5,000 on my classroom in a year”: Wichita group steps up to fight out-of-pocket costs for teachers
“Teachers have been expected to give and give and give to our students,” Fortier said. “And we are told we should do it for the kids because we love the kids. We shouldn’t worry about the paycheck or the overtime or the time spent away from our own families and kids.”
Posted inElections, Local Government
Who are the candidates running for chairperson of the Johnson County Commission?
Johnson County’s elected leaders oversee a budget of $1.45 billion and set the direction for a sprawling county of more than 600,000 residents and growing. Governance is vested in the seven-member Johnson County Commission. Six members are elected from districts. The seventh member, the chairperson, is elected to represent the entire county and thus holds […]
Posted inEnvironment
Climate change, habitat loss — local groups are helping birds survive these threats
When Mary Nemecek learned a group of Arctic birds weren’t able to breed because warm weather never arrived in Greenland, she wondered if she would ever see a dunlin, a kind of Arctic shorebird, again. “I feel like we’re sitting on a precipice where there are some of these species that are fragile, and they’re […]
Posted inCivic Engagement, Elections, State Government
How to become a poll worker for the upcoming Missouri elections
With the August primary election weeks away and November fast approaching, election authorities around the Kansas City metro are recruiting poll workers who can help run precincts. Workers are needed for a variety of paid positions on election day. One day of training ahead of the election is required. Poll workers get paid different rates […]
Posted inEducation
Independence parent says book removal sends message that ‘my kid is not welcome’
District parent Wendy Baird thinks “Cats vs. Robots” might have disappeared from Independence School District libraries without fanfare had she not attended the board’s June 14 meeting.
Posted inCivic Engagement, Elections, Kansas State Government, Local Government
Voting in the Kansas primary? Here’s what to expect when casting your ballot
The Kansas primary election is on Aug. 2, but voters don’t have to wait that long to vote. Whether you vote on election day, by mail, or early in person, The Beacon has created a guide to help you prepare for the Kansas primary. How do I check my voter registration information? When do I […]
Posted inElections, Local Government
These four Johnson County elections will decide who oversees a $1.45 billion budget
This November, voters in the Johnson County election will elect four candidates to the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners, which oversees a budget of $1.45 billion and about 30 county departments, ranging from emergency services to public transit. Though county elections draw fewer voters to the polls than high-profile national and state races, county […]
Posted inEconomics, Labor
KC Goes Tech provides training — and earning potential — to the people
In Kansas City and across the country, there aren’t enough workers to fill middle-skills jobs, which require at least a high school diploma but not a four-year degree. According to the latest data available from the National Skills Coalition, in 2018, 52% of U.S. jobs require skills training beyond high school. But only 43% of […]
Posted inEducation
How Wichita school safety plans address intruders
“Not too long ago we had the local police come in and train teachers,” said Nathan Washer, head of Wichita Collegiate School. “They were shown how to use whatever they could find to keep someone away from their students.”