Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools Board of Education (March 24, 2026)

By Drew Arends, Kansas City Documenter

These notes were produced through Kansas City Documenters, which trains and pays community members to take fact-checked notes at public meetings, strengthening transparency and accountability in local government.

Summary

• Curriculum and student performance were the main topics. Board members listened to curriculum updates and voted on the curriculum. 
• Disagreement and confusion arose after the curriculum updates. The disagreement was about what expectations the board should set of its staff and students. The confusion was about how to best communicate the expectations to the community and the general public. 
• Board member Valdenia Winn issued a statement regarding a comment she had made at the Feb. 24 board meeting. The comment resulted in claims of her being racist, which she denied. 

Notes

• Meeting Attendance
  • Randy Lopez, president 
  • Wanda Brownlee Paige, vice president  
  • Anna Stubblefield, superintendent 
  • Robert Milan Jr., board member  
  • Pamela Penn-Hicks, board member
  • Joycelyn Strickland-Egans, board member
  • Yolanda Clark, board member
  • Valdenia Winn, board member

1. Welcome

1. Call to Order – Randy Lopez, president
   1. Board Norms and Protocols
      1. Lopez said a recent retreat had highlighted concerns from the community and the staff. He said of the board: “What we say publicly is heard and can cause harm. … Words and how we use them do have a real impact. … We are committed to leading by example.” 
2. Roll Call
   1. All board members were present. 
3. Approval of the Regular Agenda
   1. Motion was made to approve the regular agenda as presented, seconded and passed unanimously.  

2. Recognitions and Awards

1. Administrator of the Month
   1. Beth Foss, director of Parents as Teachers of the central office; Geri Cunningham, principal of Whittier Elementary; Sharon Walker, principal of Camber Academy; and LeBaron Baptista II, assistant principal of Sumner Academy, were all recognized. 
2. Employee of the Month
   1. Brianna Conour, occupational therapist of the central office, and Heriberta Martinez, custodian at the Kansas City, Kansas ,Early Childhood Center, were recognized. 
3. Early Childhood Student of the Month (Legacy Vereen of Frank Rushton Elementary) by Sarah Lucero
4. Elementary Student of the Month (Charlestan Littlejohn of Frances Willard Elementary) by Lucero
5. Middle School Student of the Month (Karla Falcon of Carl B. Bruce Middle School) by Lucero
6. High School Student of the Month (Donovan Richardson of Sumner Academy of Arts and Science) by Lucero
7. 2025-26 Winter Activities All-State Recognition  (FINAL – 2025-26 Winter BOE All-State Recognition Presentation.pdf)

3. Community Comment

1. Community Comment Policy
   1. Public Participation at Board Meetings
2. Dominick DeRosa – Introduction of New Officers for Kansas National Education Association of Kansas City, Kansas
   1. Leanne Richardson, president 
   2. Maya Ham, vice president of certified staff
   3. Avery Jackson, vice president of classified staff
3. Louise Lynch – Overall concerns
   1. Not present in-person 

4. Executive Session

1. Adjourned regular session to start executive session. 

5. Consent Agenda

1. Approval of the consent agenda
   1. A motion to approve the consent items as presented was passed, but then was revoked because of a follow-up motion to pass the consent agenda without Item I. This motion was passed. 
2. 031926_Payment of Bills.pdf
3. 031926_Payment of Bills_Library.pdf
4. Approval of Human Resources Report and Recommendations
5. Out of District Travel PD Travel 3_24.pdf and Student Travel 3_24.pdf
6. KCKPS Monthly Grant Report 2026 and February 2026 Grant Report.pdf
7. Public Library Human Resources Report and Operations Recommendations
8. Spanish Curriculum Materials for 3rd Grade Dual Language;; Q-632157 Kansas City PSD Caminos G3.pdf; New – Kansas City – Espanol – 1 yr..df; 25_26 Imagine Espanol.pdf; 25_26 Caminos 2nd grade.pdf
9. Approval of the purchase of Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) consumables (student materials for grades K-5); 2026 Amplify CKLA Consumables Renewal.pdf; 2022_2028 Contract for Amplify CKLA.pdf
   1. Motion to set aside. 
   2. Pamela Penn-Hicks chose to abstain from the vote on this item because, she said, she wanted to review the curriculum and was “warmly received by the curriculum team,” but the opportunity to review the curriculum was never presented.
      1. Brownlee Paige argued that better decisions could be made about approving curriculum if data were provided on the curriculum’s positive and negative effects or both. 
      2. Superintendent Anna Stubblefield clarified that Item I was different from what had been presented at the previous board meeting and that while that didn’t negate Brownlee Paige’s concerns of having been unable to review the curriculum, data would be provided to give Brownlee Paige, the board and the community information about the curriculum’s effectiveness. 
10. Bonner Springs- Head Start Delegate Year 3 Contract Approval ; 3 Year Head Start Contract with USD 204 – Year 3 April 2026-March 2027 – KCKPS .docx ; 2 Year Head Start Contract with USD 204 – Year 2 April 2025-March 2026 – KCKPS .docx
11. HMH – ILC Materials Cost Proposal for Kansas City Kansas USD 500 SCH 2192026 Read 180 with Language Launch, Math 180 1YR Renewal CP.pdf ; 2025 HMH Contract.pdf
12. Solution Tree (M.E. Pearson) 03-31-04-28-05-21-2026-Dickson-KansasCityKansasPS-M.E.PearsonES-PAandHC.pdf; 2023-2024-Summer 2024 -KansasCityPS-PA rev1 (2).pdf
13. Approval of the purchase of i-Ready consumables & digital (K-5) ; 2026 Curriculum Associates i-Ready Consumables & Digital Renewal.pdf ; 2024_2030 Contract for Curriculum Associates i-Ready.pdf
14. Data Center Refresh (technology upgrades)
15. Crisis Prevention Institute Training; CPI Training Agmt 2026.pdf
16. Regular Meeting Agenda – Current – Feb 24 2026 – Minutes – Html 
17. Board Retreat Agenda – Mar 13 2026 – Minutes – Html

6. Board Updates and Approvals

1. Secondary English Language Arts Tier 1 Materials;  Secondary English Language Arts Tier 1 Materials Adoption (1).pdf; Amplify Tier 1 and PD quote Final.pdf ; Amplify ELD Quote Final.pdf; CommonLit360 Tier 1 Quote Final.pdf
   1. That the Kansas City, Kansas Board of Education approve the recommended purchase of secondary English language arts materials.
      1. Discussion and Question
         1. Penn-Hicks said she was abstaining because she had been unable to review the curriculum. 
      2. Vote
         1. Everyone else voted yes. 

2. Findings and Recommendation of the Evaluation Committee and Approve Sapp Design Architects as the Architectural Services Provider for Renovation of Parker Elementary and New Public Library
   1. That the Kansas City, Kansas Board of Education accept the recommendation of the Evaluation Committee and approve Sapp Design Architects.
      1. Discussion and Questions
         1. None 
      2. Vote
         1. Unanimous approval. 
      3. Lopez thanked the committee and Sapp Design Architects for the work and congratulated them on this motion passing. 

7. New Business

1. New and Used School Bus Purchase
   1. Discussion and Questions
      1. Brownlee Paige said this needed to be reviewed due to financial pressures.
         1. Lopez said the next Finance Committee meeting would include discussion of next year’s full district budget, so he recommended Brownlee Paige ask about it then. 
         2. Lopez encouraged all board members to submit questions to Dawn Downing, senior office administrator to the superintendent. 

8. Board Reports

1. Second-quarter Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) Implementation and Outcome Updates
   1. Denita Fernanda Flores presented. She said the district’s “north star” of preparing students for graduation had improved. Flores said the district aimed to improve quality instruction. 
   2. The acronym LIFT (Learning Implementation Focus Tool) is “not used to grade teachers” but to convey where staff needs support. 
   3. The 2026 goal is to reduce by 3% the number of students who are scoring low. 
2. Second Quarter KESA Implementation and Outcome Updates March 24, 2026.pdf
   1. Matthew Moore, district program evaluator, said schools that have followed Fastbridge program requirements have a higher number of students performing well. The rates can change based on grade level, as elementary school proficiency varies from upper grade levels, but Fastbridge and the outcomes of LIFT have resulted in students’ gradual, consistent growth. 
   2. Flores said they were not asking for “perfect instruction” but consistently “good instruction.”
3. Questions and Comments from board
   1. Lopez said that the terminology had changed over the years but that he had noticed improvements of metrics including “scaling” and “sustaining.” 
   2. Brownlee Paige asked whether the goal of the “one student” advancing from the Level 1 category per classroom was supposed to be 11, as she was told previously. If so, she said, it wasn’t reflected in today’s presentation, and if not, their expectations were too low. She then said many students were in Level 1 or 2 categories, which she said concerned her. She asked how to tie the KESA implementation to these numbers and how they compared to state numbers. She requested that they “help me understand so I can explain it to the community.”
      1. Stubblefield clarified, noting that Brownlee Paige had been told of the one student/11 student metric but that it actually meant that moving one student per classroom out of Level 1 was equal to 11% of the student population. On the topic of KESA and how it could help KCKPS’ state numbers, she said KESA offered more specific, frequent updates on student performance rather than annual reports. 
      2. Flores said the goal was to move every single student and not only one. The figurative language in moving one student is to show to teachers that these goals are achievable. By breaking it down, exceeding the metrics can be better achieved.
         1. Brownlee Paige said if one should be 11%, then it ought to be stated. She heard what the “bite-sized approach”  was but said that higher expectations should be more clearly written. 
   3. Penn-Hicks said that in the “Principal’s Building Assessment,” with “critical element 1,” there were significant decreases in student proficiency due to factors beyond the board’s control, such as mental health, poverty and more. She then asked whether there was a correlation between KESA and higher expectations.
      1. Flores said they were not asking principals to enter data for other critical areas but were focusing only on critical element 2. The data provided for the other areas is only a fraction, as it was undertaken by principals who made an initial foray into critical element 1. Schools are not to be held accountable for factors beyond the board’s control. 
   4. Penn-Hicks asked how the 2026 goal helped achieve their 2031 goal given that the majority of students were performing in Level 1. She said that one student per classroom per year wouldn’t be enough to meet the district’s goals and that more work was needed. She then asked what the definition of “fidelity” was as it was presented in the KESA report.
      1. Flores said, “That it is viewable consistently and that it is being executed on a consistent basis.”
         1. Penn-Hicks said the current KESA metric aimed too low. “I’m not seeing the numbers add up,” and  the district should have higher expectations in this process. 
      2. Stubblefield said that the one to 11% made sense but that there ought to be a better way of explaining this. Over the course of five years, no one would be in Level 1 or 2. It’s one student per classroom every year to begin with because it’s manageable. “There are things out of our control … but we do want to outperform or match state levels.” She concluded by saying the board should reconsider this conversation. “We’ll go back and reflect in order to better inform on the gap of understanding.”
      3. Lopez said the board needed to figure out how “we share the story differently” so it could be better communicated to the general public. 

9. Board Policy

1. Accept for Second Read – KCKPL Confidentiality of Records Policy.docx
   1. Passed and moved for the third and final read for the next meeting. 

10. Communications 

1. Superintendent Stubblefield
   1. She acknowledged Women’s History Month and expressed appreciation for women who supported the district. She announced a  special-education webinar on Thursday from 1 to 2:30 p.m. and from 6 to 8 p.m., as posted on KCKPS social media. She praised the Washington High School basketball team for having made it to quarterfinals. Kindergarten registration has begun, and parents are encouraged to register by June 15. She congratulated two students who had received scholarships. 
2. President Lopez
   1. He congratulated Flores as a “Yes, She Can” recipient. Mobile mammograms will be coming to KCKPS on April 8, April 21 and April 27. He praised KCK health services for hosting a third annual community roundtable next Thursday morning. He mentioned the dual-language future-teacher mixer. On March 13, he joined an “Empowering Educators” panel on board policy. He acknowledged the new food pantry that recently opened. He mentioned the April 23 “Empowering Future Excellence” summit and encouraged those interested in helping with the summit to do so.  
3. Board Commentary
   1. Milan acknowledged the Academic Committee and the work being done to improve parent relationships with students to improve academics in the district. 
   2. Brownlee Paige encouraged involving more parents. “You want your kids to have the best … and some people just need the help.” The next date will be changed and made known. 
   3. Winn also expressed compliments and then started a public apology.
      1. At the February 24, 2026, meeting, she asked Flores to clarify her answer to a question Winn had asked Flores. Winn said, “Could you speak English, break it down for the common person? … Not to say you don’t speak English; that didn’t come out right.” Winn then said at Tuesday’s meeting that she had misspoken and apologized for it. Some had called the comment racist. She said she fought for every person and every culture and fought racism. She cited examples.
   4. Strickland-Egans said the Washington High School basketball quarterfinal was a thrill to attend, as was a “Shark Tank” pitch event where students proposed unique innovations. Metropolitan Leadership Institute is offering scholarships, she said. 
   5. Clark reiterated the promotion of the special-education event. 
   6. Lopez promoted the KCKPS scholarship foundation. 
   7. Penn-Hicks said Notre Dame was giving scholarships. 

11. Executive Session

1. Motion to enter executive session passed unanimously. 

12. Adjournment

1. Adjourn Meeting

Observations & Follow-Up Questions

• Of the two requests for public comment, only one person spoke. Why wasn’t Louise Lynch able to speak? Does one have to attend in person to air public comments? There were no Zoom/call-in features, only a livestream. Furthermore, Lopez’s initial comments were vague as to what the community’s concerns were, though Winn’s statement at the end of the meeting was likely related. 
• If curriculum isn’t being presented thoroughly to the board, then how can they best advocate for the community? Moreover, how can the district better communicate their efforts to improve student performance via the curriculum, given the issues raised in today’s meeting? 
• What are the ramifications of Winn’s comments in the KCKPS community? What greater conversations might they inspire regarding the representation and makeup of the KCKPS board?

Read more about this meeting and see all Kansas City Documenters notes here.