Kansas City Public Schools: Board Budget Workshop (May 6, 2026)

Documenter name: Connye Griffin

See more about this meeting at Documenters.org 

Summary

• The district’s projected 2026-27 operating budget is $340.3 million. The board will hold a public hearing on the proposed budget on May 27.
• The school board received updates on the district’s bond projects and heard that the KCPS Foundation has hired a consultant to raise money for reopening the former Southwest High School.
• The district is building a reserve fund to pay back money it owes to Jackson County based on a flawed assessment process that overcharged property owners.

Notes

Budget Overview

Chief Financial Officer Erin Thompson reported to the board that:

1. Results from 990 returned online surveys helped shape the 2026-27 budget by influencing about $4.4 million in spending for trauma-sensitive school clinicians, family and community outreach, a college access specialist, math academy and digital coaches.
2. KCPS projects an increase of 334 K-12 students for a total projected enrollment of 14,374.
3. Revenue: 
   1. The district plans to go to voters in April 2027 to set a property tax levy of $4.95 for its operating budget. A chart presented to the board showed that the district’s operating levy in 2025 was $4.86.
   2. Among 12 area districts, KCPS has the most students within its boundaries and a total property tax levy that is about in the middle of the pack.
   3. Action in the Missouri General Assembly could impact the budget, including Senate Bill 1066, which would govern assessed valuation growth and reduce the statutory minimum levy.
   4. A 15% cap on the increase in assessed values imposed by Jackson County will result in a revenue loss of $63.4 million for the district. The district has prepared and budgeted for the loss.
   5. The district projects an increase of approximately $11.5 million in revenue for 2026-27 for a total of approximately $352.3 million.
4. Expenses:
   1. The district’s per-pupil cost is $10,238.
   2. In looking at proposed operating expenses, excluding grants and children nutritional services, salaries and benefits account for 59% of expenditures; supplies and material, capital outlay and debt service account for 24%; and purchased services account for 17% of the proposed budget. Those purchased services include legal services and utilities.
   3. A noteworthy decrease in spending for information technology is due to a large investment in hardware and upgrades in 2025. Scott Jones, chief technology officer, said that devices will need to be refreshed every three years. 
   4. The operating capital projects budget of approximately $42.7 million includes a big-ticket item of $2 million for nutrition services for freezers and other kitchen equipment. 

• An expenditure of $7.5 million is included for “transition schools” to house students while work is done in other schools.
• A line item about information technology, which is for security equipment, prompted a discussion about the AI weapons detection system. Deputy Superintendent Derald Davis said the weapons detection equipment reviewed had glitches with the warning system. 
• Thompson mentioned other needs, including expanded parking lots and auditorium upgrades.
• Other items:
  • Federal funding for Head Start has been reduced. Adult education money will continue.
  • Cuts to food programs and increases in the cost of food and wages will require adjustments to balance the nutrition services budget.
  • Board members requested a clear line item for the money the district owes and is putting away to pay Jackson County for overassessed property.

Bond Project Review

Shannon Jaax, bond planning and construction officer, provided the following updates:

• The refurbishment budget for Hale Cook Elementary is proposed to be $15 million, with window replacement deemed one essential need. The work is set to be completed by the fall 2027 semester.
• The estimated budget for upgrades at Success Academies at Paige is approximately $28 million, with $19.5 from bond financing and $8.5 million from operating funds. The facility is set to be complete for the fall semester 2027. There was discussion about safety and maintenance costs related to the school’s pool, but board members also noted the need for a competition-sized pool.
• The projected cost of reopening the former Southwest High School as a new middle school is between $76 million to $80 million, with about $45 million coming from bond financing. The district will need to raise funds for the remaining money for upgrades, including a storm shelter, gymnasium, restrooms, locker rooms, structural renovations and other updates. The school is scheduled to open in the fall of 2029.
• KCPS transition site: Troost Elementary will need upgrades in signage, fencing, security and the playground. The presentation did not provide a cost estimate.

KCPS Foundation

Foundation Executive Director Jon Hile said the foundation has hired Kinetic for the Southwest fundraising campaign. The agreement is for three years and $300,000.

• Survey results show confidence in district leadership and future growth, but they also suggest caution about launching a fundraising campaign so soon after passing the school bond package.
• The survey results and advice from Kinetic suggest a phased approach for the Southwest fundraising campaign, which should include educating the public about the importance of a resource such as Southwest in the first phase. Board members asked how donors to Southwest could be turned into long-term supporters and whether naming rights had been considered.

Observations & Follow-Up Questions

• Concern for struggling learners and communities seems to be a factor in budgeting.
• The district seeks input from the community as it develops plans. The upcoming public hearing about the proposed budget on May 27 should be of interest and reflected in modifications in the final 2026-27 budget. 
• How will the district meet the board’s call for clarity in presenting the proposed budget to the community ahead of the public hearing?

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