New requirements approved by the Kansas State Board of Education insist that students complete two “postsecondary assets” — achievements or experiences that prepare them for higher education or the workforce — before graduation.
Maria Benevento
Maria Benevento is The Beacon’s education reporter. She joined The Beacon as a Report for America corps member. In addition to her work at The Beacon, she’s reported for the National Catholic Reporter, Columbia Missourian and St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Her education reporting began in 2017, and she became a full-time Kansas City education reporter with The Beacon in mid-2021. She graduated from Creighton University in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in theology and American studies. In 2021, she graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a master's degree in journalism. She’s lived in Missouri most of her life and first moved to Kansas City in 2017.
Posted inEducation
Kansas City Public Schools face grievances from maintenance and cafeteria workers’ union
unresolved grievances can create frustration for workers who ensure school buildings are running safely and students are fed, KCPS union members and organizers said during public comment at a mid-November school board meeting.
Posted inEducation
Facing decline in enrollment, Park University cuts faculty and more than a dozen programs
The university said it will eliminate three graduate degree programs — master of social work, master of arts in national security studies and master of education in language and literacy — but will allow current students to complete their studies.
Posted inEducation
Kansas City Public Schools won’t arm officers in elementary schools after community feedback
The decision comes as the district tries to show it’s involving the community, particularly parents, in decisions that affect schools.
Posted inDIY Democracy, Education, Elections
Blue Valley school board candidates divide themselves into two slates
Calling themselves the A+ Team, newcomer Clay Norkey and incumbents Jan Kessinger, Patrick Hurley and Jodie Dietz emphasize the district’s achievements, such as high rankings as an employer and school district and test scores above the state average.
Posted inDIY Democracy, Education, Elections
Gardner Edgerton election could shift the balance of the school board
This year, it’s possible control of the board could shift with four seats out of seven up for grabs.
Posted inDIY Democracy, Education, Elections
Meet your 2023 Kansas City, Kansas, school board candidates
Responding to a questionnaire from The Beacon, the candidates weighed in on improving outcomes for students, school funding and their concerns about how the board currently operates.
Posted inEconomics, Education
Judge approves Avila University’s petition to override donor restrictions
The move lets the university access $4.8 million within the current school year and about $1.6 million during the 2024-2025 school year, a total of $6.4 million.
Posted inDIY Democracy, Education, Elections
Get to know the Shawnee Mission school board candidates
The school board consists of one member from each of five subdistricts plus two at-large members. Four positions are up for a vote this year, three from subdistricts and one at large.
Posted inDIY Democracy, Education, Elections
These candidates want to represent you on the Turner school board
Former state Rep. Aaron Coleman is the only newcomer facing four current board members in the Nov. 7 election.