As five candidates compete for two spots on the Independence school board in the April 5 election, transparency has become a key issue for two newcomers: Anthony Mondaine and Jason Vollmecke.
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
School board candidates for Raytown and Blue Springs discuss their priorities
In the race to serve on the Blue Springs district school board, four candidates — including two incumbents — are competing for two slots, each serving a three-year term.
Posted inEducation
Meet the North Kansas City school board candidates for the April 5 election
We have been publishing similar candidate questionnaires for other major Kansas City-area school districts with upcoming elections, including from Independence, Lee’s Summit, Liberty and Park Hill.
Posted inEducation
Five questions with Park Hill school board candidates for the April 5 election
We have been publishing similar candidate questionnaires for other major Kansas City-area school districts with upcoming elections, including from Independence, Lee’s Summit and Liberty.
Posted inEducation, Kansas State Government
‘Black Friday in August’: Kansas lawmakers hope to pass new school tax holiday
To compete with neighboring states, some Kansas legislators want to host a back-to-school sales tax holiday. Under a proposal in the Kansas Senate, SB 432, school-related sales of clothing, clothing accessories, school supplies and instructional materials, art supplies, computer software, school computers and computer supplies would be exempt from sales taxes for four days in August. […]
Posted inEducation
Meet the Lee’s Summit school board candidates for the April 5 election
head of the April 5 election, The Kansas City Beacon sent five questions to each candidate about the district’s and school board’s strengths and weaknesses.
Posted inEducation
Who are the Liberty school board candidates for the April 5 election?
Ahead of the April 5 election, The Kansas City Beacon sent five questions to each candidate about the district’s and school board’s strengths and weaknesses, and why they’re the right person to help their district improve.
Posted inEducation
Five questions with Independence school board candidates for the April 5 election
Ahead of the April 5 election, The Kansas City Beacon sent five questions to each candidate about the district and school board’s strengths and weaknesses, and why they’re the right person to help them improve.
Posted inEducation
Kansas City charter schools see a shift in who holds them accountable
The Missouri Charter Public School Commission, Kansas City Public Schools and Saint Louis University are each stepping in to sponsor multiple schools that were formerly sponsored by the University of Central Missouri.
Posted inEducation
‘Black Friday in August’: Kansas lawmakers hope to pass new school tax holiday
Sen. John Doll, a Republican from Garden City, hopes the holiday will provide Kansas businesses a boost and prevent the state from losing shoppers to Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.