While many districts, including Hickman Mills, saw improvements in their scores, some public and charter schools in the Kansas City area fell short of state targets.
K-12
Posted inState Government
For the first time, Missouri may spend public funds on private school vouchers
Gov. Mike Kehoe and the Missouri House have pushed for $50 million in state funds to go toward scholarships for homeschooled and private-school students.
Posted inState Government
Kansas doesn’t pay every teacher for some work they have to do. That could change
Mentoring young teachers in Kansas is supposed to come with additional compensation, up to $1,000. The state runs a mentoring program where mentors are paid $1,000 for helping a first-year teacher, $500 for a second-year teacher and $250 for a third-year teacher. But Kansas regularly runs out of money for the program. And despite promises […]
Posted inCivic Engagement, DIY Democracy, Education
Wichita parents fight to reverse the school board’s vote to close six schools
Minutes after the Wichita school board voted to close six schools last month, a handful of parents began signing petitions in the hallway outside of the meeting. It was the first skirmish in their battle to reverse the decision. “When we started doing the petition,” parent Ruth Lehman said, “that was the only thing that […]
Posted inEducation, Kansas State Government
A hiring freeze for Wichita schools? Kansas Senate action could spare USD 259
Takeaways: Kansas lawmakers amended a bill Monday to prevent a possible hiring freeze at the Wichita school district. The bill adjusts how schools get funding. Current state law allows districts to use enrollment numbers from either of the past two academic years. Schools take the higher number because more students mean more state tax dollars. […]
Posted inEducation
Despite some parents’ pleas, Wichita USD 259 board votes for closing 6 schools
Wichita school board members voted 5-2 Monday to close six schools at the end of the academic year. USD 259 faces a $42 million budget deficit due to falling enrollment, the end of federal pandemic relief funds and a $1.2 billion maintenance backlog. Administrators estimate the district will save $16 million next year from shutting […]
Posted inEducation
Attending a school outside your district is getting easier in Kansas. Not everyone’s happy
Imagine you’re a parent and your child goes to Northwest High School in Wichita. The Maize public school district sits nearby, a wealthier community where graduation rates and ACT scores run higher. If you’d wanted to enroll your children in Maize in fall 2023, the school district would have said no. Starting next fall, Maize’s […]
Posted inDIY Democracy, Education, Elections
Wichita’s first school board election under new system draws more voters
In the first election under USD 259’s new district-based school board election system on Tuesday in Wichita, results show voter turnout went up and moderates won over conservatives. Last year, Wichita voters changed the way school board members are elected in the state’s largest school district. Previously, all school board members were elected citywide. Now, […]
Posted inEducation
Schools get first aid kits to treat gunshots, but teachers have a more immediate safety worry
The Wichita Metro Crime Commission in September presented 11 area schools with Stop the Bleed first aid kits — small red bags filled with emergency medical supplies used to treat deep wounds. Although the kits are not new to area schools, their appearance is one sign of escalating concerns about student safety and conduct. With […]
Posted inEducation
A Black parent’s guide: How to help protect your kids from racism at school
Students have a right to a safe and discrimination-free environment while at school. But when acts of racism or discrimination happen, what can a parent do to protect their child?