Annual Report

One of the KCKPS Board of Education’s primary Strategic Framework principles is to be “Good Stewards of Resources and Financial Accountability.”

In keeping with this principle, KCKPS budgets and budget breakdowns are published every year on the district website. Here you will find a quick breakdown of the past three years of budgeting.

“On behalf of the finance team, I thank you for taking the time to review a snapshot of our budget. We are pleased to offer full transparency in the district’s finances and encourage you to see this link to access all of the budget documents on our website.”

- Tracy Kaiser, Executive Director of Business & Finance/District Treasurer

Across the nation, schools are being designed to create 21st Century Learning spaces. In KCKPS, the bond issue project touched almost every school in the district. The improvements made each school safer and provided a more effective learning environment for our students, staff, and faculty. All high schools have remolded spaces to accommodate the new College and Career Academies. The upgrades include two new and modern science labs per high school building and faculty planning centers for team collaboration.

Middle schools have new spaces to enhance student opportunities to explore career options. The term “career exploration space” can best be described as an introduction to real-world experiences in flexible and collaborative spaces to support the College and Career Academy placement in high schools.

The Kansas City, Kansas community approved $235 million in bonds to pay for school construction projects including the construction of five new schools, safety and security upgrades in 47 buildings across the district, and a new central kitchen.

• Safety and Security Enhancements include new secured entrances
• Two new elementary schools
• Two new middle schools
• High school and career academy spaces
• Middle school career exploration spaces
• Kitchen construction and upgrade at six elementary schools
• Maintenance, repair, and replacement of plumbing, roofing, heating/air conditioning, and lighting
• 47 Schools Received Safety and Security Upgrades
• $301 million was pumped into the KCK economy
• This Bond Program created 933 construction jobs

Bond Refinancing

The KCKPS Board of Education approved the refinancing of $150 million of the district’s $235 million in General Obligation Bonds in 2020 saving the District more than $30 million.

The District has refinanced bonds on seven different occasions, saving more than $36 million over the past 20 years. This refinancing improves the district’s overall bond and interest budget cash flow and provides interest cost savings.

Economic Inclusion Committee (EIC)

The Board of Education established several sub-committees depending on the project’s topic. The overall leadership committee included various members of the superintendent’s cabinet, curriculum leadership, operations, and other district department leadership.

The EIC consisted of area minority and women business organizations that support the positive utilization and development of M/W/LBEs on area economic development and construction projects. As the lead construction firm, JE Dunn worked to eliminate barriers that inhibit the participation of these firms. KCKPS’ construction partner uses best faith efforts to provide information and assistance to implement procurement by requiring their first-tier subcontractors and suppliers to meet the project’s established M/W/LBE participation goals.

JE Dunn monitors the compliance with M/W/LBE participation and reports monthly to the Board of Education and the Economic Inclusion Committee.

Project Participation

MBE = 12.3%
WBE = 14.3%
LBE= 57%

2021 CHALLENGE AWARDS

The Confidence in Kansas Public Education Task Force named several KCKPS schools as recipients of the 2021 Challenge Awards. The awards recognize Kansas schools that make a notable difference in student achievement despite facing significant challenges in their school population. The Certificates of Merit were presented to seven KCKPS schools:

• Arrowhead Middle School
• Emerson Elementary School
• Mark Twain Elementary School
• Thomas A. Edison Elementary School
• Bertram Caruthers Elementary School
• John Fiske Elementary School
• Sumner Academy of Arts & Sciences

ESEA DISTINGUISHED SCHOOL AWARD

Bertram Caruthers Elementary School was recognized by the National Association of ESEA State Program Administrators (NAESPA) for exceptional student achievement in 2021. Caruthers was named a Distinguished School by the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) for closing the achievement gap.

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES AWARDS

The Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) awarded $2,447,671 to the KCKPS Successful Beginnings Head Start program. These Head Start programs work daily to emphasize children’s cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development.

2022 APPLY KANSAS ALL-STAR HIGH SCHOOLS

Washington High School and Sumner Academy were selected as 2022 APPLY Kansas All-Star High School. KCKPS high schools sponsored a FAFSA Completion Event to encourage and support families in completing the FAFSA and then held a College Signing Day event to celebrate all the different paths our seniors chose to pursue after graduation.

BOYS BASKETBALL ALL STATE RECOGNITION

• Jason Rodriquez Harmon 3rd Team 6A
• Lazel Evans Wyandotte Honorable Mention 6A
• Trayvon Foster Washington Honorable Mention 5A

GIRLS BASKETBALL ALL STATE RECOGNITION

• MyLeah Brown Sumner Honorable Mention 5A
• J’Layne Hulse Sumner Honorable Mention 5A

BOYS WRESTLING AT THE STATE TOURNAMENT

• nDoma Gazadikee Harmon 6A
• Juma Ibrahim Harmon 6A
• CJ Anderson Wyandotte 6A
• Franklyn Van Bebber Wyandotte 6A
• Byron Keith Sumner 5A

GIRLS WRESTLING AT THE STATE TOURNAMENT

• Angelica Aleman Harmon 6A
• Kamanhi Jackson Harmon 6A
• Alissa Harris Sumner 5A

BOWLING AT THE STATE TOURNAMENT

• Anthony Mendez Sumner 5A

KCKPS launched a new Learn to Swim program in partnership with the Unified Government Parks and Recreation Department, YMCA of Greater Kansas City, and Warner Media.

The program, funded by a grant from Warner Media, provided swim lessons at no cost to students in Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools. The first phase included six-week lessons for 200 K-6th grade students in the KidZone after-school program. The lessons aimed to prevent drowning, focusing on life-saving swim skills and water safety. Plans are to expand the program to middle and high schoolers.

The partnership is dedicated to the memory of Emmanuel Solomon, the 13-year-old who drowned last summer at Parkwood Pool. He was a student at Carl B. Bruce Middle School in KCKPS.

“The death of Emmanuel Solomon impacted our entire community. The benefits of the Learn to Swim program provide our students with water safety skills that will stay with them for a lifetime,” said Dr. Anna Stubblefield, Superintendent of Schools.

The program’s official launch included a special guest appearance from Cullen Jones, an African-American competitive swimmer and Olympic gold medalist who helps raise awareness about the sport of swimming and youth of color.

This partnership is one of many we have. We value and appreciate all the community organizations, companies, faith-based organizations, and neighborhood groups for their continued support of all aspects of our district. You play a vital role in our educational mission. We invite you to further engage with us as we strive for the best outcomes for our students and families.

KCKPS appreciates partnerships supporting the district’s mission, vision, and priorities focused on academic excellence across all grade levels.

Annually, the foundation has awarded scholarships to high school seniors ranging from $1,000 to $3,000. The funds are used for tuition, room and board, books, and fees at the community college, university, or trade school of choice. For the 2021-22 graduates, the foundation empowered USD 500 students by awarding scholarships which:

• Added two (2) additional opportunities for scholarships due to the generosity of donors
• Increased the number of anticipated scholarships awarded by the Foundation for Excellence from twelve (12) to fifteen (15) scholarships
• Increased the amount of the Foundation for Excellence Scholarship from $3,000 to $5,000

The foundation’s goal is to continue to help fund programs that support Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools’ objectives for:

• Academic Achievement
• Building Human Capital
• Social and Emotional Support
• Equity and Inclusion