KCKPS: Who We Are

The Kansas City, Kansas public school system is uniquely intertwined with the historical traditions and values of the city and county it serves.

It is a proud, blue-collar urban community that embraces its rich and diverse cultural heritage.

From the Native American tribes that were the original occupants of this area to the people from many different lands who relocated to this region, they all embodied a collective spirit of opportunity and a loyalty to their community. KCKPS represents many of the generations of proud students, teachers and families who have walked through the various school doors since the district’s inception.

It isn’t easy to think about a neighborhood or community without thinking about its schools. From the beginning in 1844 through the present time, KCKPS had over 140 buildings that have been used for the education of our children. Mergers, annexations, and population shifts have contributed to the development of our school system over the years. There are nearly 70 different languages spoken in the school district today.

To study history is to study change. History provides us all with the tools to understand the diversity of human experiences, helps us to appreciate cultures, ideas and traditions that are not our own.

As our school system has evolved from the early one room log schoolhouses to new multi-million-dollar state-of-the-art facilities, we must continue to think outside of the box and our own conventional wisdom to ensure that growth remains consistent and transcends time. There is no question that education is the key to opening the door to success and prosperity. We must challenge today’s students by broadening their perspectives and exposing them to new ideas and real-world experiences inside and outside the classroom.

This starts with strong schools, strong neighborhoods and strong partnerships that support efforts to create a future for our students. We hope you have enjoyed this historical timeline highlighting the Kansas City, Kansas Public School system and the early days of education in our area. We also hope the stories have encourage you to reflect on the importance of education in our society over time. Education helps us broaden our perspectives and challenges our way of thinking to help us understand the world.

As past, present, and future graduates, we are all part of a historic school system that has inspired excellence in every child, every grownup, every day.

We are KCKPS strong!

Next: District Leadership