Which Schools Are Integrated?

An apple divided in half

Lisa Gooden was set on finding the right school for her children in Kansas City. The choices were complex — public, private, charter, signature — but she felt good about all the buildings she visited. There were probably a dozen or so public elementaries within a couple miles of her neighborhood, so she didn’t understand…

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New KCMO Schools Chief Looking to Stay

Bedell signing contract

The average tenure of a superintendent in an urban school district is about three years, and that trend has pretty much held true in Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS) for decades. But in introducing himself to the community this morning, the school district’s newest superintendent, Mark T. Bedell, 41, said in that sense he is…

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Divided Board Approves KC Schools Plan

Wendell Phillips supporters at school board meeting

Over continued citizen opposition, a divided Kansas City school board Wednesday night approved a master plan that shifts students and staff from Wendell Phillips Elementary School to nearby Crispus Attucks Elementary. Under the plan, approved on a 7-2 vote, the district will convert Wendell Phillips, 1619 E. 24th Terrace, into the Kansas City Neighborhood Academy,…

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Back to the Drawing Board for Kansas City Public Schools

Wendell Phillips Elementary

Kansas City Public Schools administrators entered Wednesday evening hoping they were only a couple weeks away from finalizing a master plan after more than two years of work. But after a three-hour school board meeting, dominated by discussions about the future of Wendell Phillips Elementary School and of the African-Centered College Preparatory Academy, it appeared…

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KCPS Chooses Bedell for Superintendent Post

Kansas City Public Schools announced Wednesday that it has selected Mark T. Bedell to be its next superintendent, pending contract negotiations. “The KCPS school board appreciates the thoughtful input we received throughout this process,” Board Chair Jon Hile said in a news release. “The board, like our community, has set high expectations for quality leadership in…

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