KCPS Bond Proposal Approved, Each School Could Potentially Receive $5 Million for Renovations

KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) – The Kansas City Public School District held a press conference after their nearly half-billion dollar bond proposal was unanimously approved.

The updated bond plan guidelines outline how KCPS would use the $474 million in bond funding if the April vote passes.

This is KCPS’s first bond request in 57 years.

KCPS has spent the last several months organizing bond open houses, public discussions, feedback sessions and student meetings to determine how best to use resources.

Some of this money will go toward deferred maintenance and infrastructure issues, upgrading and improving classroom facilities to reflect modern educational strategies, a new high school on the southern border, and dedicated empowerment centers to help local families with much-needed resources.

Each school will also receive $5 million for renovations.

Mayor Quinton Lucas also attended the event and spoke about the impact it will have on the community, saying it is a transformative day for Kansas City.

“What you’re hearing today is a story of collaboration between our district schools and our charter schools,” Lucas said. “What you hear about is collaboration with neighborhoods and communities and collaboration with the city.”

Lucas believes in connection, saying investing in students and their education is vital.

“If you want to improve Kansas City, this is how you start to make a difference,” Lucas said. “So, I think that makes a huge difference to us; it is not that we respond to a challenge; we’re talking about how we can build a better, stronger school district for the next generation.”

KCPS Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Collier said investing in students also helps them beyond the classroom.

“I believe that by investing in our children today, we prevent some of the negative things that may happen in the future,” Collier said. “Our children will know that we believe in them and that we provide access to the resources and opportunities that children and this community need and deserve.”

The district said it will continue to work with the community for more information between now and April.

If passed, it would cost the average taxpayer 64 cents per day.