Our Schools

The Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools has achieved remarkable success over the past ten years.

• Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools is one of only three districts in Kansas recognized in 2006 by the Academic Development Institute for significant increases in student achievement.
• First Things First, the reform effort that KCKPS adopted in 1996, has been cited by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as "one of the most significant reforms in urban education today."
• KCKPS is a recipient of the National School Boards Association MAGNA Award.
• Sumner Academy of Arts and Science was recognized in 2009 as #62 on a list of top high schools in the country compiled by U.S. News and World Report, the only school in Kansas to receive a gold medal ranking, and the top high school in either Kansas or Missouri.
• Reading achievement has increased from 11% of students being proficient in 1996 to 62% meeting the standard in 2009.
• Math achievement has increased from 3% of students being proficient in 1996 to 63% meeting the standard in 2009. These gains in academic achievement cannot be matched by any school district, anywhere in the country.

KCKPS is proud of these achievements, but not satisfied. The district is working to go from being merely a good school district to being a great school district. To make that transition, the district has set forth the following vision:

The vision of the Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools is that "All students will reach higher levels of success and the achievement gap between groups of students will disappear."

To reach the vision, the district has set forth a series of goals for the year 2010

2010 Goals

District Goal — 85/75:

• 85% of students will meet the standard in reading
• 75% of students will meet the standard in math
• All students will enter kindergarten ready to learn
• All students will exit 12th Grade ready for college

In order to reach the 2010 Goals, the district is working to strengthen four areas of its work:

The 4 Strengthenings:

• Strengthen Instruction
• Strengthen Relationships
• Strengthen Community Connections
• Strengthen Belief in Students and Ourselves