Kansas City Public Schools revamps approach to early childhood education Teachers, parents and community rally around early learning center
Published August 29th, 2014 at 6:52 PM
The Kansas City Public Schools Head Start classes for three and four year olds begin next week, and while the first day of pre-K is a momental occasion for students and families, it’s also an important day for the district.
Just two years ago, the district was on the verge of losing its federal Head Start grant due to compliance and performance issues. Many of the problems were due to the fact that in the mid-2000s Head Start classrooms were scattered across 16 different elementary schools.
Since then, the district has worked to reinvent its approach to early childhood education, and for the first time in over two decades, the district’s roughly 700 Head Start students will attend one of two early learning community schools, with embedded social services and community supports.
Major Funding for Education coverage on KCPT provided by Jo Anna Dale and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
It’s a very refreshing story and positive start to education for a lot of young students. Thanks, Lindsey, for sharing this positive story about education. I loved seeing the transformed school, the fresh young faces, and the diversity displayed. I hope these kids will have continued opportunities for success in the next 15 years.
Excellent reporting by Lindsey Foat on a very pertinent and important topic. The accompanying video and interviews really held my attention.