Dear Kansas City Public Schools Community:

One year ago, our community made history with the passage of the $474 million school bond, where voters sent a clear and unmistakable message—our children matter, our schools matter, and the future of Kansas City matters. 

For many years, our schools have faced the burden of deferred maintenance and aging facilities. The passing of the bond enables us to address these issues while also reimagining our learning environments for the future. We are upgrading vital systems that support student health and safety, modernizing classrooms to meet the demands of 21st-century learning, and investing in spaces that foster collaboration, creativity, and discovery.

But this work goes beyond just buildings. It also involves creating spaces where students feel appreciated and motivated to learn. When our facilities reflect excellence, possibility, and care, they reinforce our promise that every student in Kansas City deserves the best we can offer. Because of your support, we are already making improvements that will result in safer, more modern, and more inspiring environments for generations of students to learn and grow.

Indeed, this moment arrives at an exciting time in the broader story of Kansas City Public Schools. Our district is on a strong and steady upward trajectory. In recent years, we have seen consistent academic growth, rising enrollment, improvements in state assessment scores, higher graduation rates, and sustained full accreditation. These achievements reflect the dedication of our educators, the determination of our students, the partnership of our families, and the commitment of a community that believes in continuous progress.

That belief is only matched by our collective faith in the power of literacy, in teaching that honors the cultures and experiences of our students, and in the strength that comes from the diversity of our neighborhoods. The bond allows us to ensure that our physical spaces reflect these values—places that both welcome every student and support engaging, rigorous, and meaningful learning experiences.

While today marks one year since voters approved this landmark investment, the work ahead is just beginning. We remain firmly committed to transparency, accountability, and responsible stewardship of the trust our community has placed in us. We will continue sharing updates, listening to community voices, and ensuring every decision we make reflects our responsibility to the children and families we serve.

Finally, I thank you for believing in Kansas City Public Schools and for believing in our students. Together, we are doing more than improving facilities. We are shaping futures, honoring our shared commitment to public education, and building opportunity and possibility for every child we serve. The passage of this bond has, thus, placed something precious in our hands: the trust of a community and the future of its children. We plan to honor both.

With gratitude,

Dr. Jennifer Collier
Superintendent
Kansas City Public Schools