[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6662928,"mediaKeyId","2391686-d681880c701a3d7ddf4e19a5d6879a0b","parentId",2391686,"title","Board raises fund-balance target to 18% amid state and federal revenue uncertainty","audioSeconds",2041,"startMs",4125000,"endMs",6166000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2391686-d681880c701a3d7ddf4e19a5d6879a0b&start=4125&end=6166","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2391686-d681880c701a3d7ddf4e19a5d6879a0b/thumbnail_4125000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6662928/Missouri/Board-raises-fund-balance-target-to-18-amid-state-and-federal-revenue-uncertainty","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6662928-60f20b61da004ef42a15aeb9c9da3520/orig.mp4?Expires=1771170599&Signature=Ghw~dx7qRAqFw4F31pVTL-A~y-RJq9nNx1qJsh~IWhY4XWMQ5IsFE2l-qUk5JpGS28w0a9HK5hY0-aexL25jWhFrvAKWjuHMiI7rr0hCFlr0xSNBLt-EKdrCnUcWWcWphMNlNH8WEeIsvGoqtZ4-gKU9YM3xws3S2WweyeBMf5qhzpf0YZz0R6XWyy0b~Juvie63Pm07p6ZthUanIpa5vyT5WQljJMxTf223a4udTdapO4Y5HDebTs56~CEv0jG-QSt6PejTzqERfT~Fgc2zme0FX6gOQS8sDStQYI6CqXDzuJJiswBWmzF8EUlZYsceFCO0p9zAIqmMacp8bfXshg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","North Kansas City 74","date","2025-02-26T03:23:08.997Z","article","The North Kansas City Board of Education on March 4 reviewed a five-year financial forecast and approved adjusting the district's operating fund-balance target from roughly 16% to 18% (plus or minus 2.5%).

Finance director Matt Fritz presented the forecast and described assumptions used for revenue and expenditure projections, highlighting uncertainty tied to state and federal revenues. Fritz said the forecast incorporates the governor's proposed budget, the state's foundation formula changes, and other assumptions on assessed valuation, enrollment and known cost increases.

Fritz told the board that the state foundation formula (including a governor-proposed $200 million increase to the formula) and an updated free-and-reduced-price lunch threshold would materially affect average daily attendance (ADA) calculations and state payments. He said the lowered threshold for free and reduced lunch in the current year added roughly 700 ADA to the district's formula in the forecast.

Board members discussed revenue volatility at the federal and state levels and noted that federal ESSER funds had temporarily inflated the district's federal revenue share in recent years. Citing that volatility and the need to maintain strong bond ratings during future capital planning, one board member proposed and moved to change the fund-balance guidance to 18% plus or minus 2.5%; a second supported the motion. \"The volatility feels higher to me than it has been,\" a board member said while urging a higher reserve to provide cushion.

The motion to adopt the new fund-balance goal passed by voice vote. Fritz said that under the forecast assumptions the district would not need to make major program cuts before 2028-29 but that the increased reserve target would give the district more time to respond if revenues fall short.

The forecast presentation included line-item figures provided in the board packet: January operating receipts of $147.9 million and monthly operating expenditures of $27.6 million; fiscal-year-to-date operating revenue of $243.6 million representing 69.7% of total budgeted operating revenues; and a tax budget of $185.9 million with collections to date of $179.3 million (96.4%). Fritz said staff will continue refining ADA estimates and revenue projections ahead of the June budget and tax-rate-setting process.

Board members praised the forecast as a tool for long-range planning and thanked finance staff for preparing the materials. The board directed staff to use the new reserve guidance in upcoming budget and staffing decisions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","NKC School District Board of Education—02/25/2025","oneSentenceSummary","After a detailed five-year forecast presentation, the North Kansas City Board of Education voted to increase its operating fund balance goal from 16% to 18% (plus or minus 2.5%), citing volatility in state foundation formula changes and federal funding levels.","taxTitle","North Kansas City 74, School Districts, Missouri","taxId",13562,"location","Missouri","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6662933,"Transportation director reports fleet, routing and driver recruitment progress; district to shift back to clean diesel buses",542,3017000,3559000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2391686-d681880c701a3d7ddf4e19a5d6879a0b&start=3017&end=3559","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2391686-d681880c701a3d7ddf4e19a5d6879a0b/thumbnail_3017000.jpg","/articles/6662933/Missouri/Transportation-director-reports-fleet-routing-and-driver-recruitment-progress-district-to-shift-back-to-clean-diesel-buses","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6662933-9a4d848268f34ef8246a73025d3b3917/orig.mp4?Expires=1771170599&Signature=A10ng9Ua2IN1WdD~-ILMONks7V-s2XbobPkhhw-YBx3vF~M-WGmzuTrRnjpd2E9zEgjzgEGg-Xji35eb7UzRswcChsUiX4YMe~fnoM~vh3zW3KFUbk1AVIztU4ZXx~JHNI4doz76KytQ1EyewEZnfYvJ6EoKMoi8mvIMm2ye-g6fR7FqkZGn37jwZDq2UpVuwfUhUCwby3ZRSxs70KJjZJgZtmvjkavYVLxNkzLlSjZUKw1-IfTZfxkuu7SP1smZ3TzkMzIXz5hOUqPX2TJAAIzEkOX-Apm~m7thH8G3epai0-y0nsWV7zndYe~roNHa2qeNb6V5jauShsdc6WjHIA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","North Kansas City Schools transportation leaders told the school board on March 4 that the district has improved operations since the pandemic, is shifting the fleet strategy from compressed natural gas to clean diesel, and is investing in driver recruitment and routing technology.

Director Michael McClellan (transcript identifies him as Director McClellan/McClellan) said the district drove roughly 2.8 million miles last year and completed about 4,500 trips and activities, numbers he described as a return to pre-pandemic levels. He said the district's mechanics earned a Missouri Highway Patrol inspection score of 98.2% compared with a state average of 86%.

McClellan described a years-long experience with compressed natural gas buses that initially allowed the district to replace an aging fleet but now presents operational and cost challenges. He said CNG buses required expensive, specialty parts and compressors, and that the industry largely stopped producing CNG buses in February 2022. \"Currently, this past year, we paid 27\u0000 a mile for diesel, and we're paying 29\u0000 a mile for CNG,\" McClellan said, explaining some of the comparative costs.

Because diesel technology has become more efficient and parts for diesel buses are widely available, McClellan said the district is transitioning back to clean diesel for new purchases. He also noted the board had approved acquiring additional diesel buses (presentation referenced a 35-bus purchase), and said the move will reduce maintenance part costs over time and allow the district to secure a full fleet with more standardized parts.

McClellan described other investments: the district now has 22 air-conditioned buses and plans to expand that number; it also is deploying routing tablets (40 devices reported) that provide turn-by-turn directions and passenger lists to assist newer drivers and improve after-school activity routing. He said these tablets will sync with the MyStop system to improve efficiency and reduce on-the-road confusion.

On staffing, McClellan said turnover has been steady and that a $20-per-hour target for driver pay improved recruiting; he described hiring fairs, a social-media recruiting push, and local outreach. He credited several long-tenured employees for volunteer snow-day support and recognized staff with employee-of-the-month and culture awards.

Board members praised the department's performance and the decision to keep the operation in-house rather than privatize routes. No formal procurement vote was recorded in the public presentation portion of the transcript; however, presenters said the board has agreed to additional diesel-bus purchases during budget and procurement discussions.

The transportation presentation closed after a question-and-answer period in which board members complimented the team's responsiveness and safety record.

McClellan said the shift to clean diesel and investments in technology aim to lower per-mile maintenance costs, improve driver support and scheduling, and make after-school routes more reliable.","District transportation staff reviewed fleet performance and operations, reported high safety-inspection scores, described challenges with compressed natural gas (CNG) buses, and said the district is transitioning to clean diesel and adding air-conditioned buses and routing tablets to improve service.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6662939,"Parent urges North Kansas City Schools to make career \"pathways\" optional, says program limited electives",203,1728000,1931000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2391686-d681880c701a3d7ddf4e19a5d6879a0b&start=1728&end=1931","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2391686-d681880c701a3d7ddf4e19a5d6879a0b/thumbnail_1728000.jpg","/articles/6662939/Missouri/Parent-urges-North-Kansas-City-Schools-to-make-career-pathways-optional-says-program-limited-electives","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6662939-3a89e5ad1c9f15aa72c9090292dba3b8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771170599&Signature=P6Yqu5yYp8F89~HMFp2w95ZuXBtZQBLuvqQRl8WYbezT2vFvm2Wo2FNRb3P812jx-NTvL9d-ea6OzJNoGYLBhTiK09BEf1RiaDqmgPx4y8WKZQG~hpoGm7Jr7aQPtjy9nymkjbLV88shkZEMkr6315XBj7XmxOu-zqxiSVBLaD4pq9Uk3OoUQ3hv2A9TInVe6-9wh1XCVWt9PgWLiVpnZZFKp1PysImeYHRkjASFeO7KmVMfDiTSqX3~0qFlu-uOFMEeWHMnaObwuz3GKeViR4XvDGKJLNegUgDZOZCS1Gsa0aJq3~pw17MQcFEPnk1sY8wpIY3Q1LZNLfJ-wEpSuw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","During the visitor comment portion of the North Kansas City Board of Education meeting, Misty Veron asked the board to consider making the district's high-school pathways program optional rather than a graduation requirement.

Veron said she has two children who attended the district, one who completed school without participating in pathways and one who did. \"The first point is it's not a graduation requirement in state of Missouri, so it's not like we have to do pathways,\" she told the board. She told members that pathways \"take up a lot from elective classes,\" and that her daughter who followed a pathway had fewer electives and could not complete the college Spanish sequence she otherwise would have.

Veron also raised operational concerns: she said some pathway sections were full and students were being placed into alternate pathways, and that students sometimes chose pathways based on friends rather than career fit. She said some teachers assigned to pathway classes were not prepared when the program began and that some left the district rather than take on additional preparation.

The board thanked Veron for her remarks. No board action was taken at the meeting on pathways; the board's public-comment rules state members do not respond during the session but will follow up as appropriate.

Veron urged the board to consider the optional model used in neighboring districts such as Olathe, where she said pathways are optional. She closed by asking the board to preserve elective access for students who do not have a clear career focus in high school.

The district did not provide immediate staff response during the meeting; board members later moved on to other agenda items.","A parent urged the board to allow students to opt out of the district's pathways program, saying it reduced access to elective coursework and that some students were assigned to full pathways instead of their first choice.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":80,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6662944,"North Kansas City Schools approve employee health plan renewal with smaller-than-expected premium increase",628,2389000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2391686-d681880c701a3d7ddf4e19a5d6879a0b&start=2389&end=3017","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2391686-d681880c701a3d7ddf4e19a5d6879a0b/thumbnail_2389000.jpg","/articles/6662944/Missouri/North-Kansas-City-Schools-approve-employee-health-plan-renewal-with-smaller-than-expected-premium-increase","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6662944-da7f5ddc394bdb14e6f349997ecdc34a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771170599&Signature=buoHBD5GixMBsjzcV~W74q3~TDEqThCEaFtFwUjziAS7wLAwATs9d4Y5JUXFkVN3W166XT3JFJ1W6tCCrYm1kJnHM0~-4eoUTsCa2oZrzzo5K9ZN-B-5iXnnA1590By6ybf43PsWHfdIqJn3a0pH2-DUk-nW4F6Z9D32uk2heNChd1-cc5kwcz~bsMZFYdA7S4kf7tzYDDTVTiR7zcMRXVXQ80oyS0NJ84DHS4ipd5UeeAq9hJr7rZY~Hhc59KO3AFbVqbCx~~yURq7G-akeqZRqZkuUTT6y8xFD134yVs~DPX1Mb6mt8EvFpRoYcf5NtgyZ650TVvgDdupX2hZtRw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The North Kansas City Board of Education on March 4 approved the district's benefits renewal, accepting a health plan package that district consultants said reduces an initial medical-rate request from 16.3% to a 5.5% increase.

Margo Nelson of benefits broker Holmes Murphy told the board the insurer initially sought a 16.3% increase but the district negotiated that down to 6% with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City and then further reduced the premium by making minor plan-design changes to reach a 5.5% increase. \"We are calling for a needed increase of 16.3%. We were able to negotiate that down to 6% with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City. And we were able to make some minor plan design changes, that further reduce that premium to a 5.5% increase over current,\" Nelson said.

Nelson and district staff said the package keeps a multi-year strategy of modest rate re-tiering that has been used to rebalance costs between employee-only coverage and plans that include dependents. She said the district expects 82% of participating employees to remain in the employee-only tier, and that the re-tiering will reduce the amount deducted from paychecks for most of those employees.

The renewal includes small increases to prescription co-pays: a $5 increase for tier 1 (generic) and tier 2 (brand) drugs and a $10 increase for tier 3 non-preferred drugs. Nelson said fewer than 1% of prescriptions fall into tier 3 for the district's membership.

Board members and staff framed the vote as part of a long-term approach to keep future renewals manageable. One board member thanked Holmes Murphy for negotiating the lower renewal, noting that moving from a potential 16% jump to roughly 5% was a meaningful improvement. The motion to approve the benefits renewal as presented passed by voice vote.

The district will implement the new plan effective July 1, the presenters said. Nelson emphasized the district has been pursuing several cost-control measures for years, including wellness incentives and plan design changes, to avoid larger, abrupt premium increases in future renewals.

Costs and coverage decisions described during the presentation included both the district's estimated contribution increase and employee-level changes; Nelson said the district used a 6% figure for employer cost in the five-year forecast exercise before applying plan-design offsets that reduce employee payroll impact.

The board approved the renewal after a motion to adopt the recommendation and a second. The board did not adopt more aggressive changes such as adding a specialty drug cost share at this time, Nelson said.

Minor details provided during the presentation: presenters said the plan has been under a multi-year rate-guarantee arrangement; prescription copay increases apply to all three district medical plan options; and the district will continue wellness programming as part of its cost-control strategy.","The school board approved a benefits renewal that trims an insurer's proposed 16.3% rate increase to a 5.5% net premium increase through negotiations and modest plan design changes, including higher prescription co-pays and continued rate re-tiering.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board raises fund-balance target to 18% amid state and federal revenue uncertainty

Transportation director reports fleet, routing and driver recruitment progress; district to shift back to clean diesel buses

Parent urges North Kansas City Schools to make career "pathways" optional, says program limited electives

North Kansas City Schools approve employee health plan renewal with smaller-than-expected premium increase