[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-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],{"_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",6206570,"mediaKeyId","3761584-1fe94b56202c52c730e607ca1710d794","parentId",3761584,"title","Board rejects $45,000 memorandum with Teachers Like Me recruitment program","audioSeconds",122,"startMs",1544000,"endMs",1666000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3761584-1fe94b56202c52c730e607ca1710d794&start=1544&end=1666","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3761584-1fe94b56202c52c730e607ca1710d794/thumbnail_1544000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6206570/Kansas/Board-rejects-45000-memorandum-with-Teachers-Like-Me-recruitment-program","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6206570-13678a3da9e012cb2350adebad2fd387/orig.mp4?Expires=1776232331&Signature=bfTh1c7TqmiH4cFJzxMrvOOoi4LHllDAtP00GzHKyM16LIM9w~EE67BzhODy~uc0U1306lNmGeAhpOdc9DRUu51YxYRIzz6LK0wwyGWsLcZelR6HSrqA7PHjVoMMf8DGpnBiPwXFK-sV3fGLf6gmL6CKltOyUhSvYEu-TEliXQ90BAyPJktK6Mj28XxpR0ik0JiL-5Qtty3fxcaX4BWEc8kNY8DIrWPtFrUoJQtGRbS02UOSw6bjC4a0Ih-5bJHz6txaUpijhL0qiikLj2hC3aRMAxGB1KdMvv~bROervD5xD46XomthzJbvnxQsQC-mUslXm14zcIGsyGS~jfegZQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Kansas City, Kansas Public School","date","2025-06-04T16:38:28Z","article","The Kansas City, Kansas Board of Education voted on Tuesday to decline a proposed memorandum of understanding with the Teachers Like Me recruitment program that would have paid $15,000 per recruited teacher, up to three teachers, for a total cost of $45,000.

The item was presented as a staff recommendation. Board members asked questions and discussed whether the program’s pedagogy and its relationship to district needs were sufficiently clear in the materials provided.

Wanda Brownlee Page cast a recorded \"no\" vote, citing concerns; Dr. Wynne said he did not find sufficient certainty about the program’s pedagogy and duplication, and also voted no. The motion therefore failed.

Board discussion focused on program details and whether the memorandum clearly explained how the program would align with district recruitment and retention strategies. Superintendent Anna Stubblefield and staff told the board questions could be addressed by Dr. Jarius Jones in human resources and by other staff if the board wanted further information.

No new agreement was approved at the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","KCKPS Board of Education Meeting 6-10-2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Kansas City, Kansas Board of Education voted down a proposed memorandum of understanding with the Teachers Like Me recruitment program, which would have funded recruitment at $15,000 per teacher for three teachers (total $45,000). Board members cited concerns about pedagogy and duplication.","taxTitle","Kansas City, School Boards, Kansas","taxId",13089,"location","Kansas","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},6206575,"Mayor’s youth leadership council students recognized; Future Leaders Outreach Network outlines programs and VR mobile classroom",820,334000,1154000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3761584-1fe94b56202c52c730e607ca1710d794&start=334&end=1154","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3761584-1fe94b56202c52c730e607ca1710d794/thumbnail_334000.jpg","/articles/6206575/Kansas/Mayors-youth-leadership-council-students-recognized-Future-Leaders-Outreach-Network-outlines-programs-and-VR-mobile-classroom","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6206575-99316e2a33d9f67d7c589f688d8caf76/orig.mp4?Expires=1776232331&Signature=MxC2CEbN7IWh9-MaenLvWScbwyQelob6A3IhXLghrv85Q1wRwDLWYh88lrXR2-yjlm-yUOe2UhsNlsgiqpybu8hDczZ8HBtVvlQIYnOQHFLEsjupjN1hYJ4rIyaFuuUvnWbcqJsyf~gB7073wi4btJm9-gCu1M3CWDsSO7xy1KP80Pv4RCMuC3KmTXNOVUze9OHO7x5SNNAlFkKkilog7UlzZup6ssItMpFMknpXrrB9TT50elfJL5UqgDHaC7noKljqLgzyPcYmPMRfh~b18K5oP6uLGjbTx4MP-3fJTCPVUx5pTAFNfh2ub1D9K57dC8mor8CRg9IZIvm85mvpow__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Kansas City, Kansas Board of Education heard a presentation Tuesday from Future Leaders Outreach Network about the revived Mayor's Youth Leadership Council, known as MILAC, and recognized student participants who focused this year on neighborhood revitalization and youth‑led solutions.

\"MILAC is an opportunity for our students to empower young people in Wyandotte County to tackle community challenges, celebrate Wyandotte County's beauty, and support neighborhood revitalization,\" said Monica Portley, a program sponsor with Future Leaders Outreach Network.

Portley and Dr. Diana Clemens, founder and executive director of Future Leaders Outreach Network, introduced graduating seniors who served on MILAC and described the council’s goals. The group identified local concerns — including abandoned properties, food scarcity, and gaps in mental and medical services — and proposed community ","Future Leaders Outreach Network presented the revived Mayor’s Youth Leadership Council (MILAC) to the Kansas City, Kansas Board of Education, recognized participating graduating seniors and described programs including leadership curricula, a mobile VR classroom and summer recruitment.",{"_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},6206580,"Wyandotte special-education leaders outline 3-year plan after KSDE compliance findings; board presses for public updates",2196,1847000,4043000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3761584-1fe94b56202c52c730e607ca1710d794&start=1847&end=4043","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3761584-1fe94b56202c52c730e607ca1710d794/thumbnail_1847000.jpg","/articles/6206580/Kansas/Wyandotte-special-education-leaders-outline-3-year-plan-after-KSDE-compliance-findings-board-presses-for-public-updates","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6206580-5b58410e4a74ec4642bff668b2d84869/orig.mp4?Expires=1776232331&Signature=b9qgr8JI-ilfS7UYeZdkyacfCayWDkkaIB8R8d0w4ymKG78SacmERaH0-H-5X5kP95omyZDQWrPojkk-oDAeANIZ9wyVQX1mr-vtrVGjQHNMG0YS8Jn-CQJMkZQ0tJdShmnqpZe4o3ISg0UFJGE-CmxIqzsAZWoC8ha-Wpyix82XgLNTgMja5wHOdh0FjljK-JrzVmT1awiY~jFGnIDMQs3wzd9pfiSA2xS54m7YwEDwyVxpOLNgNT7D8HPE9bEB8G7vB33YVT6RNHfv21sNV-06jVupEtZg9CntG5Qo-ridpMmHTrWNM1eTL-4y4remV8-TDMsb29hnrr7vNcFeig__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Leaders of the Wyandotte Comprehensive Special Education Cooperative told the Kansas City, Kansas Board of Education on Tuesday that they have developed a three‑year action plan to address compliance shortfalls identified by the Kansas State Department of Education and outside reviewers.

“This is more than a checklist. It's a living commitment to improvement,” said Dr. LaShonda Lowery, director of the cooperative, as she summarized progress and remaining gaps in special education services across the cooperative’s three districts.

The cooperative reported progress on several state compliance indicators but said it fell short on four measured areas for the most recent reporting year. Dr. Lowery told the board the cooperative scored 19 out of 23 on the state’s compliance matrix for the year — an improvement over previous years but still short of the level required for full compliance. She said parent evaluation requests rose from 376 in the prior year to 475 this year.

Board members pressed staff for specifics about the compliance findings and about rebuilding parent trust. “There are still some parents who feel there's still a lack of trust,” said Board Vice President Rachel Russell, asking staff what they would say to families who remain skeptical. Dr. Lowery urged families to contact her office directly so staff can investigate and respond to building‑level concerns.

A major item in the report was a state finding of significant disproportionality in long out‑of‑school suspensions for students with disabilities, driven by elevated suspension rates for Black students. Dr. Lowery said the federal rules require a portion of federal special education funds to be set aside to address the issue; she told the board the cooperative’s estimate of the set‑aside is roughly $964,637 and said the amount would be shared proportionally by the cooperative’s member districts. She said Piper School District is transitioning to a stand‑alone special education department and will be assessed its share separately.

“Any required set‑aside must be used at a system level, not just at the cooperative level, and must include professional development that includes general education,” Dr. Lowery said.

The cooperative also reported an over‑identification finding in Indicator 10, noting an increased representation of white students assigned to categories of emotional disability and other health impairment; staff said they are working with building teams and psychological services to ensure more careful eligibility determinations. Another finding tied to a single audit was not a Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools (KCKPS) error but involved Piper School District; Piper has submitted corrective action to the state, the cooperative reported.

Dana Nelson, director of special education programs for the cooperative, reviewed instructional and staffing work the department is using to raise student outcomes, including partnerships to expand transition‑to‑work opportunities. Nelson highlighted a new “Transition Plus” relationship with the University of Kansas Health System that led to work experience placements and three job offers for participating students.

Nelson also described coaching, professional development and technology resources — including use of a district licensing tool teachers use to build IEPs — and said the cooperative has boosted paraprofessional wages to about $20 per hour to improve recruitment and retention.

Board members asked for a public FAQ and more frequent updates. Dr. Lowery told the board she will provide a public‑facing version of the cooperative’s three‑year action plan by Aug. 1, 2025, and that staff will issue quarterly progress updates thereafter.

No formal board action was taken on the report at the meeting. Dr. Lowery and Nelson requested continued direct contact from parents who want help or who believe their child’s rights are not being honored; staff said they are maintaining a parent hotline that routes to Dr. Lowery’s office.

The cooperative announced a Special Education Resource & Transition Fair for families on July 26 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the district’s Central Office; staff and community partners will provide information and vendor resources at the event.

The board asked staff to assemble a written response to community questions about reimbursement issues and past audits; district leaders acknowledged earlier confusion about state transportation reimbursements and said they have been working with the state to resolve reporting and submission issues.

The cooperative closed by reiterating that improvements have been made but that work remains. “This work is far from over, but I remain very deeply invested in seeing it through,” Dr. Lowery said.","Leaders of the Wyandotte Comprehensive Special Education Cooperative told the Kansas City, Kansas Board of Education they have a three-year action plan and will publish a public-facing version by Aug. 1, 2025, after state compliance findings and a required federal funding set‑aside related to disproportionate out‑of‑school suspensions.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board rejects $45,000 memorandum with Teachers Like Me recruitment program

Mayor’s youth leadership council students recognized; Future Leaders Outreach Network outlines programs and VR mobile classroom

Wyandotte special-education leaders outline 3-year plan after KSDE compliance findings; board presses for public updates