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High-school principals press for staffing, course variety, diploma-plus support and a later bus; SEL and coaching prioritized
Summary
High-school leaders told the board that staffing shortages limit elective offerings and diploma-plus participation, asked for continued funding for career and diploma pathways, urged more job-embedded coaching to implement new curricula, and requested restoration of an afternoon bus to support tutoring and after-school activities.
High-school principals told the Kansas City Kansas Public Schools board that staffing and scheduling constraints reduce elective variety and limit student access to diploma-plus and career-technical pathways, and they urged continued funding for those programs alongside expanded social-emotional and coaching supports.
Why it matters: High-school electives, CTE pathways and diploma-plus programs are tied to graduation requirements and postsecondary outcomes; principals said limited staffing and transportation can prevent students from taking advantage of those pathways.
What principals said: Rick Malone, Sumner Academy principal, described tradeoffs the district faces when staffing reductions or class-size considerations require cutting elective offerings or limiting sections. He said diploma-plus and CTE pathways provide motivation and postsecondary purpose for many students but also require sustained staffing, equipment and sometimes federal CTE funds.
Mary Stewart, Wyandotte principal, and other high-school leaders stressed that transforming teacher training into classroom practice requires job-embedded professional development and side-by-side coaching so teachers can implement new high-quality instructional materials and curricular shifts. Stewart said teachers need “side by side coaching” and PLCs to move from training to consistent implementation.
Transportation and after-school access: Board members and principals raised the late/after-school bus as a barrier to tutoring, clubs and diploma-plus participation. One principal said restoring a 3:30 p.m. (or later) bus route would materially increase student participation in after-school supports; the group asked the district to study restoring an earlier late bus (earlier than a 6 p.m. option) to help students stay for tutoring and activities.
SEL and mental-health supports: Every high school listed expanded mental-health and trauma-informed supports in needs assessments. Principals recommended embedding SEL strategies into daily instruction, not treating them as separate sessions, so teachers have practical regulation and perseverance strategies to use in class.
Diploma-plus scaling: Board members and principals discussed diploma-plus growth and said the program needs ongoing district liaison support and coaching to keep students on pace with concurrent college coursework; district staff said a liaison and regular outreach are important to maintain student engagement and completion.
Ending: Principals asked the board to prioritize staffing for electives and diploma-plus course continuity, expand coaching for curriculum implementation, and to evaluate transportation options that would enable greater after-school participation and tutoring.
