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Board begins process to dissolve Piper School District’s cooperative membership for special education
Summary
The Kansas City, Kansas Board of Education approved a resolution to begin dissolving Piper School District's membership in the local special education cooperative; district staff said Piper has already been taking steps toward independence and KSDE must sign off on final decisions.
The Kansas City, Kansas Board of Education approved a resolution to formally begin the process of dissolving Piper School District’s membership in the district’s special education cooperative.
Board members voted on a resolution that the superintendent and staff characterized as a procedural step following action already taken by the Piper board. Superintendent Dr. Anna Stubblefield and staff said the change follows recommendations in an educational scan and that Piper’s board has been transitioning toward independence for several years.
According to district staff, many Piper special-education staff members have already been directly employed by Piper (the district said that change began in the 2021–22 school year). The superintendent noted the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is the ultimate authority to approve cooperative dissolutions; the board’s vote begins the local process and records the district’s acknowledgment of Piper’s stated intent.
Board members moved and seconded the resolution and cast affirmative votes with no recorded public opposition during the roll call. The board noted similar cooperative splits have occurred elsewhere as districts evolve.
Staff said the action was previously discussed at an earlier board meeting and that administrative steps to effectuate the change will follow KSDE guidance and any contractual obligations to students and cooperative services.
No financial details or immediate service disruptions were reported at the meeting; administrators said they would respond to any community questions about special education services during the transition.
