Shawnee Mission officials propose new early childhood center using capital outlay and bond reserves

Shawnee Mission Public Schools officials on Tuesday outlined plans to use capital outlay funds and remaining bond proceeds to create a new early childhood education center intended to expand pre‑K access, provide full wrap‑around care and centralize specialized services for young learners.

The district’s budget team told the board that capital outlay revenues for the coming year are projected at $47.3 million, with a beginning capital outlay fund balance of about $19 million. That combination gives roughly $67 million available to budget. The district’s anticipated capital outlay budget for 2025–26 is $62 million; after planned refreshes and projected personnel costs, staff say about $6.61 million would remain unallocated for new projects and emergencies, plus a targeted minimum ending balance of $5 million.

Superintendent Dr. Jon (Doctor) Schumacher and finance staffer Russell Knapp presented the numbers and the early childhood recommendation. They said the district is nearing the final phases of its 2021 bond program: voters authorized $264,220,000 in bonds; issue 1 proceeds and premiums were spent on earlier projects and the district currently reports roughly $152.4 million available from issuance 2, of which about $123 million is already spent or encumbered, leaving roughly $27 million available for additional projects.

District leaders said a purpose‑built early childhood education center would offer a broader continuum of classroom models — general, unified (mixed general‑education and special‑education peers), integrated and specialized — and provide a centralized hub for related services and screening. The current Shawnee Mission Early Childhood Education Center (SMECEC) at Broadmoor houses 14 classrooms and serves about 204 children; the new center would be designed intentionally for early learners and could include full‑day wrap‑around care and dedicated space for therapy and collaboration among service providers.

Shawnee Mission’s presentation said 21 of the district’s 34 elementary sites currently operate pre‑K programs (15 general pre‑K classrooms and six unified classrooms). The district estimated wrap‑around care is available at 12 sites; a new centralized center could allow busing of children from buildings that do not offer before/after care so families could access full‑day options.

Officials identified the former Catherine Carpenter site as an ideal location for the new center and said the recommendation came after an action team led by district early childhood leaders and facilities staff reviewed options. Russell Knapp noted the major project list already includes board‑approved bond work and that the district has the capital‑outlay and bond resources to consider the early childhood center as a near‑term capital investment.

District staff emphasized that many details remain to be finalized, including design, schedule and exact use of bond versus capital funds. They also noted transportation and operating costs — including staff and wrap‑around care — will require planning; staff said some special education transportation is already provided for 3‑ and 4‑year‑olds who attend centralized early childhood programs.

Board members asked staff about classroom models and how special education students are served in unified and specialized settings. Staff described unified classrooms as generally 15 students with a mix of general‑education peers and students with identified early‑childhood special education needs and said licensed early‑childhood special education teachers would serve as case managers in those classrooms.

Next steps outlined by staff: the finance and facilities committee and the full board will continue to review specific project lists and costs; operating‑budget impacts and final construction plans would be part of subsequent board decisions.

Why it matters: district leaders say expanding pre‑K access can deliver long‑term educational and economic benefits and reduces downstream special‑education costs. The recommendation would change where some centralized early‑childhood services are delivered and would use one‑time capital and bond resources rather than recurring operating funds.

Officials asked the board for continued review and for staff to return with more detail; no final board action to authorize construction was taken at Tuesday’s meeting.