As parents and community members we do not want our children and schools subject to non evidence-based reform initiatives when there is already a proven process in place that has delivered two years of steady improvement under the collaborative work of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and the Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS).

Upon the Kansas City Public Schools becoming unaccredited in January 2012, DESE established the Regional School Improvement Team (RSIT) process to ensure state education officials collaborated with KCPS in order to target their efforts effectively toward regaining full accreditation.

The RSIT process includes a monthly, public meeting wherein DESE advisors monitor KCPS’ turnaround plan through a review of data and inquiry.  It is through this process that KCPS was able to change the necessary systems to deliver two years of sustained improvement in academic achievement (MSIP4 and MSIP5) with a well-defined plan to achieve further improvements in the 2013-14 school year.

Over the last five years, the Kansas City Public Schools HAVE established a collaborative board, HAVE stabilized the office of the Superintendent, HAVE established a financially sound foundation, HAVE increased opportunities for quality Early Childhood Education, and HAVE improved academic achievement.  It should not go unnoticed that KCPS achieved these goals all within the context of external pressures and distractions related to accreditation loss, changing state standards of accountability measurement, and changing curriculum standards related to Common Core.

We ARE in the process of achieving our goal of a quality education for all our students and simply request the opportunity to continue the process developed in conjunction with the Regional School Improvement Team.

This is why we are asking the Missouri State Board of Education to issue a moratorium of the CEE-Trust study and continue with the Regional School Improvement Team (RSIT) process.

The following issues cast too large a shadow over any CEE-Trust recommendations:

• Funding conflict of interest

• Questionable bidding process

• Lack of transparency

• Limited stakeholder engagement process

Reference:

http://www.kansascity.com/2013/12/07/4677672/emails-detail-a-hidden-plan-for.html​

http://www.kansascity.com/2013/09/04/4457937/kc-district-makes-pitch-for-provisional.html​

http://www.kansascity.com/2014/01/03/4728430/nicastro-continues-her-push-for.html​

http://www.kansascity.com/2014/01/06/4733260/troubleshooter-to-represent-kc.html