A city is built around neighborhoods, and neighborhoods are built around schools.  If you are a parent you know that the area around your children’s school is important to you, whether it is a public, charter or faith-based school. 

It is a given that schools play a large role in where people choose to live.  So to build Kansas City’s neighborhoods, we must first start with the areas around its schools.

Kansas City is unique.  We have fourteen different school districts, dozens of charter schools, and even more faith-based schools.  Each deserves a neighborhood that can help it thrive.

Schools First is a five step process to improve the area in about a fifty block area around each of Kansas City’s over 270 schools.

·         A $100 million no-tax increase bond initiative to target infrastructure improvements around schools.

·         A dedicated portion, approximately $5 million, of a renewed Public Safety Sales Tax targeted at police, crossing guard and other safety programs around schools.

·         A commitment from City Council and the City Manager to focus city services, including noise abatement, weed removal, dangerous building demolition and snow removal around schools.

·         A focused effort to work with all area schools to partner and apply for available state, federal and private grant monies for “walk to school” type programs.

·         A dedicated staff function inside city hall to act as a liaison to every school and school district that has a school building in Kansas City.

Mayor Funkhouser unveiled this exciting initiative at his “State of the City” speech at the All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church on January 31, 2010. 

A white paper outlining the program can be found here.

A list of all schools physically located in Kansas City can be found here.
(If you would like to add a school, email us at schoolsfirst@kcmo.org)

A flyer on Schools First can be found here. 

A list of initial supporters can be found here. 

Community leader quotes can be found here.

Click here for maps showing Kansas City's Population change: 

1970-80          1980-1990          1990-2000           2000-2007

Click Here for MARC's Baseline Map Showing 2040 Regional Population

Some Media Coverage of Schools First

Mayor Seeks Path Where Kids can Walk to School - Funkhouser Unviels Schools First Proposal at Annual All Soul's Forum

Kansas City Mayor Funkhouser Unveils Schools Initiative

Funkhouser Aims to Improve Schools: Mayor's Plan Targets Infrastructure, Safety

Mayor: 'We Need to Start with Schools"

Funkhouser Focuses on Schools in Speech

Mayor Funkhouser Talks about the Importance of Schools

 

For more information or to find out how you can help put Schools First email us at schoolsfirst@kcmo.org