Mayor Funkhouser is determined to improve educational opportunities for children in Kansas City’s most economically distressed areas, where poverty has led to generations of students who are unable to perform at expected grade levels during their early school years, and who subsequently drop out of school at an alarming rate. Their lack of education often leads to fewer job opportunities and a life of unrealized potential.

 

            The Mayor believes that the loss of such human potential presents an economic drain on the City, and causes the city to be less competitive in the global marketplace. The Mayor wants every child in Kansas City to be able to benefit fully from a quality education, to graduate from college and to become a fully contributing member of a world class workforce.

 

            When Mayor Funkhouser learned of Geoffrey Canada and his Harlem Children’s Zone model for addressing educational problems associated with high poverty households, he felt he had discovered an approach that might work for Kansas City.

 

            In February 2009, the Mayor led a delegation to Harlem in New York City that included Councilmember Melba Curls, Jim Caccamo of the Mid-America Regional Council, Tony Oppenheimer of The Private Bank, and Sister Berta Sailer of Operation Breakthrough. The delegation met with Geoffrey Canada, toured his facilities, met with staff, and generally learned as much as they could about his educational philosophy and operational approach. The Mayor and others came away from their meeting convinced that Kansas City should replicate a Harlem Children’s Zone program here.
 

Geoffrey Canada's nonprofit organization, The Harlem Children's Zone, is quickly becoming the model for cities around the country for addressing the education of children born into poverty. Canada’s approach, which evolved over many years, is described in a book written by New York Times Journalist, Paul Tough, entitled Whatever It Takes.”  The book describes Canada’s struggles in the early stages of his work, and tracks the first three years of the HCZ Promise Academy charter schools.

 

Canada’s approach to early childhood education differs from most education programs in that he addresses the needs of children both inside and outside the classroom, from birth through college. 

 

Multiple studies have shown that children from impoverished homes will have deficits in language skills that cannot be overcome if not addressed long before entry into kindergarten. To address this issue, Canada’s program recruits expectant parents into a series of programs called “baby college” where they are shown how to enrich their children’s language and educational experiences from birth forward. 

 

Children are assisted and tracked through a variety of pre-school and kindergarten programs, and into progressively higher grades. The teacher to child ratio is usually one to four. Children receive support in housing, food and nutrition, clothing, health care, diabetes and obesity control, and other quality of life issues essential to learning. The program is designed to provide this level of support from birth through college.

 

The “Zone” is a 94 block area of Harlem, and only children from this zone are eligible to be among the pool from which students are selected by lottery. The reported annual cost is $5,000 per child. 
 

According to the Washington Post, August 2, 2009, “Now the Obama administration seeks to replicate Canada's model in 20 cities in a program called Promise Neighborhoods and has set aside $10 million in the 2010 budget for planning. ...”

 

The Mayor is hopeful that Kansas City can develop its Children Zone proposal quickly and competently enough to be eligible for government funding. He would like to secure government funding for start-up costs, but is determined to help develop a Kansas City Children’s Zone (KCCZ) with private funding if necessary.

 

 

On May 5, 2009, the Mayor held a Harlem Children’s Zone Kansas City Model Kick-Off Meeting, at the Kauffman Center. The meeting was attended by representatives of numerous educational and philanthropic organizations from across the City. 

 

At the meeting, the Mayor expressed his desire to replicate a Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ) model in Kansas City, and stated that he wants to build on existing services, identify gaps in existing services, and plan for measurable outcomes. Others in attendance expressed similar views

 

On May 15, 2009 the Mayor held a follow up meeting to further develop ideas and encourage organizational cohesion.

 

On July 10, 2009, the Mayor welcomed members of the Legislative Black Caucus Foundation who sponsored a symposium in Kansas City with Geoffrey Canada as the guest speaker. The Mayor spoke briefly of his desire to create a Kansas City Children's Zone based on the Canada model.

 

The Mayor discussed the Kansas City Children's Zone concept with officials in the U.S. Department of Education in Washington DC on August 21, and intends to continue working with administration officials in furtherance of the program. He has also conferred with Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill, as well as other elected officials.

Shortly after the Mayor’s meetings, several organizations stepped forward expressing their willingness to take a leadership role in developing a Kansas City Children’s Zone, and have initiated organizational efforts. To date, numerous meetings have been held, and plans are being developed. 

Mayor Funkhouser expects to continue to play a key role, along with these organizations, in helping to develop the plan, now known as "Zone 2-7: Anchor of Hope".  As events evolve and plans begin to solidify, they will be shared on this site.           

 

 
Prospect of New Community Program with Recent Federal Aid