KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A bill that would allow the state of Missouri to immediately take control of the Kansas City Missouri School District has received initial approval from the Missouri Senate.
The bill would eliminate the two-year waiting period for the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to take over an unaccredited school district. The measure, sponsored by Sen. David Pearce, R-Warrensburg, was approved on Monday and faces one more Senate vote before it would move on to the Missouri House, which gave a similar bill unanimous approval in March.
The sponsor of the House bill, Rep. Mike Lair, R-Chillicothe, told the Kansas City Star that he’s confident a Senate bill could win quick approval and head to the governor for his signature.
“I’m not really worried about whether its my bill or another bill, I’m only concerned with making sure we do everything we can to help the 17,000 kids in the Kansas City district as soon as possible,” Lair told the Star.
The move comes one day before voters went to the polls to decide on four of the nine seats on the Kansas City Missouri School Board, and one day after interim KCMOSD superintendent Stephen Green was named to the position permanently.