KSHB 41 reporter Alyssa Jackson covers portions of Johnson County, including Overland Park, Prairie Village and Leawood. Share your story idea with Alyssa.
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School starts next Wednesday for Unified School District 232 in De Soto, Kansas, and district leaders are going into the year relieved that some of their funding won't be cut.
USD 232 announced $125,715 of federal funding was in limbo after a freeze this summer.
For a small district, that funding is critical to certain programs, instruction and employee training.
The U.S. Department of Education recently announced it was releasing funds.
USD 232 received the notification that it would receive the full amount.
However, officials are still monitoring any potential impact for next year.
With Panasonic's EV battery facility open, USD 232 has a growing need since its student population is expanding.
The district added 100 new students this year, a spike the district hasn't seen in years.
"We're attracting, in some cases, out-of-state people here for one reason, and it turns out that it works out for us as well," said Dr. Cory Gibson, USD 232 superintendent.
The superintendent has even noticed residents moving to the city and deciding to work for the school district.
"People are excited to move here. There's a lot of development. Our last study shows about 6,100 homes may be redeveloped in our district's boundary in the next 10 years," Gibson said.
One of those developments, proposed by GRATA Development LLC, is in the works off K-10 Highway and Kill Creek Road.
While it's still several years from completion, it will bring one of the largest mixes of housing and commercial development to De Soto.
The developers are still waiting for the city to approve incentives.
GRATA Development's president, Travis Schram, said the company considered De Soto before Panasonic arrived.
"There's a need for housing there," Schram said. "The community has been really loud and clear about the desire for more 'for sale' single-family housing, and I think even more so than that, it can be part of their community versus across the highway way over by Panasonic."
As with many other housing developments popping up in De Soto, when homes are complete the district can expect to gain more families and property tax revenue.
The focus for the first day of school is the students in the hallways, but down the line, it's how many more will eventually join them.
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