North Kansas City Schools budget concerns continue, statewide impacts feared

NORTH KANSAS CITY, Mo. — KSHB 41 News reporter Lauren Schwentker covers stories in the Northland, including in Clay and Platte counties. Have a story idea? Send her an email.

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Concerns about the future of public school funding in Missouri continue to grow as North Kansas City Schools works through a projected budget shortfall and educators warn other districts could face similar challenges.

The discussion comes as the district, one of the largest in the two-state metro area, hosts a series of community meetings to gather feedback on its budget reduction process.

The district is working to identify roughly $16 million in recurring savings beginning with the 2027-28 school year.

That comes after a $5.6 million state funding shortfall in fiscal year 2026 and a projected additional $11 million loss for 2027-28.

The district says it does not plan to close any schools and is facing challenges tied to both state funding uncertainty and rising operating costs.

The Missouri State Teachers Association says districts across the state are preparing for the possibility of reduced funding while managing higher costs.

“We're already at a position where we are 48th or 49th in the United States when it comes to state funding for our public schools,” said Todd Fuller with the Missouri State Teachers Association.

Fuller said many schools depend heavily on state funding to operate and warned that budget reductions could have long-term consequences.

“I mean that's daunting when you start to think about budget cuts over the course of a three-year period,” Fuller said.

According to Fuller, districts could be forced to reduce support staff, including paraprofessionals and teacher aides who help support students and classroom instruction.

“The state board requested funding that was less than it should be for this next fiscal year and that was frustrating to us, and I think an oversight on the part of the state board,” Fuller said.

The issue has become a growing concern for parents in North Kansas City Schools as district leaders continue discussions about how to address the projected shortfall.

Last week, KSHB 41 spoke with Nina Velazquez, whose daughter attends Oak Park High School.

“Our kids are behind these numbers. I want people to not forget that we are dealing with families that are also in crisis with the inflation that's happening in the city,” Velazquez said.

Velazquez said she remains concerned about how potential changes could affect both students and staff.

“I think teachers should be paid for what they're worth. I think teachers, their job is very hard,” she said.

Fuller said community members should stay engaged as state lawmakers consider future education funding decisions.

“I think right now the most important thing we can do is to start to pay attention to what's happening with the legislature, especially when it comes to public education,” Fuller said.

The next community budget roundtable for the NKC School District is Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Staley High School, 2800 NE Shoal Creek Pkwy, Kansas City, Mo.

Additional community meetings are scheduled through Oct. 12.

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