Planning moves ahead for Midtown charter schools

Representatives of Citizens of the World Charter Schools accepted a pledge of support from a local developer last week.

Citizens of the World Charter Schools, which plans to open two schools in here in 2016, is continuing its fundraising efforts, and otherwise preparing for startup.

CEO of Citizens of the World, Kriste Dragon, said the focus right now is on fundraising, finding a facility, hiring principals and teachers, recruiting students and continuing to engage with the Kansas City community.

Dragon said community support is strong in Kansas City, which she says may be the first community in the country where a “parent-generated partnership” has spurred creation new charter schools. That began several years ago, when a group called the Midtown Community School Initiative  issued an RFP seeking school partners “with the capacity and willingness to run a high-quality elementary school serving families in Midtown.” Citizens of the World responded to the RFP and was chosen by the local group as its partner.

Dragon says Citizens of the World, which operates schools in California and New York, hopes to open two K-1 elementary schools in Midtown in the fall of 2016. They plan to add additional grades each year until they are operating elementary, middle and high schools serving an area from State Line to Prospect, Union Station to Brush Creek.

Last week, the group accepted a pledge of support from developer John Hoffman at a ribbon cutting ceremony for a new apartment building at 37^th and Gillham. Hoffman said he intended to help raise $25,000 to donate to the school effort.

“We can’t rebuild the urban core without bringing back families and children,” he said, “and good schools are needed.”

Three major philanthropic organizations said in January they will contribute $2.65 million dollars to help open the new schools next year. The funding comes from the Ewing Marion Kaufman Foundation, the Walton Family and the Hall Family Foundation.

Citizens of the World Charter Schools describes its schools as “free, high-performing public charter schools that serve student populations that reflect the socioeconomic, cultural and racial diversity of the communities they serve.”