School initiative says national charter group to study Midtown feasibility

Midtown parent Kristin Littrell asked those at a meeting last summer to envision the kind of schools they would like to create for Midtown children.

The Midtown Community Schools Initiative asked those at a meeting last summer to envision the kind of schools they would like to create for Midtown children.

The Midtown Community School Initiative says it has selected an educational partner to evaluate the feasibility of launching a new charter school here.

Last fall, the initiative issued an RFP seeking school partners “with the capacity and willingness to run a high-quality elementary school serving families in Midtown.” They say today on their website they received three responses.

After careful evaluation, the initiative says, it chose the national charter school organization Citizens of the World Charter Schools, which opened its first location in 2010 in Hollywood, California and is now building a community-based national network.

“When we first reviewed the 200-page proposal that Citizens of the World submitted in response to our RFP, we were blown away by how closely their values and curriculum align with our goals. From the creation of diverse learning environments, to a commitment to the local community, to a focus on student achievement, Citizens of the World is an education partner that Midtown can be proud of,” the initiative said.

Citizens of the World Charter Schools describe their mission as  “to create a national network of high-achieving, community-based public schools that reflect the abundant socioeconomic, racial and cultural diversity of their surroundings.”  They also say they work to build strong communities both within and outside the classroom.”

The initiative says it was able to attract the proposal from Citizens of the World and the other two groups that responded to the RFP because of the “unprecedented” support from Midtown parents and neighbors.

The charter school group will now meet with Kansas City organizations and families to further evaluate the launch of a school here.

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