Neighborhoods rally to boost school achievement in Kansas City, Kansas

by Gloria F. Mengual

March 1, 2004 | | Kansas City, KS

The achievement gap was widening in schools in Kansas City, Kansas, straining relationships between the school system and African American citizens. To work on the problem, concerned citizens combined efforts to develop KCK Study Circles.

But neighborhood residents balked at the narrow topic. They pointed to problems like prostitution, vandalism and crime – all barriers to community well-being. Finally, it was incidents of racially-incited spray painting that rallied organizations and residents in four Kansas City neighborhoods to work together.

“You had churches. Schools. Community agencies. Government officials. Each of us was working on one piece of a bigger problem; the study circles brought all of us together,” said Terry Woodbury, executive director of the Kansas City United Way.

When one group of neighbors formed a neighborhood association as a result of a circle, KCK School Superintendent Ray Daniels said, “That's exactly what we had hoped for.” He believed such activities are vital precursors to family involvement in schools.

Woodbury agreed. “It's not only school issues that are affecting these families. If you're disenfranchised somewhere, you're disenfranchised everywhere.”

KCK Study Circles shifted its mission from the achievement gap to deal more comprehensively with all barriers in neighborhoods. The new mission: to connect, revitalize and empower residents to produce positive change in their communities.

And it has.

Brandi Fisher, former KCK Study Circle program director, tells this story:

I remember one man who participated in a circle that I facilitated. During the first circle, he said that, in his opinion, study circles were a public relations ploy by the school board. He was angry with the school district after repeatedly trying to raise issues, but feeling like he wasn't being heard. By the end of those circles, he bought into sharing ideas through dialogue. He coordinated study circles at his church. He started Black Roses, an Afro-centered drumming and dance program, and linked it up with an after school program. That was three years ago. He has expanded the Black Roses program to other Kansas City schools since then.

The program's credibility — and people's motivation to participate in future circles —rose when people saw that the discussions not only determined a direction for citizens' efforts, but also mobilized them to take action. Outcomes originating as KCK Study Circle ideas include:

• Breakfast meeting with Kansas legislators to discuss education-related budget issues.
• Four study circles named Missing Link joined together to support Hawthorne Elementary School. Activities include tutoring and mentoring students; facilitating the Friday Friendship Club discussions; assisting with back-to-school enrollment, and creation of a database listing existing sources of support for the school.
• Black Roses Afro-centered drumming and dance after school program developed by a study circle participant in response to the need for after school programming.
• Formation of two new neighborhood associations
• Parents of fourth-graders scheduled to enter Rosedale Middle School share with the principal a prevention plan to address potential behavioral problems.
• Orientation program for new kindergarten students entering Grant Elementary School
• Spanish-speaking parents formed a monthly parent support group.
• Establishment of the “Q Club,” a weekly after-school tutoring/mentoring program at Quindaro Elementary School
• Adult escorts for Argentine elementary school children from bus stop to home.
• Back-to-school fairs

“In terms of outcomes, we've had over 1,300 people share their thoughts in study circles during the past three years,” said Woodbury. “Sure, some people want to see those big numbers – 10,000 reached; a budget of $500,000.

“To them, I say, show me how over the past 30 years, your model has changed the urban core. What effect has your approach had on massive housing projects? The children's test scores in urban schools? Test scores have gone up in every Kansas City school for the second year in a row. It's slow work… one person at a time. But it works,” he said.

Learn more: Education