EDITOR’S NOTE: In our Jan. 25 print edition we mistakenly wrote Truman Career Academy would cost $44.75 billion to construct. It should read $44.75 million. We apologize for the error and have corrected our web edition.

By Leslie Collins
Northeast News
January 25, 2012

Kansas City Public Schools is proposing a $44.75 million project to transform education.

Called Truman Career Academy, the new school would partner with the business community to ensure KCPS students would graduate college and career ready.

“This is certainly not something impossible for our school district,” KCPS Chief Operating Officer Michael Rounds said of the cost during the Jan. 11 board of education meeting. “Much of the remaining debt we have comes off the books in the next couple of years.”

However, the district must continue to be “responsible” with expenditures, he said.

Truman Career Academy is part of the district’s “Transformation Plan Phase II” and would be completed in three phases over an estimated three-year period, with the first learning center being added as early as the fall of 2012. KCPS officials plan to locate the new school at the Manual Career Tech Center, 1215 E. Truman Rd., which would be partially demolished and redeveloped. Current classes at Manual Career Tech would be relocated to various schools across the district.

Truman Career Academy would house separate learning centers, or strands, consisting of career classes related to health, information technology, business, engineering, science, among others. Students would be exposed to project-based learning with the help of area business and organization partners, who would be consulted on the curriculum, Rounds said.

“We want to build the curriculum in conjunction with them,” he said. “What is it they would really like to see in an employee that would come work for them?”

Through those partnerships, internships would also evolve, furthering the goal of ensuring students are college and workforce ready.

Truman Career Academy could also begin to solve the lack of female-owned and minority-owned businesses in Kansas City and across the U.S., Rounds said.

“If we do this right, our students will be running the businesses that are building these projects in the future and we no longer have that problem,” he said.

Not only would Truman Career Academy offer non-traditional learning, it would be offered in a more contemporary space. KCPS-hired Helix Architecture & Design, Kansas City, described a space that’s “fluid and open.” Instead of solid walls, classrooms would be constructed of glass, allowing students to peer into hallways or other classrooms. The school’s entryway would include a video wall to advertise upcoming events or anything KCPS related. Helix Architecture’s goal is to create a “welcome space.” Helix is still finalizing its design.

“I appreciate the vision. It’s really intriguing,” Board member Derek Richey said.

When Richey asked if there are schools similar to Truman Career Academy, Rounds said there are similar aspects in San Diego and at Blue Valley.

“What we haven’t seen is to shape this into the type of holistic educational experience that the students want,” Rounds said. “(At Truman Career Academy), they’re working from their freshman year to establish what is their passion; what are they interested in.”

Based on the student’s career interest, KCPS would educate the student on the requirements in high school and beyond to successfully pursue that career.

“This showcases the fact that we are believing in our students and we are believing in their limitless potential,” a Helix representative said. “I think that’s very exciting.”

While board member Crispin Rea commended the district on Truman’s vision, he also focused on the district’s present state – a lack of state accreditation.

“Let’s pretend the state commissioners were here today… How will this regain or help us regain or retain accreditation?” Rea asked.

“The students will emerge college and career and workforce ready,” KCPS Interim Superintendent Stephen Green said.

Rounds also stressed that KCPS will continue to expect students to meet state and national education standards.