Kansas City
Overview
This is a crucial time for key players to affect fundamental change for education in Kansas City. In its second year as a region, Teach For America • Kansas City is already seeing strong academic results from students of charter corps members.
To increase the impact, the region is adding several partners for the 2009-2010 school year. Current and new partners include:
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Kansas City Missouri School District (KCMSD)
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Hickman Mills School District
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10 charter schools
With the addition of the 2009 corps, nearly a quarter of the students in KCMSD are taught by corps members. With strong community support, Teach For America is poised to be a key factor in closing the achievement gap for Kansas City students.
Life
Split almost down the middle by the Missouri-Kansas state line, the Kansas City metro is extremely livable and affordable. Corps members looking to live in an urban atmosphere can live in downtown Kansas City amid restaurants, theaters, dance clubs, art galleries, and the new Power and Light District. Close to downtown is the 18th and Vine district, home to Kansas City’s jazz scene and some of the best live music and barbeque in the Midwest. The Westport area in Midtown is now known for its nightlife, and stays abuzz with funky shops, lively taverns, friendly cafes, and live music. Johnson County, across the river in Kansas, is a slightly pricier suburban alternative with great shopping, thriving business complexes, and picturesque charm.
Corps Culture
The Kansas City corps—currently 124 members strong—is playing a significant role in the development of regional programming and corps culture. The small corps size translates into a sense of community for the corps members, and they are a tight-knit group.
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Most corps members live with or near other corps members.
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They often spend evenings and weekends together, and frequently meet at the Teach For America office to visit and check out materials from the corps member resource room.
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In addition to attending Teach For America professional events and meetings, the social committee organizes events like barbeques, movie nights, kickball games, and happy hours.
Together, the corps members are leading Teach For America’s movement in Kansas City, and their hard work is ensuring that Kansas City is a powerful and supportive Teach For America site focused on increasing student achievement.
Teaching
Student achievement is drastically lower in Kansas City, Mo. than in more affluent neighboring schools.
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Over 80 percent of Kansas City Missouri School District (KCMSD) students qualify for free and reduced lunch, and only 10 percent of students are considered low-income in a school district just 30 minutes away.
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Students growing up in the wealthier neighboring districts are three times as likely to score proficient or higher on the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) by the third grade.
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Recent MAP results show that 23 percent of third or fourth graders scored proficient or higher on the math section of the Missouri Assessment Program test, while only seven percent of seventh and eighth graders and two percent of 10th and 11th graders scored proficient or higher in math.
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With graduation rates hovering at 50 percent, less than half of those students that do graduate from KCMSD go on to attend college.
However, area schools are implementing plans to close this achievement gap, and have been supported by recently increased state spending in education.
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Many schools are focusing their energy on upgrading instructional personnel and developing a more structured core curriculum in a concerted effort to increase students’ academic performance.
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Kansas City schools have been supportive about partnering with Teach For America in this endeavor.
Members of the Kansas City corps will have the opportunity to play a dynamic role in the city’s education reform movement and to profoundly affect the educational experiences of some of the nation’s most disadvantaged students.
View a map of our placement areas.
Certification and Testing
Kansas City corps members teach on a Provisional Certificate, which is valid throughout their two-year commitments.
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Provisional certificates are nonrenewable and can ultimately lead to full certification.
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In order to qualify for the provisional certificate, all corps members are required to complete at least nine units of certification coursework through Rockhurst University and complete an academic contract. These courses are worked into the summer institute training.
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Some corps members will also be required to pass a Praxis II content area exam.
Kansas City corps members also have the opportunity gain full certification as well as a Master’s degree in education by the end of their two-year commitments. Rockhurst University offers coursework toward a Master’s in elementary or secondary education.
Placements
| Elementary |
35% |
| Secondary |
65% |
| Teach at a school with another corps member or alumnus |
87% |
Living and Education Expenses
Salary and Taxes
| Salary |
$30,000 - $34,000 |
| Taxes |
0.0% |
Cost of Living
| Housing Single |
$550 - $950 |
| Housing Shared |
$400 - $600 |
| Health Insurance |
$40 |
| Utilities |
$60 |
| Daycare |
$600 - $1,000 / month |
| Monthly Tranist Pass |
$50 |
| Car Insurance |
$115 |
| Car Required |
Access to car is essential |
Start-up Costs
| Testing Costs |
$130 - $150 |
| Up-front Certification Costs |
$1,400 |
| How do you pay start-up costs? |
Out-of-pocket or with financial aid |
Ongoing Costs through the Two-year Commitment
| Ongoing Certification Costs |
$0 |
| Use AmeriCorps award for testing/certification costs? |
No |
| How is teaching certification structured in this state/region? |
2 year - Through university |
| Is it possible to complete a master's degree at the end of two years? |
Yes |
| Is the completion of a master's degree required as part of the two-year commitment? |
No |
| Extra Master's Degree Costs |
$13,000 |
| Partner Universities |
Rockhurst University |
Notes and Clarifications
- Beginning teacher salary: If you have a master's degree in education, are placed in a bilingual classroom, or in a math/science classroom you may receive additional compensation.
- Avg. health insurance: In some placement districts, health insurance premiums are pre-tax deductions.
- Total tax rate: Federal + state + city. Only applies to starting salaries.
- Up-front certification: Expenses that must be paid before your first day of teaching.
- Paying start-up costs: Can you pay for testing and up-front certification costs with transitional grants and loans or do you have to pay out-of-pocket?
- Ongoing certification: Total certification costs over two-year teaching commitment.
- AmeriCorps award for certification: Can you use your AmeriCorps award to pay testing/certification costs?
- Master's in two years: Is it possible to complete a master's degree at the end of two years?
- Master's required: Is the completion of a master's degree required as part of the two-year commitment?
- Extra master's degree costs: Additional total cost to obtain a master's degree (on top of ongoing certification costs); does not include AmeriCorps award.
- Partner university(ies): These universities partner with Teach For America for ongoing certification requirements, and in some cases, the fulfillment of a master's degree in education.