Growing up in Kansas City, I remember seeing the effects of the inequality in our education system firsthand. When Teach For America decided to open a site in Kansas City, I was excited to return to my hometown armed with the passion and tools to create lasting change.

The Kansas City school district has put together a plan that focuses on creating administrative and teacher accountability, engaging the community, and improving academic outcomes for all students. The district’s budget is finally balanced and for the first time, all teachers had an official evaluation in 2010-11. Right now, there is a groundswell of support from the community for these changes, support that is critical to the success of Kansas City’s kids.

Even in our four short years here, Teach For America has made a big impact on Kansas City. Many corps members have led their students to gains beyond district averages, and we are on track to expand our reach to more students in the Kansas City region. More and more alumni are choosing to come to the region, whether through teaching or other routes of impact. For example, Aaron North (Eastern North Carolina ’00), relocated here and founded the Missouri Public Charter School Association and this year will serve as the founding executive director of the Ewing Marion Kauffman charter school.

After years of stagnation, Kansas City is finally on a path toward significant, positive change. As a result, the next few years will be an incredibly exciting time for both the region and for Teach For America.