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.

Over the past four years, we have brought in over 335 corps members to the region and made an immediate and lasting impact working to close the achievement gap, one that impacts over 30,000 kids growing up in poverty across our community.  We know that when given the educational opportunities they deserve, our students can overcome the additional challenges of poverty and achieve on an absolute scale.  The evidence we see in corps members’ classrooms throughout our community gives us hope and inspires confidence that we can raise expectations for all kids and prove what’s possible. 

As our largest urban school district and city find itself in a time of transition with the loss of state accreditation and uncertainty around the future governance of schools, it would be easy to give up hope on the momentum and progress we have seen as a city in the past several years; however, we know that the number one indicator on student outcomes is the quality of the teacher in the classroom.  Our students need excellent teachers who are committed to going above and beyond and ensuring they are set up on a life path with expanded opportunities.

I hope you will join our efforts in Kansas City and help raise expectations for all kids.