Teach For America has partnered with the Kansas City Missouri School District (KCMSD) and corps members began teaching in Fall 2008. The 2008-09 school year is an exciting time as Teach For America works toward having an immediate impact on student achievement, while building a foundation for long-term change.
| Quick Stats |
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| Site Since : 2008 |
| Corps Size: 50 |
| Average yearly temperature: 53.6° |
| Car: Access to a car is essential |
Salary: See cost of living  |
Located at the junction of the Missouri and Kansas Rivers, and straddling the Missouri-Kansas state line, this notoriously casual and friendly city has been dubbed the “Heart of America."
The city is known to be extremely livable and affordable. Kansas City Market, one of the nation’s largest farmer’s markets, sits beside the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, known internationally for its world-class Asian art collection. The historic 18th and Vine district celebrates the region’s rich African-American history with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, where visitors learn about one of the most dynamic and contentious chapters in baseball history, and the Horace M. Peterson III visitor’s center, which chronicles the neighborhood’s cultural, social, and historic contributions. Sports fans can attend Chiefs football games and Wizards soccer games at nearby Arrowhead Stadium, and can also attend the Royals baseball games at the Kauffman Stadium.
Nightlife in Kansas City is filled with music and dancing of all genres. One can catch a live jazz show at the Blue Room downtown, then head over to Westport to the Hurricane for some Zydeco dancing, and end the night swing dancing on the city’s largest wooden dance floor at the Beaumont Club. Those wishing to stay outdoors can relax at sandy riverside beaches, go fishing or boating in a nearby lake, or walk through Swope Park, one of the nation’s largest urban parks.
New residents also have some of the most affordable housing options in the nation for a city its size, and the fastest growing job market in the Midwest. Corps members looking to live in an urban atmosphere can live in downtown Kansas City, amid restaurants, theaters, cabaret revues, and dance clubs. In one downtown area, the newly revitalized Crossroads Arts District, long-abandoned buildings have been replaced by shops, restaurants, and a burgeoning art scene. The Westport area in Midtown, once the site of Civil War combat, is now known for its nightlife, and stays abuzz with funky shops, lively taverns, friendly cafes, and live music. Meanwhile, minutes from downtown, Kansas City North offers a peaceful and rural alternative to city living. Johnson County, across the river in Kansas, is a slightly pricier suburban alternative with great shopping, thriving business complexes, and picturesque charm. Both Johnson County (Kan.) and Jackson County (Mo.) are full of diverse towns within commuting distance of the city centers.
The Kansas City corps—currently 50 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. Most corps members live with or near other corps members. 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.
As part of the Teach For America support network, Kansas City corps members attend all-corps gatherings, participate in learning teams with other corps members who teach the same grade or subject, and enjoy cultural events and social gatherings with corps members, regional staff, and friends. In addition, program directors provide direct support through ongoing classroom observations and feedback. Program directors also meet with corps members to discuss challenges and connect them to meaningful learning experiences and teaching resources.
Together, the charter corps members are leading Teach For America’s movement in the 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. With the addition of the 2009 corps, Teach For America corps members will teach over 40 percent of the students in the KCMSD. Kansas City corps members will play a huge role in increasing student achievement and helping close the achievement gap in the city.
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