SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 72
WHEREAS, the Kansas City School District is working toward providing students with knowledge, skills, abilities and attitudes so that they may become life-long learners and have the capacity for leadership and service; and
WHEREAS, the Kansas City School District has diligently worked to re-obtain accreditation; and
WHEREAS, the State Board of Education voted to reinstate the Kansas City School District to provisionally accredited status on April 17, 2002; and
WHEREAS, it is both a source of great joy and inspiration to the Kansas City School District to receive such a vote of confidence from the State Board of Education; and
WHEREAS, citizens residing in the Kansas City School District should work together to develop ideas to help the school district continue their efforts towards full accreditation:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the Senate of the Ninety-first General Assembly, Second Regular Session, the House of Representatives concurring therein, hereby establish a planning commission for the Kansas City School District be created, to be comprised of fifteen members of whom shall be residents of the Kansas City, Missouri School District or a corporation or organization currently located in the school district; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the planning commission conduct research, review and evaluate key issues related to the Kansas City School District and make recommendations for ways that the district may improve education, improve student performance and meet requirements applicable to school districts; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the planning commission shall consist of seventeen members selected as follows:
(1) The superintendent of the Kansas City Missouri school district shall serve as ex-officio member;
(2) The president of the school board of the Kansas City Missouri school district shall serve as ex-officio member;
(3) The president of the local chapter of the American Federation of Teachers shall serve as a member;
(4) One member, resident in the district, shall be appointed by the local chapter of the National Education Association;
(5) One member shall be the president of the local AFL/CIO chapter;
(6) The chancellor of Rockhurst College shall serve as ex-officio member;
(7) The chancellor of the University of Missouri-Kansas City shall serve as ex-officio member;
(8) The president of Lincoln University shall appoint a member who is a resident of the district with expertise in education issues;
(9) One member shall be the chief executive officer of the Kansas City urban league;
(10) One member shall be the president of the parent's association for the district;
(11) One member shall be the chief executive officer of a large corporation with an office in Kansas City, appointed by the Kansas City chamber of commerce;
(12) One member shall be a business person appointed by the Kansas City black chamber of commerce;
(13) One member shall be appointed by the NAACP;
(14) One member of the house of representatives who represents all or a portion of the school district and has expertise in education issues shall be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;
(15) One member who is a resident of the school district with expertise in education issues shall be appointed by the president pro tempore of the senate with the approval of the senators representing all or a portion of the school district; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the planning commission shall have expertise in either education, administration or business matters; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a community advisory committee to the planning commission, consisting of residents of the school district, be established to serve as a liaison between the community and the planning commission; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the community advisory committee to the planning commission shall consist of:
(1) One member appointed by each member of the house of representatives who represents all or a part of the school district;
(2) One member appointed by each member of the senate who represents all or a part of the school district;
(3) One member appointed by each member of the city council of the city containing the school district who represents all or a part of the school district;
(4) One member appointed by each member of the county legislature of the county containing the school district who represents all or a part of the school district; and
(5) Five members appointed by the governor, including two parents of resident pupils attending a district school, one grandparent of a resident pupil attending a district school and two members of the community.