The Kansas City Public Schools Board of Directors has announced an agreement with Superintendent Mark Bedell for a three-year contract to begin on July 1, 2019. The negotiated agreement provides the superintendent with an increase in base salary to $265,000 and will add additional insurance benefits to his contract.
The KCPS Board announced in February that the board would begin contract negotiations following completion of the superintendent's annual evaluation. Bedell was hired as superintendent in 2016, and his contract was renegotiated in 2017. The agreement approved by the board on April 10 will go into effect beginning July 1, 2019. The contract was approved by the nine-member board that had worked with and evaluated Bedell over the past three years.
"The Kansas City Public Schools has experienced significant academic growth and attracted new interest and support from the Kansas City community since Dr. Bedell joined the school district," said Melissa Robinson, president of the nine-member board that concluded its term in office on Wednesday. "Under Dr. Bedell's leadership, the district has achieved its highest performance on the state's academic performance report and built an instructional framework that is designed to address the educational needs of our students at all levels. Over his three years with KCPS, Dr. Bedell has demonstrated his ability to recruit and retain top leadership and teacher talent, ensure stable finances, and draw new supporters and volunteers to help our school district thrive."
Robinson said the nine-member board had set performance goals for the superintendent that focused on academic improvement and attention to equity in how educational interventions and resources were allocated, as well as focused attention on social-emotional supports for students and college and career readiness. The KCPS Board established an evaluation process and timeline leading to the contract negotiation with guidance from the Missouri School Boards Association.
The KCPS Board voted to renew the superintendent's contract for an additional three years to provide stability in district leadership and enable the superintendent and educators the opportunity to realize the academic plans they have set out for KCPS, including full accreditation of the school district, closing the achievement gap, and strengthening extra-curricular, and community service and college and career development options for students.
Dr. Bedell is expected to speak to Waldo Tower Neighborhood residents on Saturday, May 11th at our next general meeting at the Waldo Library.