First time in 30+ years: Kansas City Public Schools break ground on new school

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - A long-awaited dream is finally becoming a reality for families in Kansas City’s eastside.

On Wednesday, Kansas City Public Schools alongside JE Dunn Construction and Hollis + Miller Architects officially broke ground on the new King Empowerment Center, the district’s first new school project in over 30 years.

The center will feature the new Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School, a 100% Head Start-rated early childhood center and a family empowerment center.

KCPS Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Collier said the project is a symbol of hope and restoration for a community that has experienced loss over the years.

“I think it’s huge for our kids to see that our community is investing in them, that we’re going to be providing learning environments that are conducive for teaching and learning,” said Collier, “They deserve spaces where they can teach and meet and collaborate and where cutting edge education can happen.”

King Weeks Elementary used to occupy the site before it was shut down over 10 years ago. A promise was made to residents that one day they would open back up, Collier said this project is making sure that promise is kept.

“We’ve seen that community empowerment piece was very important because we do want our schools to be a community asset, we want our community to know that they are a part of this,” said Collier

Oak Park residents say this project is a dream come true for people born and raised in the area.

“We cannot be more grateful or appreciative of what’s going to happen here, how it’s going to change the attitudes and overall look of the neighborhood,” said Forest Tyson Jr. Vice President of the Oak Park Neighborhood Association.

Tyson said the new school gives people something to be proud of.

“Some of these kids go through 2 or 5 neighborhoods to get to the school they’re going to, and just to say something is yours, this is ours, that’s a powerful thing,” said Johnson.

Shawnee Mission student puts ‘Boots on the Ground’ for Harvesters

Ashley Johnson lives a few blocks down from the development and said she has been an advocate for something that makes the families feel connected with the schools.

“I’m just really excited about this new center, the new things that will be coming towards it, I’m just really, really just ecstatic when it comes to our parent engagement rooms,” said Johnson.

Johnson said this feels like progress and is glad the school board is listening to the community’s needs.

“My children will have a floor. they’ll be able to be more successful within their classroom, within their community.”

Developers said the campus should be complete in a year and a half.

KCPS said this project is just the beginning and that all other projects were contingent on the bond passing.

Now that it has, more projects will be in the works soon. The school district said they will post what those are, along with timelines, on their website.

Deadly end to prom: Head-on crash kills 2 Shawnee Mission teens

Copyright 2025 KCTV. All rights reserved.