KC’s college education gap is widening based on income; new effort targets barriers to dreams after high school

A just-announced initiative — backed by the Bloch Family Foundation — has a straightforward goal: put more college advisors in Kansas City Public Schools and develop a strategic plan to boost access to quality, affordable college education or career training after high school.

The newly launched Kansas City College and Career Attainment Network (KCCAN) already has begun work — kicking off Monday — with immediate efforts to engage high schools, higher education institutions, and community organizations.

“A postsecondary degree is critical to achieving the economic mobility that’s at the heart of the American dream — but too many low-income students don’t have access to the counseling and financial resources available to their higher-income peers,” said Dr. Mako Miller, who will serve as the inaugural director of KCCAN. “KCCAN is designed to level the playing field with a strategic, collaborative approach to increasing college attainment and boosting economic mobility in the Kansas City region.”

Supported by a grant from the Marion and Henry Bloch Family Foundation, KCCAN is a focused initiative of the Missouri College and Career Attainment Network (MOCAN).

The strategic plan being built by KCCAN and its partners between now and the end of the year is expected to assess existing resources, identify gaps, and outline specific strategies to help more high school students from low-income communities in the Kansas City metro area enroll in, attend, and graduate from a two or four-year college or university, or a technical program or apprenticeship.

“The evidence is overwhelming that helping more students complete college or career training is the most impactful investment we can make towards improving economic mobility — and that’s what KCCAN is all about,” continued Miller. “A family’s income should never be a barrier to a student’s ability to pursue education and training beyond high school, and this initiative will help more students achieve their dreams and strengthen the entire regional economy in the process.” 

A new analysis by UMKC researchers shows that the educational attainment gaps for Kansas City-area students in high-income versus low-income districts (as measured by the percent of students receiving free/reduced price lunch) widened from a 9 percentage point difference in high school graduation rates to a 23 percentage point difference in college graduation rates.

“What’s different and exciting about this initiative is how KCCAN is taking a collaborative, data-informed approach that brings K-12 schools, colleges, and community organizations together to address the unique challenges low-income students in Kansas City are facing,” said Dr. Eric Camburn, director of the Urban Education Research Center at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. “In the Kansas City region, we’re seeing that nine out of ten public and charter school students graduate from high school. About two-thirds of these graduates enroll in college within the first year after graduation, and only about half graduate from college in 6 years. College enrollment and college graduation rates are substantially lower for students in lower socioeconomic communities.”

The work of KCCAN will depend on the needs identified in the strategic plan but might also include such measures as better connecting college with career pathways, identifying and closing gaps in scholarships and financial aid, and helping students make more informed decisions based on labor market trends.

“Kansas City Public Schools has made tremendous strides, including increasing our graduation rate to nearly 90 percent, but we know that too many of our students face an uneven playing field when it comes to pursuing their dreams of postsecondary education,” said Dr. Derald Davis, deputy superintendent for Kansas City Public Schools. “We’re thrilled to partner with KCCAN to unlock the dream of a postsecondary credential to more KCPS graduates and improve outcomes for the entire KC region.”