The Three R’s

Jun. 9, 2010  |  By: Bob Marcusse  |  Category: Economic Development, Recruitment Success, Regional KC Business
Tags: Economic Development, education, schools

Many years ago, as a school teacher and principal I must admit I was only vaguely aware of how important our regional K-12 schools were to the future of our community.   Every day brought a mix of delight and challenge but my focus was only on my class or my school.  I had a hard time looking beyond the classroom door.  Today students, teachers and administrators are being asked to do a much bigger job than I was asked to do…they are being asked to lift both individual lives and a collective community.

Within our region there has been a lot of national attention on the Kansas City, Missouri school district, and admittedly the district plays a unique role in how our regional market is perceived. I was asked recently how successful schools impact economic development.

Realize

The future of our region is closely tied to the nearly 400,000 students who attend our regional K-12 public schools.  These students are the foundation on which regional Kansas City will build its future. Their success as individuals translates directly into our success as a community.  We need their skills, their innovative capacity, and their drive to achieve. If their potential goes unrealized, it will act as a drag on the economy and on their individual lives.

Resolve

Success matters because sustainable improvement in the schools will resolve a lot of other issues. Jobs will become more available as companies feel more comfortable about investing in the district and people will feel more open about living in the district.  When these two things occur, property values go up and the upward cycle of wealth creation begins.

Relate

The future of our regional schools relates directly to the future of Kansas City, and I have never been as optimistic about the future as I am today. When companies are evaluating the KC market, they will often ask for details on education – whether it’s our percentage of college educated residents, how various districts are rated, or the high school graduation rate. We instinctively know that these assets speak to the region’s livability, workforce quality and economic sustainability.

As I write this piece KCADC is preparing to host an out of state CEO who is about to decide between Kansas City and Dallas as a site for his company headquarters and manufacturing.  The final topic for discussion today is not about sites, or buildings or incentives…it is about finding the right people.  Kansas City has a great story to tell, it is getting better every day, and our K-12 schools are an important part of the success equation.