Voters have again passed on the opportunity to attach the Platte County R-3 School District to the Metropolitan Community College District.
More than 54 percent of voters said no to the proposal.
The Metropolitan Community College (MCC) district is a public community college system serving the Greater Kansas City area. It offers a wide range of affordable educational opportunities, including associate degrees, certificate programs and workforce training. MCC has several campuses across the region – the closest being Maple Woods Community College – providing accessible education to students from various backgrounds and preparing them for careers in high-demand industries such as healthcare, technology, and skilled trades.
The ballot language states:
Shall the Platte County R-3 School District become a part of and be attached to The Junior College District of Metropolitan Kansas City, Missouri (also known as “Metropolitan Community College”) effective the 21st day of November, 2024? If this proposition is approved, the overall tax levy in Platte County R-III School District will increase by Metropolitan Community College’s tax levy of $ Seventeen and Eighty -one Hundredths Cents ($0.1780) per $100 of assessed valuation and all residents of the school district will be eligible for reduced Metropolitan Community College tuition at the in-district rate for general education and work force training.
Attachment means that the district would officially become part of the MCC District. This would allow students from the district to pay in-district tuition rates, significantly reducing the cost of attending MCC. It also means the district would contribute to MCC’s tax base. If the measure passes, the attachment would become effective starting with the next tax year, which would begin in 2025.
According to Laura Hulett, Platte County’s director of communications, neither the district, nor the board of education have provided an endorsement of the question.
“As with their previous question in 2021, the district neither opposes or supports the issue, but we certainly value our partnership with MCC,” she said.
The North Kansas City, Liberty and Park Hill school districts are already a part of the district.
According to MCC officials, the primary benefit for the Platte County R-3 School District is the reduction in tuition costs for its students. If the attachment is approved, tuition would drop from $237 per credit hour to $121 per credit hour for in-district students. This would make higher education much more affordable, especially for high school students taking dual credit or early college courses, who receive an additional 50% reduction ($60.50 per credit hour). Additionally, students would have access to programs, services and resources.
The additional cost to residents would have been an increase in property taxes of $0.1780 per $100 of assessed property value. For example, if a home is appraised at $250,000, the homeowner would pay an additional $85 per year in property taxes.