Excelsior Springs school board OKs 2026-27 calendar, invites public into next phase of strategic plan

Excelsior Springs, Mo. (Jan. 13, 2026) — After a delayed start caused by a closed session that ran long, the Excelsior Springs Board of Education worked through a full agenda Tuesday night, approving the 2026-27 school calendar and unanimously adopting Phase I of the district’s 2026–2031 Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (CSIP).

Board members also heard updates on district finances and attendance trends from Superintendent Dr. Mark Bullimore, a midyear report from Excelsior Springs High School Principal Laura Hartman, and a special education briefing from Assistant Superintendent Dr. Christen Everett focused on rising early childhood needs and the growing cost of out-of-district placements.

Classified employee of the month recognized

The board recognized Deann Baird as the district’s classified employee of the month. Dr. Bullimore said Baird was nominated by Ben Rubey for her behind-the-scenes work supporting the district’s strategic planning process, including extra hours and live note-taking during meetings.

MSBA report: open enrollment, charters, taxes

During the Missouri School Boards’ Association delegate report, the board watched highlights from the MSBA legislative preview that framed the 2026 legislative session as likely to include debates over open enrollment, charter school expansion, and tax policy that could affect local services, including school funding.

Superintendent’s Report: Budget, enrollment, and attendance

Budget snapshot shows revenue trailing last year, while expenses held steady

In his January superintendent’s report, Mark Bullimore shared a December end-of-month look at operational revenue and expenses. The district reported $2.5 million in monthly operational revenue for 2025-26 compared with $2.9 million at the same point last year, while monthly operational expenses were $3.7 million in both years. Year-to-date, the district showed $12.2 million in operational revenue for 2025-26 compared with $12.9 million in 2024-25, while year-to-date operational expenses were $16.6 million this year versus $16.3 million last year.

Enrollment trends show a long-term decline and year-over-year shifts by grade

Bullimore also presented historical enrollment data showing the district at 2,463 students in 2025-26, down from 2,670 in 2024-25 and 3,284 in 2004-05. The report listed current-year counts by grade, including Pre-K (134), Kindergarten (145), and Junior College (73), along with totals for grades 1-12.

Attendance continues to track slightly above the state, but APR points show room to grow

Bullimore’s report compared Excelsior Springs Schools with statewide attendance measures. For 85%+ attendance (APR), the district reported 83.2% in 2023-24 and 84.4% in 2024-25, compared with statewide rates of 82.6% and 82.9%. For 90%+ attendance (funding), the district reported 78.3% in 2023-24 and 80.0% in 2024-25, compared with the state’s 78.2% and 78.5%.

In the state’s “Success Ready Students” continuous improvement scoring, the report showed attendance carried 4.0 points possible, with the district earning 2.0 points, or 50%.

“Why attendance matters” for funding

Bullimore emphasized that Missouri funds districts based on attendance rather than enrollment. The report stated the district had 2,364 students enrolled, with an average daily attendance of 2,090 students present per day. The report said 1,813 students met the 90%+ attendance threshold that counts toward funding, meaning the district was “funded for about 76.6%” of students. The report estimated each student in attendance generates about $4,390 per year, and that every 2–3% improvement (about 60 students) could add roughly $200,000–$400,000 in funding.

Legislative updates and strategic planning

The superintendent’s report also noted legislative items to watch, including the governor’s State of the State address, state and local budget issues, and legislative prefiling.

High school report: celebrations, TSA gains, internships

In the first discussion item, ESHS Principal, Laura Hartman, shared a midyear high school report, opening with accomplishments that included a conference championship for boys soccer, strong competition finishes for wrestling, awards for speech and debate, a fall production of “The Little Mermaid,” and the school’s first National Merit semifinalist in about 20 years.

Hartman highlighted the Tiger Success Academy, known as TSA, which serves students who struggle in traditional settings through Missouri Options, a flex program, and individualized learning plans. She credited teacher Robin Cole and assistant principal Rick Schwab for leading the program and reported first-semester gains, including a 225% improvement in credit attainment, attendance rising from 57.6% to 91.32%, and discipline referrals decreasing 53%.

She also described the district’s internship program, led by Tony Harmon, which connects juniors and seniors with local businesses for real-world learning experiences. Hartman said the program currently includes partnerships with 10 local businesses and has produced noticeable professional growth among students.

High school operations: e-hall pass and culture work

Hartman said the school implemented an electronic hall pass system in October and has already seen fewer students in hallways during class time. She credited teacher and administrative intern Brett McKenzie with helping lead the rollout. She also described quarter-based student experience days on some half days, along with expanded student and staff recognition efforts.

Special education: December 1 child count and early childhood growth

Dr. Christen Everett told the board the district reported about 380 students with active IEPs on the Dec. 1 child count, representing 13.75% of the student population. She noted the most recent statewide average available was 13.92% for 2024-25.

Everett said the district’s early childhood special education count rose to 33, up from 21 the prior year, which she described as a significant shift for a single building. She said growth has been concentrated in disability categories that can require more intensive supports, including autism, emotional disturbance, and other health impairment.

Out-of-district placements: 26 students, nearly $2 million in cost

Everett discussed “separate placements,” or cases where the district determines it cannot adequately serve a student’s needs in-district. She said the district had 26 out-of-district placements last year, including students served in private separate day facilities such as The Rainbow Center, Cornerstones of Care, and Summit Behavior, along with a smaller number served in public separate day facilities.

She said those public separate day programs, including the Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled, have been closing statewide and may not exist by 2026-27, increasing pressure on districts to expand in-district programming or rely more heavily on private options.

Everett said the district spent just under $2 million last year to educate those 26 students, averaging about $73,000 per student, compared to roughly $13,000 for a typical student. She said the district received about $950,000 back through High Need Fund reimbursement, but still absorbed roughly $1 million in costs.

She said tuition rates and transportation costs have climbed, with some private placements costing $7,000 to $8,000 per month per student, and with wait lists that can stretch three to six months. Some students face daily rides of 35 to 40 minutes each way, and in some cases, more than an hour.

Looking ahead: expanding in-district programming
Everett said district leaders are exploring expanded in-district programming, including use of space at Lewis Elementary designed for specialized services, and planning for students currently in early childhood who will require intensive supports as they transition to kindergarten.

Calendar approved with staff feedback in mind

The board unanimously approved the 2026-27 school year calendar, with district leaders describing changes as a response to staff feedback seeking more time after major breaks and a more balanced approach to professional development days.

During discussion, board members asked questions about how teacher work days are counted and how half days factor into contract time. District leaders clarified that some half days combine to equal a full contract day, resolving a question raised during the vote.

Strategic plan Phase I approved; Phase II opens to the public

The board unanimously approved the executive summary for Phase I of the district’s strategic planning process, a five-year plan covering 2026–2031.

Dr. Bullimore and Ben Rubey said a 27-member leadership team completed multiple days of work to establish beliefs, a mission, parameters, measurable objectives, and five strategic focus areas.

The executive summary lists the mission as: “Working together to explore passions and pursue opportunities for all learners through high-quality education and community collaboration.” The motto adopted in the Phase I summary is: “Inspire, Empower, Challenge.”

Rubey told the board that the next phase will form action planning teams aligned to the five strategies and will be open to staff and community members with no participation cap. He said a public kickoff is expected Jan. 29, and teams will work through spring with the goal of bringing a full plan back to the board in May so implementation can begin with the 2026-27 school year.

Board members encouraged district leaders to intentionally recruit a broad mix of participants, including senior citizens, to help shape the action plans.