What Kearney School District does

Kearney School District (KSD) is a public K-12 school district headquartered in Kearney, Missouri, serving students from early childhood through 12th grade across eight school facilities: the Early Education Center, four elementary schools (Dogwood, Hawthorne, Kearney, Southview), Kearney Middle School, Kearney Junior High, and Kearney High School. The district operates as a government entity of the State of Missouri, funded primarily through local property taxes, state formula funding, and federal grants, and it is the largest employer in Kearney with approximately 500 employees. KSD's strategic positioning centers on two proprietary frameworks: the Portrait of A Graduate framework codifying nine graduate competencies, and the Real World Learning (RWL) initiative developed with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation that delivers Market-Value Assets, internships, dual credit, and industry-recognized credentials through structured Career Pathways spanning Healthcare, Education, Agriculture, Business, Engineering, and Media.

KSD's operating model combines in-person education delivery across its eight campuses with a digital ecosystem anchored by PowerSchool for student information management and registration, ParentSquare and StudentSquare for stakeholder communications, and Peachjar for community flyer distribution. Ancillary revenue-generating services include Kids Club before- and after-school care for elementary students, KSD Summer School, and Summer Camps, all priced on a subscription or fee basis. Non-instructional operations such as food services and student transportation are outsourced under contracts to Southwest Food Service Excellence and Durham Transportation, respectively. Recruiting is managed through Frontline (AppliTrack), and surplus assets are disposed via GovDeals.

Customer segments include K-12 students and their families (primary), educators and staff, and community/business partners participating in RWL internships and Client Connected Projects. Marketing and community engagement leverage a multi-channel approach through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, ParentSquare, local media coverage (including Great Day KC on FOX4), and the annual Back-to-School Resource Fair. The district maintains regulatory compliance with Section 504 and Title II of the Rehabilitation Act, achieving WCAG 2.0-2.1 A/AA accessibility standards on its digital properties.

Name

Kearney School District

Legal name

Kearney School District

Website

https://ksdr1.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Kearney School District is a public K-12 school district in Kearney, Missouri, operating eight schools from early childhood through high school and serving approximately 3,000-3,500 students. It delivers public education funded by local, state, and federal sources, with supplemental fee-based programs including Kids Club and Summer School.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Public Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Public K–12 Combined Schools (EDAJAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Elementary Schools (EDAJAAAB), Public School Districts (K–12) (EDADABAA)

Keywords

• Public K-12 education
• School district services
• Early childhood education
• Career pathways programs
• Before after school care

Headquarters

HQ city

Kearney

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Public Education Funding: As a public school district, KSD receives funding from local property taxes, state formula funding, and federal grants. Education services are provided free of charge to students.
2. Kids Club Before/After School Care: Fee-based before and after school care program for elementary students in kindergarten through fifth grade. The district charges tuition for this service.
3. Contracted Services: The district contracts with outside companies for food services (Southwest Food Service Excellence) and transportation (Durham Transportation), handling these operations through external vendors rather than direct employment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Kearney School District is a public K-12 educational institution operating eight schools that provide early childhood, elementary, middle, and high school education to students in Kearney, Missouri. In addition to standard academic instruction, the district offers supplemental programs including Kids Club before- and after-school care and Career Pathways work-based learning through the Real World Learning initiative.

Product overview

Kearney School District operates a comprehensive K-12 public education system in Kearney, Missouri, serving students from Early Education through High School. The district's digital ecosystem includes its core website platform, the Real World Learning career readiness program developed with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, and the Portrait of A Graduate framework defining student success competencies. Key programs include Career Pathways spanning Healthcare, Education, Agriculture, Business, Engineering, and Media fields, supplemented by Kids Club before/after-school care, Summer School, and Athletics & Activities. The district leverages PowerSchool for student information management, ParentSquare for family communications, and integrates with Frontline for recruiting and GovDeals for surplus property sales.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• K-12 Public Education Comprehensive K-12 education program delivered through eight schools covering early childhood through grade 12 for students residing within district boundaries in Kearney, Missouri.
• Kids Club (Before- and After-School Care) Fee-based child care program providing supervised before- and after-school care for students, addressing the childcare needs of working families.
• Real World Learning Program Accredited program (by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) pairing students with business and industry experiences prior to graduation.
• Career Pathways Work-Based Learning Career pathways program providing work-based learning experiences to connect students with career preparation opportunities during their K-12 education.

Quantifiable outcome

• 268 graduates in Class of 2026 with Real World Learning achievements
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ewing Marion Kauffman FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKSD partners with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation for the Real World Learning initiative, developed in partnership with the Real World Learning Collaborative. The foundation supports immersive, profession-based learning through Market-Value Assets, career pathways, internships, and industry-recognized credentials.
• Real World Learning CollaborativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in developing the Real World Learning program that equips students with hands-on experiences, industry connections, and credentials for college and career readiness.
• Platte-Clay Electric CooperativecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPCEC partners with KSD through the Kids Club Summer Expedition program, providing hands-on demonstrations and interactive learning about electric utilities. Also selects KHS students for the annual Youth Tour to Washington, D.C. leadership experience.
• Southwest Food Service Excellence (SFE)coreOthersSFE is contracted to provide food and nutrition services for KSD students, handling meal preparation and service across district schools. Publishes regular 'What's Cooking' newsletters highlighting food service activities.
• Durham TransportationcoreOthersContracted transportation provider for KSD bus services. Handles student transportation to and from school activities.
• Mosaic Life CareminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMosaic Life Care partners with KSD through the Nursing Scholars of Promise program, selecting 15 KHS students for nursing education scholarships and career pathway support.
• Hollis + MillerminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerArchitecture firm conducting facility assessments across KSD as part of the district's long-range planning for facility needs, working in conjunction with ExcellenceK12 community research.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Park Hill School District: Platte County, Missouri public K-12 district serving the Kansas City Northland. Highly comparable suburban public district offering K-12 programming, career pathways, athletics, and Real World Learning-style career exposure programs.
• Excelsior Springs School District: Clay County, Missouri public K-12 district similar in size and small-town character to Kearney. Direct peer in operating a contained multi-school district with community-anchor status and similar funding model.
• Liberty Public Schools: Adjacent Missouri public K-12 district serving the Liberty area in Clay County, directly comparable to Kearney by geography, district size, and suburban Kansas City metro profile. Operates multiple elementary, middle, and high schools with comparable career pathways and extracurricular programs.
• Raytown C-2 School District: Jackson County, Missouri public K-12 district operating within the Kansas City metro. Comparable in serving a defined geographic catchment with multiple schools and a similar program portfolio.
• Lee's Summit R-VII School District: Jackson County, Missouri public K-12 district serving a comparable Kansas City-area suburban community. Larger scale but operates the same public K-12 model with strong career pathways, athletics, and community partnerships.
• North Kansas City School District: Clay County, Missouri public K-12 district serving the North Kansas City area. Larger than Kearney but operating the same public school district model with comparable career pathways, athletics, and community engagement structures.
• Smithville R-II School District: Clay County, Missouri public K-12 district of similar scale and suburban profile to Kearney. Comparable in operating a small set of schools spanning elementary through high school with community-centered programming.
• Blue Springs R-IV School District: Jackson County, Missouri public K-12 district comparable in Kansas City metro profile. Operates multiple schools across elementary through high school with similar career readiness and extracurricular programming.
• Belton School District #124: Cass County, Missouri public K-12 district serving a similar suburban Kansas City-area community profile. Comparable in district structure, scale, and program offerings.

Others

• Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation: Strategic partner rather than a peer — the foundation co-developed KSD's Real World Learning initiative. Listed here because it is the institutional model that other Real World Learning Collaborative districts emulate and because KSD's RWL positioning is anchored to this partnership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ksdr1
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@KearneySchoolDistrict
• Facebookfacebook.com/ksdr1

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kearney School District