The Independence board of education first approved a four-day school week in December 2022 to help recruit and retain teachers amid a chronic shortage across the state. Whether the district can keep its shortened week, though, will be decided by voters on Tuesday.

A Missouri law passed last year requires certain school districts to ask voters to approve a four-day week. So, beginning with the 2026-27 academic year, Independence will need that approval to keep its shorter schedule. Just one other school district in the state has put the issue before voters, and Crystal City residents overwhelmingly supported it. KCUR's Jodi Fortino has more on the implications of the upcoming vote in Independence.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Luke X. Martin and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.

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