Excelsior Springs, Mo. — The Excelsior Springs School District facing criticism for the apparent decision to eliminate its participation in the Northland Center for Advanced Professional Studies (Northland CAPS) program without informing students, parents, school board members, or the broader community.
The decision, which has not yet received formal school board approval, has left some students and parents scrambling after they had already structured their schedules around the program. Adding to the frustration, several school board members have publicly stated they were unaware of the decision to cut the program, which should have required their approval.
What is Northland CAPS?
Northland CAPS is a year-long immersive experience for high school juniors and seniors in Clay and Platte counties. Students engage with real industry mentors, gain early exposure to professional environments, and have the opportunity to work in various industries, from healthcare to technology.
Excelsior Springs has participated in Northland CAPS for several years, and past graduates have gone on to secure scholarships, internships, and career opportunities directly because of their experience in the program.
A Sudden and Unexplained Decision
Earlier this year, the school district had promoted Northland CAPS to future juniors and seniors, encouraging them to get involved in the program. Students applied, wrote essays, and planned their schedules based on their anticipated participation. Yet, when they received their schedules, they were informed that Excelsior Springs would no longer be participating in the program.
Excelsior Springs School board member Traci White personally reached out to Northland CAPS and was told that the district had already informed the program it would only send two students to fill the 20 seats made available to Excelsior Springs students, and Excelsior Springs would no longer be participating in the Northland CAPS program going forward. More concerning, White learned that because Northland CAPS operates on a competitive application basis, Excelsior Springs may have forfeited its reserved spots for the 25-26 school year, leaving future students unable to participate even if the district reverses course.
White noted that 10 students are currently enrolled in Northland CAPS at an estimated cost of $3,800 per student each academic year for the district.
Parents Speak Out
Upset parents have taken to social media to express their disappointment. Angela Creason-Bright voiced her frustration over the lack of communication in a widely shared post.
“Students were informed today that the high school is cutting the Northland CAPS program. The board members I have talked to today were not aware that they were cutting the program,” Creason-Bright wrote on Facebook. “The school district is promoting new buildings and wanting salary increases, but we are cutting programs for students.”
Another parent, Christa McLaughlin, shared a heartfelt letter written by her daughter, Maycie McLaughlin, a senior at Excelsior Springs High School who has been part of Northland CAPS for two years.
In her letter, Maycie described the program as “life-changing” and credited it with giving her direction for her future.
“Like many high school students, I’ve often struggled with not knowing what I wanted to do with my life. The Northland CAPS program helped me find clarity,” she wrote. “It has shown me that I am capable of far more than I ever imagined.”
Maycie detailed the professional skills she learned through the program, including networking, advocating for herself, conducting professional interviews, and managing real-world projects.
“Northland CAPS provides so much more than career training. It offers dual credits, scholarships, and hands-on experience in fields students might never have considered otherwise,” she wrote.
Her participation in the program led her to an internship that solidified her passion for nursing. She has since been accepted to the University of Missouri’s nursing program, while her sister, another Northland CAPS participant, is in veterinary school at Mizzou—an interest she discovered through the program.
(Read Maycie’s full letter here.)
Does the District Offer Alternative Career Programs?
Excelsior Springs does offer career-based programs through the Excelsior Springs Area Career Center (ESACC). Students interested in skilled trades and professional careers can take courses in areas such as animation and media, automotive technology, carpentry and construction technology, electrical trades, EMT-basic training, firefighting, health services, HVAC, introduction to physical therapy, sports and entertainment marketing, and teaching professions. These programs provide students with hands-on training and certification opportunities in their chosen fields.
However, supporters of Northland CAPS argue that the program offers unique advantages that ESACC does not, particularly the ability to intern at businesses across the Kansas City Northland region in high-skill, high-demand industries. Northland CAPS offers five distinct career strands: digital media and design, engineering and advanced manufacturing, global business and logistics, medicine and healthcare, and technology solutions. Northland CAPS students work directly with industry mentors, participate in real-world client projects, and secure internships in high-tech and corporate settings that align with their career interests.
A Critical Vote in April
The controversy over the Northland CAPS program comes just weeks before Excelsior Springs voters will decide on an April tax levy proposal aimed at increasing teacher salaries. The decision to cut an academic program while seeking additional funding has already sparked criticism, with some parents questioning the district’s spending priorities.
“I was shocked when [my daughter] let me know she was pulled into the counseling office and told ‘we just can’t afford it.’ I honestly thought maybe she just misunderstood. I thought there was no way this is what [the school district] would choose to cut,” one parent said in response to Creason-Bright’s post.
What Happens Next?
The decision to cut Northland CAPS has not been finalized, as the school board has yet to vote on it. However, if the district does not act soon, Excelsior Springs students could lose their spots permanently due to the high demand for participation, if they haven’t already.
The issue is expected to be a central topic at the next school board meeting on Tuesday, March 11, at 6:30 p.m. Some parents, students, have expressed that they plan to attend to demand answers and push for reinstatement of the program.
The Excelsior Citizen livestreams school board meetings to YouTube and Facebook where you can watch for free.
*Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this article stated that the annual cost per student to the district was $1,900 when it is actually $1,900 per semester, or $3,800 annually.l;p.//
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