The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Kansas City Missouri Branch
Executive Committee has voted to oppose the Pre-K Economic Development 3/8 Cent Sales Tax. The
NAACP fully supports public funding for Public Schools, including early learning Pre-K and K-12.
The NAACP works to ensure that all disadvantaged students and students of color are on the path to
college or a successful career by ensuring access to great teaching, equitable resources, and challenging
curriculum. We are dedicated to eliminating the severe racial inequities that continue to plague our
education system. Our ultimate goal is that every student of color receives a quality public education that
prepares him or her to be a contributing member of a democracy.
This proposed tax has several alarming problems we believe will keep children of color in the KCPS
District from achieving their goals.
1- The sales tax places a burden on many of the families KCPS serves. Sales taxes are considered
regressive because they take a larger percentage of income from low- income taxpayers.
2- The Pre-K Economic Development 3/8 cent sales tax is a voucher system that hurts public school
education. The Pre-K plan creates a precedent for attacking education funding to children, similar to
legislative proposals designed to create education vouchers and education saving accounts that would
erode funding for public education systems. The NAACP does not support the use of public funding for
private nonsectarian and religious schools.
3- The NAACP stands in full support of the superintendents and the 14 affected school districts with their
opposition to this tax. These Districts are already working in collaboration with their communities to
address the education needs and priorities of their families. The NAACP does not support an appointed
board with no requirements to meet accountability and standards for public schools.
4- The Pre-K Economic Development Sales Tax fails in the area of educational equality because the plan
does not prioritize Pre-K where it is needed most. Simply put the Pre-K sales tax is inappropriate and does not produce equity and inclusion.
5- The Pre-K Economic Development Sales Tax does not measure up to the National NAACP’s four-
prong strategy to improve educational achievement for disadvantaged students. The Pre-K sales tax
violates at least two of our four prong strategy
⁃ Increasing Resource Equity: Target funds to meet needs of children
⁃ Ensuring College and Career Readiness: A path to success after graduation for all students
The NAACP has a 110 year history of fighting for equal and quality education for ALL. Today, the
NAACP Is focused on disparities in economics, health care, education, voter empowerment and the
criminal justice system while also continuing its role as a legal advocate for civil rights issues.