By Alex Smith

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kcur/local-kcur-990871.mp3

LAWRENCE, Ks. – When the Kansas City Missouri school district officially loses its accreditation on January 1, 2012, students in the district may have the option of enrolling in other district's schools. And the Kansas City district would be required to pay tuition and transportation costs for any student who does that.

But about 50 years ago, the idea of any of this happening would have been unimaginable.

John Rury is a professor of education and history at the University of Kansas. He says that, in the first few decades after World War II, urban school districts like Kansas City were the best.

So how has the Kansas City Missouri district declined so sharply while suburban districts have improved? According to a recently-published study by Rury and his colleague Argun Saatcioglu, the rise of suburban education has, at least partly, caused the decline of urban education.

KCUR's Alex Smith spoke to the professors in Lawrence.

This story was produced for KC Currents. To listen on your own schedule, subscribe to the KC Currents Podcast.