By KCUR
Kansas City, Mo. – The school board in Kansas City voted Wednesday night to close almost half the district's schools.
Administrators say the closures are necessary to trim $50 million from the system's budget.
The plan will eliminate a dozen elementary schools, combine most middle and high schools and move early childhood centers into elementary buildings.
Superintendent John Covington says the closures will free up resources for better instruction.
But they'll leave the city with just 33 schools, the fewest in 120 years.