Supporters of school closing plan win election

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Voters in Kansas City have elected a slate of candidates who support a massive reorganization plan for the city's troubled school district.

The unofficial results of Tuesday's election means that Superintendent John Covington's plan to close nearly half of the district's schools and lay off hundreds of employees will have majority support on the board.

Kyleen Carroll, Crispen Rea Jr. and Joseph Jackson easily won the three contested seats for the board. The results leave only two members on the nine-member board who voted against the reorganization plan.

Covington's controversial plan would close 29 of the district's 61 schools and cut about 700 of the district's 3,000 jobs -- including 285 teachers. The district's enrollment has declined to fewer than 18,000 students from about 35,000 a decade ago.