[4] Black children were not included, because an 1847 state law prohibited teaching African American or bi-racial people how to read and write.

The school district was established in the middle of a series of actions in the state legislature that affected the education of Black children.

In June of that year,[8] the state constitution was revised to permit the establishment of separate public schools for children of African descent.

[12] The practice was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in the context of racially segregated separate but equal public facilities in the case of Plessy v. Ferguson 163 U.S. 537 (1896).

[21] Students—both Black and White—who lived in Meacham Park, an unincorporated area south of Kirkwood City proper, had to walk almost 2+1⁄2 miles and cross train tracks to get to the school buildings.

Tracy was a Kirkwood resident who taught in the public school system in St. Louis city and was instrumental in getting the facility established.

[18]: 16  The local League of Women Voters became involved in August 1919 and protested such "inadequate educational opportunity" for the African American children of the area.

By November of that year, the board had authorized $40 to pay tuition for four Black students to attend the St. Louis public schools for one quarter.

[32]: 1  A new Turner Junior High School in Meacham Park was completed in 1938; the original building was still attached and was used for the elementary grades.

[25] In August 1973, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) under the federal Department of Education requested the Kirkwood School District explain the disproportionate representation of Black students at Turner.

[2]: 8 Before implementation, district leaders laid the foundation for public acceptance of the plan by distributing fact sheets and holding coffees and community forums.

Doubts were widespread, particularly among parents whose children were affected by the closings, although more students received bus transportation to school than before, which was of benefit to families.

The desegregation specialist increased the district's ability to problem-solve, and set up an ombudsman system to address families' concerns.

[2]: 9–14 Also, the human relations specialist tested a suspension monitoring system to improve data on which future action plans could be based.

The district is working hard to overcome or avoid such problems and ensure that Kirkwood schools are providing quality desegregated education of which the entire community can be proud.

The preschool is self-funded and non-profit, earning revenues from tuition, fund-raisers,[38] and federal funding of early childhood special education.

[35] A fine arts complex was built at the high school,[15] along with a commons area that was funded by a donation from Earl and Myrtle Walker; the couple, 1930s graduates, founded the Carr Lane Manufacturing Company and benefited the district with their philanthropy.

[31] In 2005, Kirkwood voters approved Proposition I, a bond initiative which provided funds for improvements and infrastructure as well as inroads to complete the master facility plan.

[35] Prop I improvements at North Glendale included a new roof, fire alarm system, exterior doors, and plumbing; tuckpointing; and a new ADA lift in the gym.

The Kirkwood School District Foundation raised $1.6 million in private monies to support the expansion; the Walkers pledged half of the funding.

[42] One of the Ferguson Commission Report's "Calls to Action" is to eliminate the options for out-of-school suspensions and expulsions as discipline practices for students in Kindergarten through third grade, because such removals from instruction impede long-term outcomes.

[48] The Plan contains the district's priorities (as previously approved by the Board of Education), objectives, and forty-four SMART goals (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound.)

[55] The lawsuit alleges federal civil rights and Title IX violations and estimates that more than 25 district employees have been involved in sexual harassment, abuse, or discrimination against students over the previous 40 years.

[56] The suit also alleges that the former high school employee named as a defendant committed sexual assault and battery,[56] although no criminal charges have been filed.

[55] The plaintiff's attorney states that the broad goal of the lawsuit is to prevent recurrences of sexually inappropriate behavior by district employees.

[58] On July 16, 2021, a lawsuit was filed in St. Louis County which alleges that a different former Kirkwood High School teacher and coach sexually abused a student in the 1980s.

The suit alleges that high school administrators failed to "do anything to investigate, reprimand, deter, remedy and/or punish [the employee's] conduct" and that staff started "openly gossiping, joking, and spreading rumors about Plaintiff" once they became aware of the abuse.

[53][60] Their report stated that their analysis found thirty staff members involved in substantiated allegations of sexual misconduct or abuse that extended over more than four decades.

[61] The audit found numerous long-standing deficits in the district's culture and climate related to sexual abuse, misconduct, and reporting.

The report noted that the district has begun providing specialized training to those staff members who are responsible for conducting investigations.