[9][10] Elections are for four-year terms, and are held in odd-numbered years (winners taking office the following January).

This facility, under a separate administration, offered training in 18 different areas of trade and industry, to both students and adults.

Concurrently, traditional home economics courses were still being taught at secondary schools throughout the system, but had been expanded to provide professional food service skills.

Wichita's superintendent of schools, at the time, reportedly declared that they were "offering... an educational mix" divided "equally between" normal "academic training" courses and "advanced vocational schooling"—vocational training that was "geared" towards "real concepts and needs", to prepare students for "job hunting.

However, difficulties between the aviation industry and WAVTS led to local industry leaders inviting Cowley County Community College to establish a substitute facility at the former Cessna Aircraft Field in southeast Wichita.>[32] In 1987, the Wichita Area Vocational Technical School partnered with Butler County Community College to develop an Associate of Applied Science degree in electronic engineering technology.

At the request of Wichita community business leaders in late 1990, Wichita State University and the technical school partnered to offer this degree through WSU, and the agreement and degree were approved by the Kansas Board of Regents in 1991[33] In 1999, the name of WAVTS changed to Wichita Area Technical College (WATC), and the college gained authority to grant college credit, and was empowered to award Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees.

[28] Several figures of national prominence in their field are alumni of the Wichita Public Schools, including former U.S. Agriculture Secretary and Kansas 4th District Congressman Dan Glickman (later Director of Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and Motion Picture Association of America president),[35] actress Kirstie Alley, and actor Don Johnson.

[36] Various Olympic medalists began their athletic careers in the Wichita Public Schools, including basketball star Lynette Woodard, track star Jim Ryun, swimmer Jeff Farrell, and boxer Nico Hernandez.

Bush & B. Obama) Robert Gates, Broadway theater and Metropolitan Opera star Karla Burns, and Heisman Trophy winner and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Barry Sanders.