Senator Yvonne Wilson served as a teacher, principal, and Director of Elementary Education in the Kansas City School District for 35 years and 11 years in the Missouri House and the Senate. She has experienced and seen a lot during the quest for integration of Kansas City Schools. Housing played a significant role in the integration of schools compounded by a school board that continued to draw out boundaries that created more segregation. The Senator views early education as a key element of academic success for students.