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December State Board News

The State Board, on an 8-2 vote, passed new regulations for the Quality Performance Accreditation system in Kansas. Voting for the regulations package were Steve Abrams, Sue Gamble, Sonny Rundell, Carol Rupe, Harold Voth, Bill Wagnon, Janet Waugh, and Bruce Wyatt.

John Bacon and Val DeFever explained their "no" votes as opposition to the 3rd science credit in the graduation requirements section of the regulations.

The regulations package, which will go into effect on July 1, 2005, (to coincide with the date when ESEA provisions become effective for all schools) contains only a few changes from the proposed regulations that were submitted for public comment and review. The biggest change is a reduction in accreditation levels from seven to four. The Board did not change its position on graduation requirements.

Graduation Requirements

In Board discussion following the public hearing, most Board members agreed with Bill Wagnon, who said, "We're not increasing requirements so much as we're getting more specific about the core requirements."

"What we've done is put the focus on all students, to the extent that these new regulations set a framework and an insistence that teachers, administrators and local board members devote resources to students who need more attention," Wagnon continued.

Carol Rupe added, "Now the focus is on those students who have been underserved and left behind. It's the right thing to do."

While Board members said they knew the additional requirements could challenge some districts, Sue Gamble expressed the sentiment of the Board: "We're talking about a regulation that will impact the graduating class of '09. How much longer do you want to delay this?"

She continued, however, "If things don't get better by '05-'06, we can always take other action. We need to send a strong message to the Governor, the Legislature and the public that kids need this higher level."

Accreditation Levels

This simplification addresses the major concern expressed by the KNEA Instructional Advocacy Commission and the KNEA Board, who believed that a seven level system of accreditation would lead to unnecessary competition and comparison among schools.

In the new definitions, accredited means that a school has met the performance and quality criteria established by the State Board.

Accredited on improvement means that a school, for two consecutive years, has either failed to meet one or more performance criteria or has students in one or more student subgroups who fail to meet one or more performance criteria or has failed to meet three or more quality criteria.

Conditionally accredited means that a school, for three consecutive years, has either a prescribed percentage of all students assessed who score below the proficient level on state assessments or has failed to meet four or more quality criteria.

Not accredited means that a school, for five consecutive years, has either a prescribed percentage of all students assessed who score below the proficient level on state assessments or has failed to meet four or more quality criteria.

Performance and Quality Criteria

The Board declined to change "library services" to "school library services." Instead, they decided to amend the sentence stem that precedes the list of required programs to read "programs and services to support student learning and growth…"

One additional quality criteria was added, to reflect the Federal requirement that 95% or more of all students and 95% or more of each student subgroup take the state curriculum assessments.

Transition

The new regulations become effective on July 1, 2005. Each school that has "accredited" status from the State Board on June 30, 2005, will retain its accredited status until that status is replaced by one of the four new levels. Because status will be determined annually, new status levels are expected to be announced following the '05-'06 school year.

For More Information

A copy of the comments received as well as the staff response and Board action will be posted on the KSDE website by Thursday, December 12. It will be listed under "Hot Topics" as Approved Changes to QPA Regulations.

Core Principles for System Redesign Approved

Culminating two years of work, the State Board unanimously approved 7 Core Principles for System Redesign. These were developed to address the Board's third strategic goal, to redesign Kansas schools and learning environments for a new century.

Board materials distributed at the December meeting, explain that the principles were developed "based upon discussion, a review of literature, presentations from experts in the field, (and) visits with a cross-section of Kansans."

The seven core principles are intended to be "a framework for redesigning Kansas schools to better ensure learning for all students."

The principles are:
1. All students in Kansas must be held to essential and challenging learning standards as defined by the State Board.
2. All students must be provided appropriate instruction to successfully learn the essential standards.
3. The system must be flexible and adaptable to meet the learning needs of each student.
4. Curricular and instructional decisions and corresponding policies must be based on standards, data and research.
5. Professional growth and development that increases the capacity of those who work in the system to help all children learn well must be ongoing and continuous.
6. Schools must actively engage parents in the education of their children.
7. The community, through the local board of education, must be involved in establishing the expectations and determining the structure of the system and receive regular reports on its progress.

Each of the principles in the document was followed by examples to help clarify the intent of each principle. The document also included 5 "next steps" that could be taken to "further develop the blueprint for school redesign and incorporate the many specific actions offered as part of Board forums."

The new State Board, which takes office in January, 2003, will decide how, if at all, to continue working on this goal and implementing the core principles.

Outgoing Board Members Recognized

In its final act, the 2001-2002 State Board unanimously passed a resolution honoring outgoing Board members Val DeFever, district 9, Sonny Rundell, district 5, and Harold Voth, district 7.

In other action, the State Board

KNEA Legislative Contacts

Blake West, President
Peg Dunlap, Director, Instructional Advocacy
Mark Desetti, Director, Legislative and Political Advocacy
Terry Forsyth, Director, Political Action

The KNEA Lobby Team consists of elected leaders and staff. The Lobby Team welcomes member feedback on issues before the Legislature and on this site.