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October State Board News

In this month's news
New State Board Resource Available
State Assessment Results - "Are Great"
Performance Levels Set
Update on Science Standards Review
Sparks Fly
In Other Action

New State Board Resource Available

Beginning this month, all State Board of Education meeting materials are available on the internet. If there is anything in SBN that you want to see in detail, you can read the exact Board materials at http://www.ksde.org/commiss/october_2004_board_materials.pdf

Because of this, KNEA will no longer mail copies of relevant Board materials pages to local presidents, UniServ Directors and other staff. We recommend that you read SBN carefully to see if your USD has action items that affect it.

Board meeting materials will be posted on the KSDE website the Monday prior to the week in which the Board meets. In most circumstances, the Board meets the second Tuesday/Wednesday of each month.

State Assessment Results - "Are Great"

According to Dr. Alexa Posny, assistant commissioner for learning services, the "great" results from the 2004 assessments are due to the efforts of students and teachers in Kansas schools.

This should come as a surprise to no one, as state assessments linked to curriculum standards have been part of the landscape since QPA was instituted in the early 1990's.

Results in reading, mathematics, and writing are up from previous test administrations, and the achievement gap has narrowed. This is true when comparing 2004 to 2003, and the trend is especially apparent when looking back over the last 5 years.

State, district and building test results, as well as AYP determination, can be found on the KSDE website, http://online.ksde.org/rcard

More districts and more buildings than last year made AYP. Kansas, however, did not, for the second year in a row. Last year, one subgroup kept the state from making AYP. This year, that subgroup made AYP but a different one did not, so the state is categorized as "on improvement."

The subgroup this year is students with disabilities, and while their scores increased, the increase was not enough to meet the growth requirement of AYP. Ironically, while states "on improvement" are supposed to receive technical assistance from the US Department of Education, the Department is asking Kansas how we've gotten our scores so high!

Performance Levels Set

The Board, after a false start, approved performance levels for history/government, science, and writing, as required by QPA regulations that go into effect in July, 2005. (materials on pages 81 and 82)

Concern arose over how pilot QPA schools would be impacted this year. Several pilot schools asked the Board not to implement the levels this year.

In response, the Board voted to approve the levels, so that schools know what expectations have been set, but hold schools harmless until the new assessments are in place in 2007.

The vote to approve the performance levels, with "hold harmless" was 6-2-1. Connie Morris and Iris Van Meter voted no, Steve Abrams abstained and Ken Willard was absent.

Update on Science Standards Review

The committee reviewing science standards expects to finalize an initial draft at its October 28 meeting. That draft will be submitted to the field for comment during the month of November. The committee expects to follow this schedule as it completes its work:

Sparks Fly

Tensions ran high during the Wednesday portion of the State Board meeting, as one Board member accused another of inappropriate activities and a third Board member accused a KSDE staff member of insubordination.

John Bacon, district 3, Olathe, said he was angry and called it "inappropriate" for Bill Wagnon, district 4, Topeka, to have attended a meeting about science and the science standards at KU. Wagnon countered that he has a right as a citizen to attend any meeting and had not claimed the meeting as official State Board business. Bacon retorted with "you know you were there to give them your blessing."

Connie Morris, district 5, St. Francis, called Dr. Alexa Posny insubordinate for not including faith-based organizations in the development of early learning standards. Earlier in the meeting Morris questioned Posny severely about an upcoming trip to China, demanding to know why she was going, who had invited her and who was paying for it. The trip, including representatives of schools from Missouri and Kansas, as well as Sue Gamble, district 2, Shawnee Mission, is being sponsored and paid for by a foundation.

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.