Kansas Report Card: Student Achievement is Up!
The results are in – Kansas students’ scores on the 2006 state assessments show that student achievement continues to improve. In the spring of 2006, assessments in reading and mathematics were given to students in grades 3-8 and at one high school grade.
Specific information about state, district and building results is now available on the KSDE website at http://online.ksde.org/rcard/
While it is not possible to make direct comparisons to previous state assessments [the 2006 assessments were new], Dr. Tom Foster, assistant commissioner for learning services, told State Board members he believed that the state results were positive and showed growth.
One indicator of that is the number of buildings that received grade level or building wide recognition for reaching the Standard of Excellence.
This year, 720 buildings reached SOE in reading and 452 buildings reached SOE in mathematics. In addition, there were 1969 reading grade level SsOE and 1426 math grade level SsOE.
To reach SOE, an elementary school/grade must have at least 25% of the students scoring at the exemplary level and no more than 5% at academic warning.
A middle school must have at least 20% exemplary and no more than 10% academic warning.
A high school must have at least 15% exemplary and no more than 15% academic warning.
No Change to Board Travel Policy – Yet
The State Board failed to adopt a recommended change to their travel policy. The Board’s Policy Committee, at the direction of Board chairman Steve Abrams, brought a proposed revision that would have prevented out of state travel for any board member who failed to file for reelection or who lost in the primary or general election unless that board member was acting as the board’s designated representative.
A procedural vote, which passed 7-3, allowed consideration of the proposal at the same meeting at which it was introduced. Board members Steve Abrams, John Bacon, Kathy Martin, Connie Morris, Iris Van Meter, Bill Wagnon and Ken Willard voted in favor. Sue Gamble, Carol Rupe and Janet Waugh opposed the motion.
After much discussion, the proposal failed, 5-5, with Abrams, Morris, Van Meter, Wagnon and Willard voting in favor and Bacon, Gamble, Martin, Rupe and Waugh voting against.
It is expected that all State Board policies will be reexamined when a new board takes office in January, 2007.
Reed Recognized for Milken Award
Karla Reed, Gardner/Edgerton NEA, a Title I reading teacher at Moonlight Elementary school, was recognized for her recent selection as this year’s Kansas Milken Family Foundation Educator.
Reed addressed the Board and spoke about the challenges and rewards of teaching. She emphasized the collaboration in her building and the interaction that occurs between all teachers as they work to ensure that students learn to read.
In addition to recognition in April at a national meeting in Los Angeles, Reed will receive an unrestricted cash award of $25,000.
In other action, the State Board:
- Heard updates from the Improvement and Support Team and the Professional Learning Communities Team, both part of the new School Innovations division
- Took preliminary action on the Board’s legislative agenda for 2007
- Heard a presentation on the Crossland Education Connection, which links the construction trades industry with vocational education
- Approved recommendations from the Waiver Review Committee (p. 123)
- Approved additional funding for Reading First grants (p. 131)
- Approved a contract to do an alignment study of Kansas standards and assessments as required by ESEA/NCLB (p. 135)
- Approved a bond election for USD 434, Santa Fe Trail (p. 139)
Out With the Old, In With the New
Connie Morris, district 5, and Iris Van Meter, district 9, were recognized at the conclusion of the meeting, their last as State Board members. Van Meter did not seek reelection and Morris was defeated in her primary election.
New and re-elected board members Janet Waugh, district 1, John Bacon, district 3, Sally Cauble, district 5, Ken Willard, district 7, and Jana Shaver, district 9, will be sworn in on Monday, January 8 with other statewide elected officials.
The new board will meet for the first time on Tuesday and Wednesday, January 9 and 10, 2007. Board materials should be available on the KSDE website by January 2 and can be found at http://www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=427
Materials referenced above for the December, 2006, meeting can be found at the same site.
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