• KNEA Legislative Agenda
• Legislative Issues
• Legislative Week in Review
• School Funding Central
• State Board News
• Take Action Now (LAC)
• Under the Dome Today

September State Board News

More Kansas Schools Hit AYP Target

“89% of Kansas schools made adequate yearly progress (AYP), even though the targets for mathematics and reading have been steadily increasing since 2002,” according to information released by the State Board on Tuesday, September, 11.  This compares to 84% of schools making AYP last year.

1,229 schools and 263 USDs made AYP this year.  154 schools and 33 USDs did not.

Kansas, as a state, did not make AYP in reading.  This is because 3 subgroups did not make AYP.

Board members and KSDE staff agreed that the increase in the number of schools making AYP was due to the hard work of teachers, students, and administrators.

Specific information on each school will be available when the Building Report Cards are released in October.

You can see Tom Foster’s PowerPoint presentation to the Board at http://www.ksde.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=rT1kWBOUc6c=&tabid=466  Foster is deputy commissioner of learning services.

Board Receives Ambitious Plan of Action

Alexa Posny, commissioner of education, outlined an ambitious plan of action for the department to follow in addressing the goal, objectives and strategies identified by the State Board at their August, 2007, retreat.

While the activities are too numerous to list here, they include collection of information and research, study sessions for the State Board, summits and forums on specific topics, and development of policy recommendations.

Objectives 2 and 3, listed below, could have great impact on KNEA members.  We will be following the department’s activities and advocating for significant teacher involvement in the discussions and decisions.

Watch State Board News and Under the Dome for possible action alerts.

The goal, objectives and strategies are:

Goal: Ensure that all students meet or exceed high academic standards and are prepared for their next steps (e.g. the world of work and/or post-secondary education)

1.  Redesign the delivery system to meet our students’ changing needs.
     a.  Develop and implement policy on academic/vocational integration
     b.  Identify, replicate, and promote best practices that can be targeted to specific populations (e.g., high schools; middle school reading; early childhood)
     c.  Study and clarify regulations and identify challenges
     d.  Examine the definition of a classroom in a redesigned system

2.  Provide an effective educator in every classroom.
     a.  Develop a policy on alternative compensation
     b.  Identify obstacles
     c.  Assess the effectiveness of current professional development practices
     d.  Identify, replicate, and promote best practice in teacher preparation and professional development
     e.  Improve the support system for teachers
     f.  Develop recruitment strategies for future teachers
     g.  Assess and improve the alternate licensure program
     h.  Promote loving, safe, supportive and nurturing environments

3.  Ensure a visionary and effective leader in every school
     a.  Identify, replicate, and promote best practices in preparation and performance
     b.  Identify and grow visionary leaders focused on learning
     c.  Study the impact of current leadership programs

4.  Improve communication with all constituent groups and policy partners
     a.  Align pre-K through 16 systems of support in collaboration with identified partners (e.g. Kansas Board of Regents, SRS, etc.)
     b.  Develop a structure for regularly communicating about education with the legislative leadership of both parties with a focus on areas of common interest
     c.  Keep the public informed on key policy areas
     d.  Resume focus group meetings in each board member district and periodic meetings with the media
     e.  Improve communication of relevant information with school faculty.

October & November SBOE Meeting Changes

Due to scheduling conflicts, the October 9 and 10 State Board meeting will occur in Topeka and the November 13 and 14 meeting will occur in Olathe.  The October board agenda and materials should be available on the KSDE website after Monday, October 1.

In other action, the State Board:

• Heard an update on curriculum standards, qualified admissions and graduation requirements
• Heard a panel presentation on high school mathematics courses
• Met the Special Education Advisory Council, SEAC, and received their annual report
• Set Tuesday, December 11, 2007, as the public hearing on proposed changes to special education regulations, pp. 61-125
• Approved recommendations from the License Review Committee to approve 16 and deny 3 license/endorsement requests, p. 127
• Approved recommendations from the Waiver Review Committee, p. 131
• Approve 2 Visiting Scholar license requests, p. 133
• Approve contract for $225,000 each to KU and ESU to provide professional development for MTSS (multi tiered systems of support), p. 139
• Approve 4 grants of $33,000 for charter school dissemination projects, p. 157
• Received 2007-8 district allocations for NCLB programs, pp. 163-172
• Approve bond elections for
  • USD 202, Turner
  • USD 203, Piper
  • USD 265, Goddard
  • USD 313, Buhler
  • USD 373, Newton
  • USD 437, Auburn-Washburn
  • USD 442, Nemaha Valley
  • USD 470, Arkansas City

Staff Changes

Dr. Martha Gage, director of teacher education and licensure, has left KSDE.  Susan Helbert is interim director of TEAL.

Dr. Larry Englebrick, deputy commissioner of school innovations, has also left KSDE.

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.