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KANTeLL Results Released

Results of the 2008 Kansas Teaching, Learning and Leadership survey were released at Wednesday’s State Board of Education meeting.  All the results can be found at the KANTeLL website, www.kantell.org

Eric Hirsch, from the New Teacher Center at University of California, Santa Cruz, announced that the results were very positive, with 89% of respondents indicating that they want to continue teaching in their schools and 78% agreeing that their schools are good places to work and learn.

With one exception, the 2008 survey results indicated improvement in all working conditions, when compared to the 2006 survey results.  This time, only 63% of respondents, compared to 71% in ’06, said that the number of work days during the year is sufficient for teachers to meet expected professional responsibilities.

Results of the survey are available for statewide data, for USDs with 40% or greater response rate, and for individual buildings with 40% or greater response rate.

Also on the KANTeLL website are the 2006 results, copies of the survey questions, a facilitator’s guide [to help districts and schools use their data], and a copy of a PowerPoint presentation that summarizes the statewide findings.

KNEA is working with survey coalition partner United School Administrators of Kansas to develop additional resources that districts and schools can use to facilitate discussions based on KANTeLL data.

Members Selected for SBOE Committees

New members for three statewide committees were selected by the State Board.  They are:

• Professional Standards Board – Sharon Klose, NEA SM and Lory Mills  , Derby  NEA
• Professional Practices Commission – Suzanne Bangert, NEA SM
• Licensure Review Committee – Ruth Goff, NEA SM

Each woman will serve a 3-year term, beginning July 1, 2008.  Their appointments were necessary because their predecessors had each served two full terms and were not eligible for reappointment.

Thanks to the following KNEA members for exemplary service to their profession:

• Professional Standards Board – Terry Boyd, Lansing NEA, and Cindy Garwick, NEA Manhattan/Ogden
• Professional Practices Commission – Eileen Hackley, Junction City  Education Association
• Licensure Review Committee – John Hope, UTW.

Members Recognized for Change Award

Augusta Education Association members Kelli Malm, Barb McCalla, Deb Kroeker, Jennifer Cody, Lori Hurst, and Cathy Shaffer [co-president of the local], accompanied by their principal, Kim Christner, and other Augusta district officials, made a presentation to the State Board about their work, which resulted in the school being named a 2008 Panasonic National School of Change award recipient.  Garfield is 1 of 6 schools in the US receiving the award.

In 10 years, they have seen changes in student learning, with state assessment scores moving from about half the students at or above proficiency to over 90%.

They attribute the improvement to a change in the mindset of the faculty – to deciding that they could and would educate every student.  Their work received ongoing leadership from their building principal and support from district administrators and the local board of education.

Interventions that supported their work included PLCs with data-driven dialogue, all day kindergarten and professional development long-term with research-based strategies.

Licensure  Regulations  Pass

The State Board unanimously passed changes to the teacher licensing regulations in Kansas.  A list of the changes can be found in the February, 2008, State Board News http://ks.nea.org/stateboardnews/archive.html

Most of the changes impact applicants who already hold licenses from other states.  The two changes that will have the greatest impact on current Kansas educators are:

Adding endorsements – a Kansas  license holder can add another endorsement by passing the Praxis II content test for that endorsement.   This option is not available for any special education endorsement, for the elementary endorsement, and for the early childhood endorsements.

“Masters plus experience” renewal option – any license holder with an advanced degree may renew twice during his/her career by submitting verification of 3 years of recent accredited experience during the life of the license being renewed.   This option was removed in 2003.   It is being reinstated and will be available to any eligible license holder, regardless of when he/she received the advanced degree.

Remember, also, on July 1, 2008, the license fee increases to $39!

KELC Recommendations Received

State Board members received 12 recommendations in 5 leverage areas from the Kansas Educational Leadership Commission.  The public/private partnership, funded by The Wallace Foundation and the Kansas Health Foundation, was formed to develop policy recommendations for the design, implementation and improvement of a system of leadership for Kansas schools.

The commission was chaired by Mary Devin, KSU, and Ed O’Malley, Kansas Leadership Center.  Blake West, president of KNEA, represented teachers on the commission.

In reviewing the recommendations, the State Board directed agency staff to bring an implementation work plan to a future SBOE meeting for discussion.

The recommendations, the final report, and supporting materials from the commission’s year of work can be found on the KSDE website.

The recommendations, in summary, include:

• Teacher leadership – incorporate into professional education standards; include as a domain for license renewal; add a license endorsement
• Preparation programs – fund a comprehensive review process to direct the overhaul of programs that prepare school leaders
• Evaluation – implement a statewide framework for evaluation of school administrators
• Professional development – fund professional development for school leaders, including induction and mentoring during the first 2 years on the job
• Conditions of work – fund 12 pilot initiatives to help school leaders devote more time to instructional-based leadership work.

In other action, the State Board

• Received an update on integration of career and academics
• Heard a report on shifting from seat-based to learning-based approaches to granting credit
• Began discussion of the FY10 budget request
• Approved recommendations from the Evaluation Review Committee
• Approved the contract with CETE, KU for the state assessment program
• Approved grants for FY09
• Four-year-old at risk programs
• Parents as Teachers programs
• Pre-K pilot programs
• 21st Century  Community Learning Center grants
• AmeriCorps-Kansas grants and projects
• Approved bond elections for USD 364, Marysville; USD 377, Effingham

The July meeting of the State Board will be Tuesday and Wednesday, the 8th and 9th.  The agenda and board materials should be available on the KSDE website beginning on June 30.

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.