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Melinda Eddington joined Goddard Unified School District 265’s Parents as Teachers (PAT) program before her son, Jordan, was born in 2012.
“It was definitely a blessing because I probably wouldn’t have gotten him referred as soon as I did,” Eddington said.
Legislators returned to the Kansas Statehouse Thursday, April 25, as the veto session is underway. As of Thursday, the governor has signed five education-related bills into law.
Always on-the-go as an assistant principal at Andover High School, Andover Unified School District 385, Laura Scaglione gets her days started at 4 a.m. with a run even before she hits her school’s doors.
The Kansas School Transportation Safety Conference & State Driving Competition will be held June 5-7, at the Drury Plaza Hotel Broadview, in Wichita. During this three-day event, school transportation professionals will connect and learn how to improve operations and safety for their transportation teams.
This is a reminder that the deadline to apply for Star Recognition is 5 p.m., Friday, May 3. This deadline is for any system wishing to apply or reapply for recognition in kindergarten readiness, social-emotional growth, or individual plan of study.
Does your district have concerns about vaping policies, practices, or procedures? Then you are cordially invited to engage with the Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) team to engage in a year-long process to learn more about vaping education and best practices for cessation.
Educate Kansas https://educatekansas.org/ is sharing free marketing materials every week through the first full week of May, Teacher Appreciation Week, to help support your teacher recruitment efforts and promote the teaching profession.
There’s still time for graduating Kansas seniors to participate in the “Kansans Can, and I Am” social media campaign. The Kansas State Department of Education needs your help to promote these accomplished students through your district’s social media channels and tagging KSDE in your posts beginning May 1.
In partnership with IXL, the Kansas State Department of Education is providing IXL’s math curriculum at no local cost to Kansas districts. This renewal marks another year of empowering Kansas educators and students with our comprehensive math curriculum.
The KSDE Mentor Stipends web application (formerly know as Mentor Programs) is currently open to qualifying Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) that entered mentor teachers by Sept. 25, 2023.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s School Bus Safety Unit thanks all the school districts and bus companies that participated in the Kansas One-Day Stop Arm Violation Count initiative on Wednesday, April 17.
Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) requires states to set their own state determined performance levels (SDPLs) following specific criteria and processes outlined in the law. Kansas is required to establish 2024-2025 SDPLs to continue receiving the federal funding under Perkins V.
Assignments for KSDE’s School Improvement Days are now available. The School Improvement Days are full-day and in-person to maximize collaboration.
In support of school improvement, the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is collecting data on instructional materials used in Kansas schools. This data will help KSDE understand statewide material usage and inform resource allocation.
Join KSDE Science and Maize South High School from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., on May 30-31, for a science summit centered around the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and standards alignment/storyline process.
The Kansas Instructional Leaders’ Association (KILA), formerly known as the Kansas Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development (KASCD), is seeking nominations for an outstanding curriculum leader.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) team is hosting a virtual town hall meeting at 2 p.m., on Thursday, May 2.
The Dole Institute of Politics in Lawrence is hosting the 17th Annual Civic Engagement and Election Conference for Kansas teachers, July 24-26.
Are you a Kansas educator who wants to integrate STEM and literacy in your elementary classroom?
Kansas students have two opportunities to be showcased during the 2024 Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Great Ideas in Education Conference.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is sponsoring several professional learning opportunities.
KSDE has opened applications statewide to districts for the Kansas Registered Teacher Apprenticeship (RTA) program. To assist districts in learning more about the program and its potential, KSDE is hosting an informational Zoom meeting for districts to gain more information about the program.
KSDE’s Information Technology (IT) team has assembled a team of experts to help school technology directors and staff members, along with superintendents, principals and others who are interested, navigate the complex and critical practices of cybersecurity and data privacy.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is hosting a free two-day professional learning workshop for all K-12 teachers on June 10-11 at Wichita Northwest High School, 1220 N. Tyler, in Wichita.
April
25: 4 p.m., KSDE’s Teacher Licensure team is hosting an informational Zoom meeting to assist districts in learning more about the Kansas Registered Teacher Apprenticeship program. The meetings can be accessed here: https://ksde.zoom.us/j/89518729747.
Whether its parents, grandparents or community volunteers, children will always gain more from having caring, compassionate adults working in their classrooms.
A simple suggestion by his superintendent now has Rich Yamamoto in the Kansas Registered Teacher Apprenticeship (RTA) program. The 21-year-old instructional assistant and 2021 graduate of the Kansas State School for the Blind (KSSB) in Kansas City, Kansas, said he started looking into the program after Jon Harding, KSSB’s superintendent, had a conversation with him about it.
To highlight April as Financial Literacy Month, Misty Poe, a business teacher at Centralia High School in Vermillion USD 380 answered a few questions about what she does to make learning about money and finance fun and meaningful to her students.
Legislators will return to the Kansas Statehouse on Thursday, April 25, where they will have a couple of bills to consider for passage and any bills that are vetoed by Gov. Laura Kelly. The veto session is scheduled to begin on Monday, April 29.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is excited to celebrate Kansas high school graduates once again with the “Kansans Can, and I Am” social media campaign. We are asking for your help to promote these accomplished students through your district social media channels and tagging KSDE in your posts beginning May 1.
Educate Kansas is sharing free marketing materials every week through the first full week of May, Teacher Appreciation Week, to help support your teacher recruitment efforts and promote the teaching profession.
What does this mean for you? In partnership with IXL, the Kansas State Department of Education is providing IXL’s math curriculum at no local cost to Kansas districts. This renewal marks another year of empowering Kansas educators and students with our comprehensive math curriculum.
Quarterly reporting for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds will close on the CommonApp on Friday, April 19.
KSDE’s ESSER team will be offering a webinar covering updates on required capital improvement reporting and monitoring for all districts. This information pertains to all districts that expended ESSER funds for a renovation, major remodel, construction, or real property project.
Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) requires states to set their own state determined performance levels (SDPLs) following specific criteria and processes outlined in the law.
Assignments for KSDE’s School Improvement Days are now available. The School Improvement Days are full-day and in-person to maximize collaboration. These days will be facilitated by those who have volunteered and been selected and trained in the School Improvement Model to guide the conversations.
A goal of KSDE’s Accreditation and Design team is to make accreditation synonymous with school improvement, resulting in teachers being able to see their role clearly in the work of accreditation.
Reminders on Core Instructional Materials Support
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) team is hosting a virtual town hall meeting at 2 p.m. on May 2.
Applications are still being accepted for the 17th annual Civic Engagement and Election Conference at the Dole Institute of Politics at The University of Kansas. The event, July 24-26, is for Kansas government, history and social studies teachers.
Are you a Kansas educator who wants to integrate STEM and literacy in your elementary classroom? Learning straight from award-winning NSTA Press authors Karen Ansberry and Emily Morgan, this introductory workshop will help you build a solid understanding of STEM and literacy integration and the 5E Model through participation in engaging picture book-inspired lessons, lively discussion, and interactive learning tasks.
KSDE has opened applications statewide to districts for the Kansas Registered Teacher Apprenticeship program. To assist districts in learning more about the program and its potential, KSDE will be hosting a series of informational Zoom meetings over the next several weeks for districts to gain more information about the program.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is hosting a free two-day professional learning workshop for all K-12 teachers this summer.
19: Brown v. Board of Education 70th Anniversary Conference, in Lawrence and Topeka. The registration for this event at Burge Union on KU’s Lawrence campus is full; however, click here to be put on a walk-up list for no-shows for this event that will also be live-streamed. The community discussion will take place on Friday, April 19, at the Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Museum, 1515 S.E. Monroe, in Topeka.
In March, students at Bonner Springs High School, Bonner Springs Edwardsville Unified School District 204, competed at a regional robotics competition, the school’s first official team to do so.
Members of the Kansas State Board of Education during their April business meeting signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to formally establish the Kansas Advisory Council for Indigenous Education (KACIE). This is a partnership with the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE), Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) and the state’s four Native American tribes.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) announced the eight finalists and semi-finalists for the 2025 Kansas Teacher of the Year (KTOY) award during regional banquets attended by more than 500 educators from across the state on April 6-7.
Kansas legislators are on a three-week break, after they reached First Adjournment last week. They will return to the Kansas Statehouse Thursday, April 25. When they return, they will have a couple of bills to consider for passage and any bills that are vetoed by the Governor. The veto session begins Monday, April 29.
Please share the following message with all parents and guardians of Kansas K-12 students. This short survey is designed to measure how parents/guardians define postsecondary success for their children.
The KSDE Mentor Program web application is currently open to qualifying Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) that entered mentor teachers by Sept. 25, 2023.
Educate Kansas is sharing free marketing materials every week through the first full week of May, Teacher Appreciation Week, to help support your teacher recruitment efforts and promote the teaching profession. These resources are shared through a Canva link, with the ability to edit and share on your own media platforms.
KSDE’s ESSER team will be offering a webinar covering updates on required capital improvement reporting and monitoring for all districts.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s School Bus Safety Unit is seeking assistance from all Kansas school districts during the Kansas One-Day Stop Arm Violation Count initiative on Wednesday, April 17.
Quarterly reporting for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds will open in the CommonApp on Monday, April 1, and will close on Friday, April 19.
Core Instructional Materials Support
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is hosting informational webinars on the Kansans Can Star Recognition Program: Individual Plan of Study (IPS).
KSDE has opened applications statewide to districts for the Kansas Registered Teacher Apprenticeship program. To assist districts in learning more about the program and its potential, KSDE will be hosting a series of informational Zoom meetings over the next six weeks for districts to gain more information about the program.
13: Innovative Next Steps in Pre-K-12 Learning Education Conference, Bethany College, in Lindsborg. The registration fee of $40 for teachers and $10 for high school students includes lunch. College credit is available for $150 per credit hour (total of two hours). Register at https://bethanylb.edu/education-conference.
Brooke Applegate, a Head Start classroom teacher at Bright Beginnings Early Childhood Center, Dodge City USD 443, and her husband Eli, a physical education teacher at Ross Elementary School, USD 443, started their autism journey when their son, Andrew, was diagnosed at 2 ½ years old, right before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Members of the Kansas State Board of Education are expected to act on a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) to establish the Kansas Advisory Council for Indigenous Education (KACIE). This action, expected during the board’s April meeting, will formalize the partnership among the State Board, KBOR and KACIE for consultation related to Indigenous education in Kansas. The four tribal nations in the state – Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska, the Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas, and the Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska - have endorsed the proposed MOU that was signed by the regents on March 21, 2024.
To recognize April as the Month of the Military Child, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly signed a proclamation on March 27 with families and administrators from two of the five Purple Star school districts in Kansas.
Two Wichita-area teachers and one in Olathe have been named finalists for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST), the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) announced this week.
The Kansas Statehouse was busy with conference committees during week 13 of the 2024 Kansas Legislative Session.
The KSDE web application for mentor programs is currently open to qualifying Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) that entered mentor teachers by Sept. 25, 2023.
The Fall KSDE 2023 Vacancy report indicated that Kansas had 1,810 certified openings, with the highest numbers being in elementary education and special education.
KSDE’s ESSER team will be offering a webinar covering updates on required capital improvement reporting and monitoring for all districts. This information pertains to all districts that expended ESSER funds for a renovation, major remodel, construction or real property project.
Applications are now open for the 2024 Renew America’s School Prize, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Renew America’s Schools Team. The team was created to promote the implementation of clean energy improvements at K-12 public schools across the country. It aims to help school communities make energy upgrades that will decrease energy use and cost, improve indoor air quality, and foster healthier learning environments.
By opting into the Kansas State Department of Education and IXL Math contract, school districts are required to provide data on math practice for the 2023-2024 school year twice a year. IXL has provided a reporting webinar to learn how to save and submit the reports.
Adaptive Schools training will again be offered to schools in the 2024-2025 school year.
School Improvement and Accreditation Timeline for progress
The KSDE School Improvement Workgroup and members of the Accreditation and Design team will share the following information with the Kansas State Board of Education during its April 9 meeting.
The Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) invites districts that provide child care to participate in the 2024 Kansas Child Care Market Analysis Survey.
The KSDE Technical Assistance System Network (TASN) will host an in-person, full-day Kansas Early Childhood Outcome (ECO) Rating Process Workshop in Hays on April 5.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is hosting the Safe and Supportive Schools Conference April 15-16 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Manhattan. Colleagues from across Kansas will present on topics to empower, inspire and motivate your staff, and provide information and new ideas to take back to your schools.
KSDE’s Information Technology (IT) team put together a team of experts to help school technology directors and staff members, along with superintendents, principals and others who are interested, navigate the complex and critical practices of cybersecurity and data privacy.
To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka case, the University of Kansas and the Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park will host an event series and conference April 18-19.
The KSDE Kansas Technical Assistance System Network’s (TASN) School Mental Health Initiative (SMHI) is hosting Trauma-Responsive School Community: Facilitation Workshop.
5: All programs that want to be funded for Preschool-Aged At-Risk Approval must submit forms by April 5. The Preschool-Aged At-Risk Approval form for the 2024-2025 school year is available on the Early Childhood Preschool Programming Webpage.
Military families from Ft. Leavenworth USD 207 and Derby USD 260 school districts visited the Kansas Statehouse on Wednesday, March 27, for a proclamation signing with Gov. Laura Kelly to recognize April as the Month of the Military Child.
Several education-related bills were passed in both the House and Senate chambers during week 12 of the 2024 Kansas Legislative Session, including one that will now go back to the Senate to concur or non-concur to changes made to the bill.
Teacher mentor programs are now open. Districts that entered potential mentor teachers into the system by the fall deadline will now: (1) validate the list of mentors; (2) enter mentees; (3) enter assignments by assigning mentors to mentees; and (4) submit the final stipend request.
Teachers are encouraged to use the updated Professional Development Plan guidance with template on the KSDE PD Planning webpage to ensure that their five-year professional development plan meets all requirements established by the Kansas State Board of Education and Kansas statutes and regulations.
Please continue to encourage all parents and guardians of Kansas K-12 students to participate in this year’s Parent Perception Survey. This short survey is designed to measure how parents/guardians define postsecondary success for their children.
All Preschool-Aged At-Risk Approval Forms for the 2024-2025 school year are due by Wednesday, April 3. The link to this form can be found on the Early Childhood Preschool Programming Webpage.
April is Child Abuse Prevention (CAP) Month. The Kansas Children’s Service League (KCSL) has provided a tool kit, social media content, graphics and other ideas for promoting awareness and participation in CAP Month. The theme of this year’s campaign is, “Building a Hopeful Future, Together.”
Save the date for the 2024 Kansas State Department of Education Great Ideas in Education Conference.
As recently announced, KSDE has opened applications statewide to districts for the Kansas Registered Teacher Apprenticeship program. To assist districts in learning more about the program and its potential, KSDE will be hosting a series of informational Zoom meetings over the next six weeks for districts to gain more information about the program.
The Kansas Volunteer Commission and Emporia State University School of Humanities + Social Sciences are excited to announce the 2024 Civic Engagement Conference. The conference will be held Wednesday, April 10 at Emporia State University Memorial Union, in Emporia. The theme of the conference is “Empowering Kansas through Civic Engagement.”
The Kansas Multi-Tier System of Supports (MTSS) and Alignment is hosting this year’s final in-person session of the Kansas Math Project.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is hosting the Safe and Supportive Schools Conference scheduled for April 15-16 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Manhattan. Colleagues from across Kansas will present on topics to empower, inspire and motivate your staff, and provide information and new ideas to take back to your schools.
The Kansas State Department of Education is hosting a free two-day professional learning workshop for all K-12 teachers this summer.
3: All programs that want to be funded for Preschool-Aged At-Risk Approval must submit forms by today. The Preschool-Aged At-Risk Approval form for the 2024-2025 school year is available on the Early Childhood Preschool Programming Webpage.
The House passed HB 2731 during week 11 of the Kansas Legislative Session. HB 2731 as amended would require the Kansas State Board of Education, on or before Jan. 15 of each year, to prepare and submit a report to the Kansas Legislature on students who have taken the statewide assessments
Maya Smith spent the first year of high school taking classes online during the COVID-19 pandemic. She got her start in journalism her sophomore year, taking an interest in photography, which she said helped her connect with her school after a year of isolation.
Episode #20 of the HirePaths Cool Careers video series is now available.
Teacher mentor programs will open at 9 a.m. Friday, March 22. Districts that entered potential mentor teachers into the system by the fall deadline will now: (1) validate the list of mentors; (2) enter mentees; (3) enter assignments by assigning mentors to mentees; and (4) submit the final stipend request.
Beginning July 1, 2024, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation will increase the costs of providing fingerprint-based record checks to state agencies to $57.
Career and Technical Education (CTE) reports have been added to KSDE’s Data Central.
By opting into the Kansas State Department of Education and IXL Math contract, school districts are required to provide data on math practice for the 2023-2024 school year twice a year. IXL has provided a reporting webinar to explain how to save and submit the reports.
Recommendations for Kansas Career and Technical Education (CTE) Cluster Review Committees are open for public review and comment.
Wamego Unified School District 320 earned gold in the Turnip the Beet Award, hosted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS).
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) team is hosting Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) training opportunities.
March
22: 9 a.m. to noon, Introduction to Ages & Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) Training.
Results of the 2023 Kansas Teacher Retention Survey show Kansas teachers feel significantly less engaged than they did in 2021 and are at a higher risk of leaving the profession.
One bill was passed in the House Chamber and the contents of seven bills were added into SB 387, now referred to as House Sub for SB 387, in the House Committee on K-12 Education Budget during week 10 of the Kansas Legislative Session.
The Kansas State Department of Education has reviewed all programs and practices from the 2022-2023 approved list. Those that are no longer on the state at-risk list for the 2024-2025 school year will not be eligible for state at-risk funding without provisional approval from KSDE. To see a list of approved evidence-based practice and programs, click here.
Teachers are encouraged to use the updated Professional Development Plan guidance with template on the KSDE PD Planning webpage to ensure that their five-year professional development plan has the minimum components required based on the criteria established by the Kansas State Board of Education and Kansas statutes and regulations.
Starting on July 1, 2024, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation will increase the costs of providing fingerprint-based record checks to state agencies.
Please encourage all parents and guardians of Kansas K-12 students to participate in this year’s Parent Perception Survey. This short survey is designed to measure how parents/guardians define postsecondary success for their children.
Parents as Teachers National Center (PATNC) recently made a commitment to invest back into local PAT programs by awarding a limited number of grants to programs across the country. The grants were highly competitive and five Kansas PAT programs were successful in their bid for funding for special community projects.
The Kansas State Department of Education announced an agency-sponsored interpersonal curricula that is free to Kansas elementary, middle and high schools.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) team is hosting a virtual town hall meeting at 2 p.m. on March 21. The main topic of the town hall will be the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) renewal process for 2024.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is offering a professional development event that addresses a balanced assessment system and structured literacy on March 19.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is offering a new Introduction to ASQ training to be offered virtually.
Bethany College is hosting its first Bethany College Education Conference on April 13. It's an opportunity for teachers to pick up some more tools for their classroom, collaborate with teachers from across the state, get reinvigorated about teaching, gain professional development points and earn graduate credit hours.
19: 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., KSDE’s “CLUES: What Do We Do with All of This Data?” Greenbush Service Center, Lawrence. $35. Register HERE.
Bill Tracker
Kansas State Board of Education members will hear presentations on teacher retention and bus safety; will hold a public hearing on the Professional Practices Commission (PPC) regulations; and will hear a presentation on state assessment development and the need for data literacy and analysis in a balanced assessment system.
The Kansas Volunteer Commission has announced the Youth Civic Engagement mini-grant, which supports the civic engagement of youth in grades K-12. For this grant, applicants must engage youth in the planning and implementation of grant activities. Priority will be given to applications that include youth-led and youth-initiated projects.
The KSDE School Bus Safety Unit is offering a five-hour informational workshop for any mechanic performing the Part I Mechanical School/Activity Bus Safety Inspection. This workshop is designed to provide information to assist mechanics who perform this inspection, which is required by KSDE School Bus Regulations. Class instructors will be personnel from the Kansas Highway Patrol Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program.
Applications for School Improvement Days Facilitators open
Beginning in the 2024-25 school year, the new accreditation model, KESA 2.0, will involve school systems meeting together once per year for School Improvement Days.
The Kansas State Department of Education has announced an agency-sponsored interpersonal curricula that is free to Kansas elementary, middle and high schools.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) team is hosting a virtual town hall meeting at 2 p.m. on March 21.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is currently seeking proposals for presenters and vendors for the Safe and Supportive Schools Conference scheduled for April 15-16 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Manhattan. Colleagues from across Kansas will present on topics to empower, inspire and motivate your staff, and provide information and new ideas to take back to your schools.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Is offering a new Introduction to ASQ training to be offered virtually.
11-12: Kansas State Board of Education meeting, Topeka. Click here to watch the live stream.
Around 135 educators from across the state attended the 2024 Kansas Exemplary Educators Network (KEEN) State Education Conference Feb. 22-23 in Topeka.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has scheduled a statewide tornado drill for 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 6. This falls during Severe Weather Preparedness Week, which is March 4-8.
For more information on Preparedness week check out the link below: https://www.weather.gov/eax/SevereWeatherPreparednessWeek
Episode #19 of the HirePaths Cool Careers video series is now available.
Read Across America Day is set for Saturday, March 2. Read Across America Week is set for March 2-6, beginning on the birthday of author Dr. Suess.
The legislature was not in session Monday, Feb. 26, or Tuesday, Feb. 27.
The Kansas State Department of Education is once again asking for the participation of all parents and guardians of Kansas K-12 students in KSDE’s Parent Perception Survey. This survey is designed to measure how parents/guardians define success for their children.
The Licensed Personnel Report (LPR) is due by 5 p.m. Monday, March 4, 2024.
The KSDE School Bus Safety Unit (SBSU) is offering a five-hour informational workshop for any mechanic performing the Part I Mechanical School/Activity Bus Safety Inspection. This workshop is designed to provide information to assist mechanics who perform this inspection, which is required by KSDE School Bus Regulations. Class instructors will be personnel from the Kansas Highway Patrol Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program.
KSDE’s Accreditation and Design (AD) team is hosting their Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) Monthly Update from 9-9:45 a.m. on Tuesday, March 5.
KSDE’s Kansas Technical Assistance System Network (TASN) has released the Kansas Math Project (KMP) via Moodle. The website enables Kansas math teachers, Pre-K-12, to begin their asynchronous KMP journey.
KSDE is providing important information and resources as districts finalize Career and Technical Education (CTE) Pathway applications for the 2024-2025 school year. All pathway applications should be in at least “Approved by District” status prior to the March 1st deadline. Please note that if an application requires correction, it will be considered to have been submitted on time if the initial submission occurred prior to, or on March 1st, 2024.
Evidence Based List and Provisional At-Risk Program Application
KSDE will provide school districts with an application process to submit programs and practices that are not currently on the approved evidence-based practices list but meet the statutory definition for a provisional at-risk educational program.
February
Through March 4: Educator Data Collection System is open now through March 4 for submission of Licensed Personnel Report.
Asher Swank started his freshman year in 2020 at Southeast of Saline High School, Southeast of Saline Unified School District 306, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, spending a lot of time at home. That’s when he decided to join Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA).
Around 135 educators from across the state attended the first day of the 2024 Kansas Exemplary Educators Network (KEEN) State Education Conference on Thursday.
Four bills were passed on either the House or Senate floors during week seven of the 2024 Kansas Legislative Session.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) team is hosting a virtual town hall meeting on March 21 at 2pm. The main topic of the town hall will be the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) renewal process for 2024. Information will be provided about changes to the sponsor and site applications and new guidance for summer 2024. Join the town hall meeting on March 21 at 2pm at https://ksde.zoom.us/j/87204779621?pwd=NEhrcHloRjBobGtOZTJEWFJtR0tUQT09 (Meeting ID: 872 0477 9621 Passcode: 746337).
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is once again asking for the participation of all parents and guardians of Kansas K-12 students in the Parent Perception Survey. This survey is designed to measure how parents/guardians define success for their children.
Applications for the Increasing Equitable Access to CTE Grant are now available.
KSDE’s Accreditation and Design (AD) team hosted its Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) Monthly Update on Tuesday, Feb. 13. If you were unable to join, click here to view the meeting recording.
Provisional At-Risk Program Application
Science Practice Tests are now available in the Kite® Student Portal! These Subject-Oriented Practice Tests (SPTs) more closely resemble the rigor of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) that students will see on the 2024 Kansas Assessment Program (KAP) Summative Science assessments.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is currently seeking proposals for presenters and vendors for the Safe and Supportive Schools Conference scheduled for April 15-16 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Manhattan.
The Kansas Volunteer Commission and Emporia State University School of Humanities + Social Sciences are excited to announce the 2024 Civic Engagement Conference. The conference will be held Wednesday, April 10 at Emporia State University Memorial Union, in Emporia. The theme of the conference is “Empowering Kansas through Civic Engagement."
The Kansas State Board of Education at its February meeting approved recommending to the legislature that the five-year research requirement within the current definition of evidence-based instruction be removed from K.S.A. 72-5153.
The Kansas House of Representatives on Thursday passed House Bill 2499. The bill prohibits anyone under the age of 18 from using a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle; and prohibits anyone from using a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle in a school zone at a time when a reduced speed limit is enforced and in a road construction zone while workers are present. HB 2499 was passed 86-30. It will now go to the Senate.
KSDE’s School Bus Safety Unit (SBSU) has a few training opportunities coming up in February and March.
The Kansas Department of Commerce Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) team partnered with seven regional planning organizations across Kansas to sponsor opportunities to join peers and partners to learn about new CDBG programs that can strengthen your community. The last Road Show will be from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Feb. 20 in Atchison.
E-Rate 470 deadlines are just around the corner! Anyone who missed the in-person or Zoom sessions on Funding Year 2024 E-Rate can view a recording of the Zoom session.
Peer collaboration, when done well, is a critical component to continuous improvement. For the 2023-2024 school year, all systems have three options for a peer review (formerly OVT). During this Learning Year for KESA, as a transition, systems have three options for a peer review.
As KSDE prepares to roll out KESA 2.0 in the 2024-2025 school year, there are several projects the agency is undertaking this spring.
The Accreditation and Design (AD) team began meeting individually with systems in mid-January for what is called a “KESA Check-in." This is one of the new supports the team is implementing as part of KESA 2.0, which officially begins in the 2024-2025 school year.
Beginning in the 2024-2025 school year, the new accreditation model, KESA 2.0, will involve school systems meeting together once per year for School Improvement Days. As part of this process, KSDE is recruiting teams of facilitators to lead these sessions. The facilitators will be in teams of three and will lead school leadership teams through data conversations, reflective questions, and action planning. KSDE is recruiting interested educators for these roles over the next few months and will conduct training sessions later this spring.
PACK Act Survey Information
The PACK Act, Sub HB 2466, enrolled effective July 1, 2022, requires that each secondary school operated by a district in Kansas offer a computer science course beginning in the 2023-2024 school year. Please see the act's legislative page at this link: Legislative page for HB 2466.
Science Practice Tests are now available Kite® Student Portal! These Subject-Oriented Practice Tests (SPTs) more closely resemble the rigor of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) standards that students will see on the 2024 Kansas Assessment Program (KAP) Summative Science assessments.
The updated Kansas Early Learning Standards (KELS) were approved by both the Kansas State Board of Education and the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund. These standards serve as a guide for what we want children to know and be able to do as a result of engagement with caring knowledgeable adults, evidence-based curriculum, and developmentally appropriate activities.
In 2024-2025 Kansas will begin an updated system of accreditation, focused on structured literacy, a balanced assessment system, standards alignment, and high quality instruction.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is offering a professional development event that addresses a balanced assessment system and structured literacy.
21: 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., KSDE: Meaningful Feedback to Fuel Instruction. Greenbush, Lawrence. Cost is $35. Meals provided. In person. To register, click here.
Two Kansas teachers on Thursday, Feb. 8, received the surprise of a lifetime when they were presented with a national Milken Educator Award by the Milken Family Foundation. The prestigious recognition comes with an unrestricted $25,000 cash prize and honors outstanding educators across the country for excellence in and out of the classroom.
Seventeen education-related bills were introduced and three bills were passed out of committee during week five of the 2024 Kansas Legislature Session.
Kansas State Board of Education members will hear a presentation on artificial intelligence; receive an overview of a four-day school week; and hear proposed amendments to the Professional Practices Commission (PPC) regulations.
The 2024 School Bus Safety Poster Contest, co-sponsored by the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) School Bus Safety Unit and the Kansas State Pupil Transportation Association, is open to all Kansas students interested in participating.
The Kansas Department of Commerce Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) team has partnered with seven regional planning organizations across Kansas to sponsor opportunities to join peers and partners to learn about new CDBG programs that can strengthen your community.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has extended the deadline to apply for the second rebate funding opportunity available through the 2023 Clean School Bus (CSB) Rebate Program to 3:00 p.m. on February 14.
The Preschool-Aged At-Risk Program provides school districts with funding for preschool-aged students.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Accreditation and Design team will be holding their Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) Monthly Update from 9:00-9:45 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 13.
The Accreditation and Design (AD) team began meeting individually with systems in mid-January for what is called a “KESA Check-in". This is one of the new supports the team is implementing as part of KESA 2.0, which officially begins in the 2024-2025 school year.
Science Practice Tests are now available in the Kite® Student Portal! These Subject-Oriented Practice Tests (SPTs) more closely resemble the rigor of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) standards that students will see on the 2024 Kansas Assessment Program (KAP) Summative Science assessments.
Evidence-Based List and At-Risk
The Kansas State Board of Education at its February meeting will receive recommendations on potential statutory adjustment on Feb. 13, 2024, with possible action to be taken on Feb. 14, 2024. A review of the current list has been conducted. A process for districts and vendors to submit provisional programs and practices is being developed. Districts should expect to hear more developments on this work Spring 2024.
By opting into the Kansas State Department of Education and IXL Math contract to receive IXL Math at no local cost, district and school administrators are required to provide data on math practice for the 2023-2024 school year twice a year. Two built-in IXL reports will allow you to create and submit your KSDE reporting in less time than it takes to finish your morning coffee.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is conducting a 2024 Kansas Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) Grant competition. The 21st CCLC grant provides funds for out-of-school time programs serving students that attend a school with a 40% or higher free/reduced lunch population. The Request for Application can be found at: https://www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=740.
The Kansans Can Star Recognition Program is now in its fifth year of recognizing school districts for the great work taking place to help the state achieve its vision of leading the world in the success of each student.
The Kansas Multi-Tier System of Supports (MTSS) and Alignment is offering Playful Learning Across the Day in Pre-K, a professional development opportunity.
5-9: National School Counseling Week.
School mental health professionals on Wednesday, Jan. 31, gathered for the 8th Annual School Mental Health Advocacy Day at the Kansas State Capitol to learn more about each other’s work and to raise awareness about the mental health needs of students.
Ten education-related bills were introduced and several bills underwent hearings during week four of the 2024 Kansas Legislature Session.
February is Career and Technical and Education (CTE) Month.
Episode #18 of the HirePaths Cool Careers video series is now available.
The 2024 School Bus Safety Poster Contest, co-sponsored by the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) School Bus Safety Unit and the Kansas State Pupil Transportation Association, is open to all Kansas student interested in participating.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Career, Standards and Assessment Services (CSAS) team needs your help verifying how many alternative schools or programs are in operation this school year.
The Kansas State Board of Education at its November meeting approved new graduation requirements. Now, the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is developing a new fact sheet to help educators and administrators transition to the new requirements.
House Bill 2085, passed in the 2021 legislative session, created the Students Right to Know Act to provide information on postsecondary education options.
Updates to the Kansas Early Learning Standards were approved by the Kansas State Board of Education at their January meeting. As KSDE’s Early Childhood team prepares to print and distribute copies of these updated standards, they need to know how many are needed for each district.
To provide a broader opportunity for all teachers to get questions answered, brainstorm solutions and for Kansas State Department of Education staff members to help, changes have been made to the KSDE Early Literacy/Dyslexia Literacy Lifeline for 2024.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is conducting a 2024 Kansas Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) Grant competition. The 21st CCLC grant provides funds for out-of-school time programs serving students that attend a school with a 40% or higher free/reduced lunch population.
The path to leading the world in the success of each student starts in early childhood, long before a 5-year-old child begins kindergarten. Join the Kansas State Department of Education from 1-2 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 8, to discuss the 2024-2025 Kansans Can Star Recognition Program for Kindergarten Readiness. KSDE staff will review the 2024-2025 Kindergarten Readiness Rubric, which has been updated to simplify the self-assessment process. Attendees will be invited to share success stories and ideas with their peers.
The Spring Tobacco Treatment Specialist Training Program will be offered online between Feb. 12-April 12.
Six education-related bills were introduced and the 2024 Kansas Teacher of the Year team was recognized on the House and Senate floors during week three of the 2024 Kansas Legislature Session.
Eight of the top educators in Kansas came to Topeka earlier this week to learn about and discuss education issues with education leaders; develop strategies for becoming effective communicators; and be recognized by the Kansas House and Senate, as well as the House and Senate Committees on Education.
Basehor-Linwood Unified School District 458 has welcomed volunteers into their schools for several years. It was around 1999, when Tammy Potts…then district coordinator of the school’s volunteer program, decided to take it one step further. That is when the Basehor-Linwood Mentors and Care Cats program was born.
Members of the Kansas State Department of Education’s Teacher Licensure and Career and Technical Education (CTE) teams; Kansas Office of Apprenticeship; business and industry representatives and others participated in the first Kansas Youth Registered Apprenticeship Champion Training to learn how to build and grow the program.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) launched a new webpage for the Registered Teacher Apprenticeship program. The new page is a one-stop site that provides resources for district personnel and potential apprentices who are interested in participating in the Registered Teacher Apprenticeship program.
The Kansas Volunteer Commission has announced the Mentoring Capacity Building mini-grant, which supports youth mentoring initiatives that implement or enhance one or more of the Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring (EEPM) and its supplements.
The 2024 School Bus Safety Poster Contest, co-sponsored by the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) School Bus Safety Unit and the Kansas State Pupil Transportation Association, is now open for any Kansas student.
Jan. 31 is the submission deadline for Application Text-to-Speech checklists for students who are blind, visually impaired or a nonreader to receive text-to-speech for the English language arts passages on the Kansas assessment.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on Sept. 28 the second rebate funding opportunity available through the 2023 Clean School Bus (CSB) Rebate Program.
The Accreditation and Design team has started facilitating meetings called KESA Check-ins with systems in the West, Central and Eastern regions of Kansas, as well as with special purpose schools and urban, suburban and private systems.
Jean Rush, current Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) employee, has been named the East Region KESA executive and began her new role on Monday, January 22. For the Central region KESA executive position, Mindy Bruce, former superintendent at Renwick USD 267 will temporarily fill that role until July 1, 2024, when a permanent executive is named.
Updates to the Kansas Early Learning Standards were approved by the Kansas State Board of Education at its January meeting. As KSDE’s Early Childhood team prepares to print and distribute copies of these updated standards, they need to know how many are needed for each district.
Engaging with families to build strong relationships during children’s transition into kindergarten is a key strategy to prepare children, families, and schools for a successful start to the kindergarten year. All Kansas elementary schools are required to partner with families to complete the Ages & Stages Questionnaires®, Third Edition (ASQ-3) and Ages & Stages Questionnaires®: Social-Emotional, Second Edition (ASQ:SE-2).
School districts are invited to participate in an informational session about hosting a Visiting International Teacher (VIT) in the 2024-2025 school year. The webinar will be held from 12-1 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 2. The webinar will be recorded and posted on the Visiting International Teacher webpage afterwards. Access the webinar at: https://ksde.zoom.us/j/86185961234.
The path to leading the world in the success of each student starts in early childhood, long before a 5-year-old child begins kindergarten. Join the Kansas State Department of Education from 1-2 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 8, to discuss the 2024-2025 Kansans Can Star Recognition Program for Kindergarten Readiness. KSDE staff will review the 2024-2025 Kindergarten Readiness Rubric, which has been updated to simplify the self-assessment process.
The Kansas Digital Learning Conference is scheduled for Feb. 15-16 at the Andover eCademy, 1411 N. Main in Andover.
January
Through March 4: Educator Data Collection System is open now through march 4 for submission of Licensed Personnel Report.
When teacher Margo Ellerman first looked at the rules and guidelines for the KSDE Child Nutrition and Wellness Local Foods Recipe Challenge, she thought it would serve as a good final to test her students' capabilities and knowledge.
Thirty-two educators from Kansas are being recognized for their outstanding teaching skills through the 2024 Kansas Horizon Award program.
Six education-related bills were introduced during week two of the 2024 Kansas Legislature Session and House Committee on Education members held a hearing on one bill that would require schools to have cardiac emergency response plans in place.
Join Leslie Bruton, data systems coordinator for KSDE’s Teacher Licensure, for an in-person training on the Educator Data Collection System (EDCS) and the Licensed Personnel Report (LPR) from 1-4 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 24.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) reminds people that the deadline for submissions for the Kansas Clean Diesel Program is Monday, Jan. 22.
Quarterly reporting for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds will close on the CommonApp on Friday, Jan. 19.
KSDE’s Accreditation and Design team hosted its KESA Monthly Update on Tuesday, Jan. 9. If you were unable to join, click here to view the meeting recording.
The Spring Tobacco Treatment Specialist Training Program will be offered online Feb. 12-April 12.
19: Quarterly reporting for ESSER funds on CommonApp closes.
Dr. Frank Harwood, a former teacher, principal and superintendent with 30 years of experience in public education, will begin his duties as Deputy Commissioner of Fiscal and Administrative Services at the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) on Friday, Jan. 12.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) will oversee an $8.4 million federal grant awarded to the state to create the Kansas Youth Transition Network, a statewide initiative that will help students with disabilities make the transition from education to employment.
Cold temperatures and snow didn’t deter student representatives from several Kansas Career and Technical Student Organizations from gathering in Topeka for the 2024 Citizenship Day.
Two Kansas students have been selected as delegates to the 62nd annual United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) that will take place March 2-9, 2024, in Washington, D.C.
Eighteen-year-old Reylli Lopez most likely would have been on a different career path had he not taken a step outside of his comfort zone and become the first-ever, state-paid youth apprentice.
Four days into the 2024 Kansas Legislature Session, six education-related bills are in the works and Gov. Laura Kelly released her budget, proposing to fully fund K-12 public schools, including special education.
A special task force created by the legislature to study the existing funding formula for special education met Friday, Jan. 5, at the Kansas Statehouse to develop recommendations to send to the Kansas Legislature.
Friday, January 5, was the first weekly Educator Data Collection System (EDCS)/Licensed Personnel Report (LPR) training offered via Zoom to help districts and new Licensed Personnel Report Contacts (LPRCS) successfully submit their LPR at the beginning of March.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) reminds people that the deadline for submissions for the Kansas Clean Diesel Program is Jan. 22.
Applications for 2024-2025 Kansas Preschool Pilot (KPP) grants to provide preschool services are due at 5 p.m. Monday, Jan. 15.
Submission deadlines for quarterly and annual reporting for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds are quickly approaching.
Quarterly reporting for ESSER funds opened on the CommonApp on Tuesday, Jan 2, and will close Jan. 19.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE), in conjunction with BTU Consultants, will provide two additional opportunities for E-Rate training via Zoom this month.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) will be the topic of the first workshop of the Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Professional Development Webinar Series that kicks off at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 17.
Through March 4: Educator Data Collection System open now through March 4 for submission of License Personnel Report.
12: Submission deadline for fiscal year 2023 annual reporting survey for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds.
The Kansas State Board of Education at its first meeting of the year approved the Kansas Early Learning Standards (KELS), received an update on the Kansas Education Systems Accreditation Framework and learned how the fentanyl crisis is impacting Kansas.
Kansas State Board of Education members will hear a presentation on the fentanyl crisis; receive an update on the new Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) framework, also known as KESA 2.0; and are scheduled to act on the Kansas Early Learning Standards during their January meeting.
A task force required by law to study and make recommendations for changes in the existing funding formula for special education will meet for the first time on Friday, Jan. 5, to hear testimony.
The Educator Data Collection System (EDCS) opened Monday, Jan. 1, for submission of the Licensed Personnel Report (LPR).
Quarterly reporting for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds opened on the CommonApp on Tuesday, Jan 2, and will close Jan. 19.
The following spring 2024 ACT and WorkKeys updates are being offered for test coordinators by Lee Jones, ACT/WorkKeys assessment coordinator for the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE):
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Accreditation and Design will offer Kansas Educational Systems Accreditation (KESA) updates via Zoom from 9-9:45 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 9.
Applications for the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Association of Educational Office Professionals (AEOP) Margaret Van Horn Scholarship must be postmarked by Friday, Jan. 12.
Experts from across Kansas will help attendees of the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) 2024 Summer Academy learn evidence-based methods and strategies that can help positively impact instruction and assessments.
Register now for the Kansas Annual Career and Technical Education Conference in order to lock in discounted pricing.
The Spring Tobacco Treatment Specialist Training Program will be offered online between Feb. 12-April 12
The deadline to register for the 42nd annual Kansas Division for Early Childhood Conference (KDEC) is quickly approaching.
5: Deadline for test coordinators to submit requests for accommodations for ACT.
5: Deadline to submit accommodations requests for ACT through the Test Accessibility and Accommodations System (TAA). It takes time for approval, so please submit requests early.
The end of the calendar year is always a time for reflection for me. Did I accomplish what I’d hoped? Am I satisfied with my efforts? Did I do everything in my power to ensure Kansas students are positioned for success?
Kansans witnessed positive changes to our educational system, celebrated accomplishments and achievements and also overcame challenges throughout 2023.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Information Technology (IT) team has put together a team of experts to help school technology directors and staff members, along with superintendents, principals and others who are interested, navigate the complex and critical practices of cybersecurity and data privacy.
The Educator Data Collection System (EDCS) will open on Monday, Jan. 1, for submission of the Licensed Personnel Report (LPR).
Quarterly reporting for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds will open on the CommonApp on Tuesday, Jan 2, and close on Jan. 19.
Register now for the Kansas Annual Career and Technical Education Conference to lock in discounted pricing.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is sponsoring two in-person trainings next month. There is no cost to attend either training.
The Spring 2024 Tobacco Treatment Specialist Training Program will be Feb. 12-April 12, 2024.
“Inclusion Matters” is the theme for the 42nd annual Kansas Division for Early Childhood Conference (KDEC).
CALENDAR
1: KSDE offices closed in observance of New Year’s.
1-March 4: Educator Data Collection System open for submission of Licensed Personnel Report (LPR).
2: Star Assessments Regional Training. Star educators can join the session at Waconda USD 272. Learn more and register here.
Two Kansas school district leaders have been selected as 2023 Superintendents to Watch, an award offered through the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) that honors innovative and effective use of technology to engage and inform the school community.
The Kansas State Board of Education has established meeting dates for 2024 and 2025, following the traditional schedule of meeting the second Tuesday and Wednesday of each month.
Do you have ideas regarding evidence-based methods and strategies that can positively impact instruction and assessments? What about ways to invigorate those who are involved in the delivery of education or services provided to Kansas students?
The Educator Data Collection System (EDCS) will open Jan. 1 for submission of the Licensed Personnel Report (LPR).
Quarterly reporting for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds will open on the CommonApp on Tuesday, Jan 2, and close Jan. 19.
The Kansas State Department of Education School Bus Safety Unit will be holding Transportation Basics Workshops for transportation directors/supervisors from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 28, in Great Bend.
WorkCTE, like ChatGPT, is becoming even more technical, automated and essential for the future. How are Kansas students being prepared for that? Find out more about WorkCTE at the Kansas Annual Career and Technical Education Conference, scheduled for Feb. 5-7 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Manhattan.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is sponsoring two regional in-person trainings early in January 2024. There is no cost to attend either training.
Bethany College has announced registration is now open for its 2024 education conference, Innovative Next Steps in Pre-K-12 Learning.
Registration is now open for the 2024 Virtual Health Care Career Day, which is scheduled for 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Feb. 1.
The Spring 2024 Tobacco Treatment Specialist Training Program is an eight-week course beginning Feb. 12 and concluding on April 12, 2024.
The 42nd annual Kansas Division for Early Childhood (KDEC) Conference offers attendees an opportunity for professional growth and through an array of sessions, networking experiences and other activities.
December
25: KSDE offices closed in observance of Christmas holiday.
The Kansas State Board of Education at its December meeting approved changes to the Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) model that will be implemented in the 2024-2025 school year.
On Monday, Dec. 11, the Kansas Early Childhood Transition Task Force adopted its final report and presented it to Gov. Laura Kelly. This report outlines recommendations for how Kansas can streamline and strengthen administration of early childhood programs.
A new tool has been launched to help guide policy and measure the impact of early childhood services in Kansas.
Feedback is being sought on State Determined Performance Levels (SDPLs) before they are released to the general public for a 60-day comment period.
Wednesday, Dec. 20, is the deadline for schools to submit Emergency Safety Intervention Data Collection for reporting period one in the Kansas Integrated Accountability System (KIAS) application.
Friday, Dec.15, is the deadline for Kansas school counselors to participate in a survey that will help determine spring professional development opportunities.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Accreditation and Design (AD) team hosted a Kansas Educational Systems Accreditation (KESA) Monthly Update via Zoom from 9-9:45 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12.
Learning Forward Kansas is hosting Marcia Tate and her presentation “Sit and Get Won’t Grow Dendrites: 20 Professional Learning Strategies that Engage the Adult Brain” from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Feb. 7.
Melissa Rooker, executive director of the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund, has been announced as one of the featured speakers at the First 1,000 Days Kansas Summit.
The 42nd annual Kansas Division for Early Childhood Conference (KDEC) offers attendees an opportunity for professional growth and an array of sessions, networking experiences and other activities.
Applications are now being accepted for the 2024 Kansas Crime Stoppers Association collegiate scholarships.
Celebrate Access! is a new event that explores the unique ways people with visual impairment access the world, and it also celebrates the 200th anniversary of the Braille code.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE)’s Kansas Individual Data on Students (KIDS) staff members are offering KIDS staff training in person and via Zoom in December and January.
The Kansas State Department of Education School Bus Safety Unit will be holding a Transportation Basics Workshop for transportation directors/supervisors from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 28, in Great Bend.
Kansas Multi-Tier System of Supports (MTSS) and Alignment will host one-day free trainings to help expand understanding of the FastBridge assessment system.
15: Deadline for Kansas counselors to submit feedback survey on 2023 fall professional development.
19: 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Kansas Individual Data on Students (KIDS) training, via Zoom. To register, visit the KSDE Training Portal. You must have an account to register. Upon login, click KIDS and KIDS Training to access courses. The course will focus on using KIDS data, understanding submission types and methods and be more hands-on than in previous years.
Kansas State Board of Education members are scheduled to act on proposed changes to the current accreditation model, legislative priorities for the 2024 legislative session and more during their December meeting.
James Kingsbury was just 12 years old when his father died in 2018.
“I was grieving with that and not seeing a future for myself,” said Kingsbury, now a senior at Larned High School, Fort Larned USD 495. “I thought, ‘Why do it if he’s not there?’ “
In a competition that pits eight states against each other to help celebrate local produce, support local agriculture and recognize the importance of healthy eating, Kansas received fifth place and won two top prizes.
The tables are being turned this week as early childhood educators in Kansas are being taught instead of teaching.
The Kansas State Department of Education Teacher Licensure team has released the Content Test Appeal Application for those who have completed an initial Kansas teacher preparation program and took the content exam twice without achieving a passing score.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is seeking applications for 2024-2025 Kansas Preschool Pilot (KPP) grants to provide preschool services.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) currently has a school bus award opportunity open to districts that own and operate their own fleets.
The submission deadline for the fiscal year 2023 annual reporting survey for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds is Jan. 12, 2024.
Dec. 20 is the deadline for schools to submit Emergency Safety Intervention Data Collection for reporting period one in the Kansas Integrated Accountability System (KIAS) application.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) early literacy/dyslexia staff members are available to help with questions or problems and can be contacted through the Literacy Lifeline.
Below are a few steps to help test coordinators prepare for WorkKeys and ACT testing in the spring.
A Kansas Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) sponsor used federal funds from the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Farm to School Grant to provide labor-saving equipment and education to 140 CACFP home day cares.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) school counselor leader coordinators invite Kansas school counselors to participate in a survey that will help determine spring professional development opportunities.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) team is hosting the December town hall meeting at 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14.
The Innovative Next Steps in Pre-K-12 Learning Education Conference will take place April 13 at Bethany College and will feature several leaders in education.
As Renaissance begins planning professional learning opportunities sponsored by the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE), the company is seeking educator input.
Kansas Multi-Tier Systems of Support (MTSS) and Alignment will host one-day free trainings to help expand understanding of the FastBridge assessment system.
The KSDE Technical Assistance System Network (TASN) will host in-person, full-day Kansas Early Childhood Outcome (ECO) Rating Process Workshops in 2024.
Stakeholders are invited to attend an event focused on better understanding surveys administered to students in Kansas schools.
The University of Kansas has announced the Spring 2024 Tobacco Treatment Specialist Training Program for Feb. 12-April 12, 2024.
8: 4-5 p.m. KSDE’s monthly math meeting. Topic: Tier Intervention. Zoom: https://ksde.zoom.us/j/88043941824. For more information, contact KSDE’s Jennifer Hamlet via email at jhamlet@kse.org or by phone at 785-296-6823.
Deputy Commissioner Dr. Craig Neuenswander has a way of making people feel supported and at ease. Maybe it’s the kindness he shows everyone who crosses his path, his calm demeanor or the brilliance he’s shared with numerous administrators to help solve financial conundrums during his past 11 years at the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE).
Attendees of the KSDE Great Ideas in Education Conference: Empowered Together, which took place Oct. 25-27 in Wichita, are reminded to complete an evaluation to help KSDE staff members plan for the next conference.
Ornaments featuring artwork by students throughout the United States, including Kansas, will once again adorn trees at the National Christmas Tree site in Washington, D.C.
The United States Department of Education, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is offering free, rapid, at-home COVID-19 tests to interested local educational agencies (LEAs).
Thirteen Kansas school districts have been announced as recipients of the 2022-2025 Stronger Connections grant.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE)’s Kansas Individual Data on Students (KIDS) staff members will offer training sessions in December and January.
Jan. 12, 2024, is the submission deadline for the fiscal year 2023 annual reporting survey for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds.
School districts and Local Education Agencies (LEAs) are annually required to electronically file their CPA Audit Report and/or Single Audit Report with the Kansas Department of Administration, Municipal Services Municipal Services | Kansas Department of Administration (ks.gov).
In celebration of National Career Development Month, which is November, and Individual Plans of Study for each student, the Kansas State Department of Education’s Career, Standards and Assessment Services (CSAS) team is releasing the following resources developed by REL Central to support IPS implementation in Kansas:
As the state moves to a regional/cohort of support and accountability for Kansas Educational Systems Accreditation (KESA), the Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Accreditation and Design team recently reconfigured the regions/cohorts map, moving from four regions to three regions and creating two new cohorts of systems.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) team is hosting two virtual town hall meetings in coming months.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Accreditation and Design team recently shared the recording of the monthly Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) update, which took place Tuesday, Nov. 14, via Zoom.
The notification date for the fiscal year 2023 National School Lunch Program (NSLP) equipment assistance grants has been moved back because of the overwhelming number of applications received by the KSDE Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) team.
On Oct. 23, 2023, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) granted the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) request to waive the requirement for the annual Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) election deadline and date used to determine the identified student percentage (ISP) for the 2023-2024 school year.
Each sponsor that operates a National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is asked to complete the Farm to School Census, regardless of participation in Farm to School activities.
The 2024 Kansas Health Care Virtual Career Day will be held from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Feb. 1.
The Early Childhood Outcomes (ECO) and the Child Outcome Summary (COS) process were developed to capture the impact of early childhood special education services on young children with disabilities.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) will host Science Regional Professional Learning Communities in February and April 2024.
The Association of Teacher Educators of Kansas (ATE-K) is currently accepting session proposals for the 2024 ATE-K/Kansas Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (KACTE) Spring Conference.
4: 4-4:30 p.m., Coffee with Counselors, Ugly Sweater Party, Zoom. Connect with KSDE school counselor leader coordinators to celebrate the holidays. Registration Link.
Kansas State Board of Education members at their November meeting received proposed changes to the current accreditation model that Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) staff members say will better connect school improvement and accreditation, allow for a rapid, personalized response to system needs, and increase accountability and support.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) has announced the dates for the 2024 Great Ideas in Education Conference.
In the 17th episode of the HirePaths’ Cool Careers video series, host Audrey packs her backpack and heads to preschool to learn all about early childhood education.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Kansas Registered Teacher Apprenticeship program was recognized as the 2023 Outstanding New Program by the Kansas Department of Commerce on Tuesday, Nov. 14.
Kansas is leading an effort to create a standardized agreement and data sharing protocol with the Department of Defense (DoD) that would allow states to access accurate, secure and standardized data on military service.
Two Kansas schools are being nationally recognized for exceptional student achievement in 2023.
The Davis-Bacon Compliance requires all laborers and mechanics employed by contractors or subcontractors who work on construction contracts in excess of $2,000 financed by federal assistance funds to be paid wages not less than those established for the locality of the project (prevailing wage rates) by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE)’s Kansas Individual Data on Students (KIDS) staff members will offer training in the northeast part of the state in December.
Organizations and entities have until 5 p.m. Dec. 18 to apply for $38 million in grants that will help expand on Kansas’ efforts to create new licensed child care slots while adding space to enable work, health monitoring and education supports.
Fifty-eight Kansas Parents as Teachers program coordinators gathered Nov. 6-7 in Wichita for a two-day meeting focused on supporting Kansas families and children through high-quality PAT home visiting services.
A Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) updates webinar recording, presentation slides and resource guide are now available online, according to Melanie D. Scott, a Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) school counselor leader coordinator.
The Kansas State Interagency Coordinating Council (SICC) hosted an online fall retreat for members of Local Interagency Coordinating Councils (LICCs) on Nov. 3.
The Kansas Seal of Biliteracy score spreadsheet has been updated and is now available on the Kansas Seal of Biliteracy website.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) early literacy/dyslexia staff members are offering Literacy Lifeline office hours from 3:30 to 5 p.m. on Thursdays through December.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Accreditation and Design team hosted a monthly Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) update on Tuesday, Nov. 14, via Zoom.
KSDE will host A Zoom webinar from 11 a.m. - noon on Tuesday, Nov. 28, to discuss the Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Suicide Prevention, Intervention, Reintegration and Postvention Toolkit.
Four Kansas Parents as Teachers affiliates have been named Blue Ribbon affiliates by the Parents as Teachers National Center.
There are two remaining FastBridge and Star trainings for the month of November, said Sheleena Taylor, a Renaissance customer success manager for Kansas.
November
20: Last day to request December federal funds (Form 240) if funds are available. More information, Rose Ireland, 785-296-4973.
20: 3-3:30 p.m., Coffee with Counselors, Connecting Rural Counselors, Zoom. Connect with rural counselors to discuss topics related to being a counselor in a rural area. Registration Link
23-24: KSDE offices closed in observance of Thanksgiving.
Kansas State Board of Education members will receive proposed changes to the Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) model and will act on the Kansas Standards for Library and Information Literacy during their November meetings.
The fifth free conference in a series geared toward teachers of all grade levels and content areas brought 170 educators together in Topeka for networking, fun and learning.
A recipe challenge hosted by the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Child Nutrition and Wellness team afforded students from West Elk Unified School District 282 the chance to learn about school nutrition guidelines and how tasty items made with sorghum truly can be.
In 2003, Hanna Kemble Mick’s mother was named a Kansas School Counselor of the Year. Now, two decades later, Kemble Mick is “humbled and honored” to follow in her mother’s footsteps.
Mary Kane, who has served as the Kansas FFA Association executive secretary for more than 30 years, was recently recognized by the National Association of Supervisors of Agricultural Education (NASEA) as the 2023 Outstanding Executive Secretary.
Have you filled out the survey for KSDEweekly yet? If not, please click here to answer a few brief questions.
All district state aid requests for December must be submitted by Friday, Nov. 10.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is hosting three in-person meetings for annual Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) report training.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE)’s Kansas Individual Data on Students (KIDS) staff members will offer training in the southwestern part of Kansas in November and in the northeast part of the state in December.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Accreditation and Design (AD) team will present an updated Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) model to the Kansas State Board of Education next week.
Please see the information below for a quick overview of what ACT and WorkKeys test coordinators need to do in the following weeks to prepare for the Spring 2024 WorkKeys and ACT tests:
A Zoom webinar scheduled for Friday, Nov. 10, to discuss the Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Suicide Prevention, Intervention, Reintegration and Postvention Toolkit has been rescheduled for later this month.
The goal of Safe Routes to School is to increase the number of K-12 students in Kansas who walk, bike and roll to school, improve safety, and increase physical activity through policies, programs and projects, said Ann Marie Katt, coordinator of the program.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) team is seeking feedback to help inform its Farm to Plate team of local food purchasing in school nutrition programs across the state.
The fiscal year 2024 United States Department of Agriculture Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant request for applications (RFA) is now available by clicking here.
The Kansas Volunteer Commission has been selected as a finalist for the 2023 Commission Innovation Awards sponsored by America’s Service Commissions (ASC).
The Kansas Volunteer Commission, which is a program of the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE), is one of three finalists in the Innovation in Civic Engagement and Volunteerism category, according to the ASC website.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Early Childhood team and the Kansas Parent Information Resource Center (KPIRC) are partnering for an online training on the Ages and Stages Questionnaires ® Third Edition (ASQ:3) and Ages and Stages ®: Social-Emotional, Second Edition (ASQ: SE-2).
Additional details have been released regarding the Kansas Digital Learning Conference, which is scheduled for Feb. 15-16 at the Andover eCademy, 1411 N. Main in Andover.
Nominations for the 2025 Kansas Teacher of the Year will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 9.
Each FastBridge user has access to FASTflix through a state partnership, said Sheleena Taylor, a Renaissance customer success manager for Kansas.
Through Nov. 10: Testing window for PreACT 8/9.
Through Nov. 10: Request for State Foundation Aid for December. More information, contact Rose Ireland at 785-296-4973.
10: KSDE offices closed in observance of Veterans Day.
Shannon Wedel, an elementary school art teacher for Great Bend Unified School District 428, has been named the 2023 Overall Outstanding Art Educator of the Year by the Kansas Art Education Association (KAEA).
Kansas Commissioner of Education Dr. Randy Watson, along with Deputy Commissioner Dr. Ben Proctor and Accreditation and Design Director Dr. Jay Scott, spent about three hours on Friday, Oct. 27, giving updates and sharing new information with attendees of the Great Ideas in Education Conference.
Updated information for the 2023-2024 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will be shared from 12:30-1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8, during a lunchtime webinar.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Teacher Licensure team has the following message for Licensed Personnel Report Contacts (LPRCs):
Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) staff members will be available via Zoom from 10-11 a.m. Nov. 8, to answer questions and discuss the intricacies of migrant student reporting.
The fiscal year 2023 annual reporting survey for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds opened Wednesday, Nov. 1 and the deadline for submission is Jan. 12, 2024.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) School Bus Safety Unit offers this important reminder about district-owned vehicle markings:
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) early literacy/dyslexia staff members are offering Literacy Lifeline office hours from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Thursdays.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Accreditation and Design (AD) team has scheduled the following meetings for November:
Kelly Chanay, who has recently served as assistant director of the Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) team, has been named the team’s new director.
Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) counselor leader coordinators have scheduled a variety of professional development opportunities for school counselors throughout November and December.
The KSDE TASN School Mental Health Initiative has announced a self-paced professional development opportunity called Mindfulness and School-Based Yoga: Tools for the Classroom eLearning Course.
Applications are available for the Healthier Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Award, which is a recognition system that supports the wellness efforts of child care providers, day care center staff members and home providers participating in CACFP.
The nomination deadline for the 2025 Kansas Teacher of the Year is Thursday, Nov. 9.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) Family Leadership Team is seeking parents who would like to participate in one of two roundtable sessions in November.
The Kansas Leadership Center (KLC) is hosting an online discussion from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 16, about demographic shifts and the impact they have on Kansas schools.
Each FastBridge user has access to FASTflix through the state partnership, said Sheleena Taylor, a Renaissance customer success manager for Kansas.
3: 9 a.m.-2 p.m., IPS Technical Assistance Opportunity, Greenbush, 947 W. 47 highway, Girard. Click here to register.
8: 10-11 a.m., KSDE staff members will be available to answer questions via Zoom about migrant student reporting. Join the Zoom meeting here. The meeting ID is 894 3382 3936 and the passcode is 388813.
8: Kansas Vaping ECHO for Education program, Part 5.
It has been more than a year since the creation of the Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) external newsletter, KSDEweekly.
More than 500 educators gathered this week in Wichita for the 2023 Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Great Ideas in Education Conference: Empowered Together.
The submission window for the Dropout Graduation Summary Report (DGSR) closes Tuesday, Oct. 31.
Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) staff members will be available via Zoom from 10-11 a.m. Nov. 8 to answer questions and discuss the intricacies of migrant student reporting.
The fiscal year 2023 annual reporting survey for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds will open Nov. 1, and the deadline for submission is Jan. 12, 2024. Completing this report is mandatory to ensure districts continue receiving federal funds without interruption.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is seeking public comment on the proposed Kansas Early Learning Standards (KELS).
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE)’s Kansas Individual Data on Students (KIDS) staff will offer training in the southwestern part of Kansas in November.
The Kansas Educational Leadership Institute (KELI) is hosting a learning opportunity about teacher recruitment and retention.
Career and technical education (CTE) instructors, coordinators and administrators are invited to attend the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCEER) CTE New Skilled Trades Instructor Workshop Conference on Nov. 8 at the Wichita Airport Hilton DoubleTree.
Two different dates and locations are set for the Kansas MTSS (Multi-Tier System of Supports) and Alignment Reading Roadshow.
Renaissance has announced upcoming FastBridge and Star trainings, said Sheleena Taylor, a Renaissance customer success manager for Kansas.
October
1-31: National Bullying Prevention Month.
1-31: National Farm to School Month.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Early Childhood team and the Kansas Parent Information Resource Center (KPIRC) are partnering for an online training on the Ages and Stages Questionnaires ® Third Edition (ASQ- 3) and Ages and Stages ®: Social-Emotional, Second Education (ASQ: SE-2).
Compassionate. Passionate. Supportive. Amazing. Exceptional leader. Those are just a few of the words used by colleagues and friends to describe Cheryl Johnson, the Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) director.
Dr. Michelle Hubbard, Shawnee Mission Unified School District 512’s superintendent, has been named the 2024 Kansas Superintendent of the Year, the Kansas School Superintendents Association (KSSA) announced Tuesday, Oct. 17.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) recognized 242 public school districts and eight private systems through the 2023 Kansans Can Star Recognition Program, the highest number since the program’s inception in the 2019-2020 school year.
The fiscal year 2023 annual reporting survey for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds will open Nov. 1 and the deadline for submission is Jan. 12, 2024. Completion of this report is mandatory to ensure districts continue to receive federal funds without interruption.
Mental Health America of the Heartland (MHAH) is pleased to partner with PAXIS Institute and the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services to offer fully funded FREE PAX Tools Workshops to parents and caregivers in Kansas.
Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) staff members will be available from 10 a.m. to noon via Zoom Thursday, Oct. 26, to answer questions about Kansas Individual Data on Students (KIDS) reporting.
Quarterly reporting for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds closes Friday, Oct. 20.
As the first cycle of the Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) wraps up, the Kansas State Department of Education’s Accreditation and Design (AD) team wants to share this summary:
Career and technical education (CTE) instructors, coordinators and administrators are invited to attend the National Center for Construction Education and Research CTE New Skilled Trades Instructor Workshop Conference on Nov. 8 at the Wichita Airport Hilton DoubleTree.
Renaissance has announced a new Kansas Landing Page where educators can go for updates, resources and avenues for support, said Sheleena Taylor, a Renaissance customer success manager for Kansas.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s math team will host monthly math meetings to go over topics educators wanted to learn more about.
The Kansas State Board of Education at its October meeting received the Kansas State Department of Education’s Annual Report highlighting the state’s educational successes and challenges over the past year.
Kansas state assessment results for math are the highest since 2017, and overall, more students are scoring at proficient levels in math and English language arts than last year.
Kansas school bus drivers helped 191,379 Kansas students roll safely to their destinations during the 2022-2023 school year.
Episode 16 of the HirePaths Cool Careers video series highlights dairy farmers.
Mental Health America of the Heartland (MHAH) has partnered with PAXIS Institute and the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services to offer free PAX Tools Workshops to parents and caregivers in Kansas.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Teacher Licensure team will be sending out a survey next week to school systems to gather information about their leadership mentoring programs.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Teacher Licensure team is asking building and district leaders to fill out a survey to gauge participation and interest in the Kansas Registered Teacher Apprenticeship program.
If you missed the Sept. 29 Dropout Graduation Summary Report (DGSR) question and answer session with DGSR and KIDS staff members, it can be found at Dropout Graduation Summary Report (DGSR) (ksde.org). There is a link to the slide deck presented and a checklist of items to be considered when looking at the data for the DGSR.
Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) staff members will be available from 10 a.m. to noon via Zoom on Thursday, Oct. 19, and Thursday, Oct. 26, to answer questions about Kansas Individual Data on Students (KIDS) reporting.
Quarterly reporting for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds will close Friday, Oct. 20.
All districts must submit State Aid Request for November by Friday, Oct. 13.
Kansas State Department of Education early literacy/dyslexia staff members are offering Literacy Lifeline office hours from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Thursdays.
The Kansas State Department of Education Child Nutrition and Wellness team will host a Town Hall meeting via Zoom at 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Accreditation and Design (AD) team hosted the first Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) meeting of the 2023-2024 school year on Tuesday, Oct. 10.
Kansas's first Apply Free Days will be held Nov. 7-9 for Kansas residents.
Save the date for the Kansas Digital Learning Conference in February.
Join the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) and Andover Unified School District 385 for an Elementary Science Summit centered around the best thematic units.
The deadline to register for the Great Ideas in Education Conference: Empowered Together is Friday, Oct. 13.
Visit Kansas Safe Routes to Schools for ways to get more kids walking, biking, and rolling to school, improve route safety, and increase health and physical activity. Safe Routes to Schools programs can decrease the number of families driving to school, which can reduce traffic, improve air quality, and reduce costs for families.
The Kansas Technical Assistance System Network (TASN) School Mental Health Initiative (SMHI) is hosting a Trauma-Responsive School Community Facilitation Workshop in January 2024.
The Kansas Senate and House of Representatives are adjourned until Jan. 8, 2024. However, interim committees are already preparing for the upcoming session.
Scott Thellman said he was destined to wear a suit and tie and have a career in the grain trade. Instead, he became a first-generation farmer in Douglas County who is helping introduce Kansas students to fresh, healthy foods by selling his produce to schools.
Teams from West Elk Unified School District 282 and Valley Falls USD 338 have been announced as the winners of the Local Foods Recipe Challenge, which required teams comprised of students, educators, school nutrition professionals and local farmers to develop recipes featuring Kansas-grown products.
Kansas State Board of Education members will review a report from a firearms safety curriculum survey report, hear a presentation on Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) training and be introduced to a new accreditation framework.
The deadline to recognize outstanding Kansas students and exemplary first-year teachers is fast approaching.
More than 1,000 Kansas children and students will have opportunities to get up close and personal with airplanes and learn more about aviation when the Fly Kansas Air Tour makes stops across the state.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Teacher Licensure team is asking building and district leaders to fill out a survey to gauge participation interest in the Kansas Registered Teacher Apprenticeship program.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on Sept. 28 the second rebate funding opportunity through the 2023 Clean School Bus (CSB) Rebate Program.
Quarterly reporting for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds will close Oct. 20.
One of seven Cluster Review Committees for Career and Technical Education (CTE) charged with reviewing CTE Arts, AV and Communications Cluster met Wednesday, Oct. 4, in Topeka to discuss Graphic Design, Web and Digital Communications, and Digital Media Pathways.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Accreditation and Design (AD) team will host the first Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) meeting of the 2023-2024 school year from 9-9:45 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 10.
*This article appeared last week with a misprint about what group met. It should have stated that it was the Accreditation Advisory Council that had its first quarterly meeting.
Educators and students across the sunflower state wore pink this week to stand up to bullying.
It is officially October, which means it’s crunch time.
Kansas has received an allocation of $252,243 to competitively award equipment assistance grants to eligible sponsors participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), including those operating the Seamless Summer Option (SSO).
The United States Department of Agriculture published a final rule in the Federal Register on Sept. 26, 2023, to expand access to the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) by lowering the minimum identified student percentage (ISP) participation threshold from 40% to 25%.
Are you ready for National School Lunch Week? This celebration runs from Oct. 9-13.
Representatives from colleges, businesses, military and certification programs will be on hand to talk to students about career opportunities during the sixth annual ESSDACK Career Expo.
The Kansas State Department of Education has several Science Regional Professional Learning Communities planned around the state in February 2024.
If you haven’t registered for the Great Ideas in Education Conference: Empowered Together, do it soon because registration closes on Oct. 13.
Several FastBridge and Star trainings are scheduled throughout the month of October.
2-6: Kansas Anti-Bullying Awareness Week.
The past week has been a whirlwind of activity for Taylor Bussinger, a social studies teacher at Prairie Trail Middle School, Olathe Unified School District 233.
Shannon Bohm, an architect and president of Schaefer Architecture in Wichita, is a firm believer in career and technical education.
The 2023-2024 Pictorial Directory of Superintendents is now available online.
The Kansas State Department of Education is challenging you to wear pink on Tuesday, Oct. 3, to stand up to bullying.
Dayna Richardson dedicated her life to Kansas education. Her list of service to Kansas and its students is long.
This week, Kansas Ages & Stages Questionnaires® (ASQ) Online users received the fifth and final installment of Kansas Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot News and Updates, a guide to a successful start to the kindergarten year.
Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) staff members will be available from 10 a.m. to noon via Zoom on Thursday mornings through Oct. 26 to answer questions about Kansas Individual Data on Students (KIDS) reporting.
Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) staff members will be available to answer Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund questions on Tuesday, Oct. 3.
The Dropout Graduation Summary Report (DGSR) will open on Monday, Oct. 2.
Quarterly reporting for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds will open on the CommonApp on Monday, Oct. 2 and close Oct. 20.
The Accreditation Advisory Council (AAC) held its first quarterly meeting of the 2023-2024 school year during which members learned about Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) priorities and provided feedback on the four fundamentals of school improvement and Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) expectations set for districts.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Accreditation and Design (AD) team is in the process of scheduling in-person Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) check-ins.
Below are important updates on WorkKeys, PreACT 8/9 and ACT:
Kansas is participating in the fourth annual Mountain Plains Crunch Off on Oct. 12 and needs your help to reach its goal of 50,000 crunches statewide.
The Kansas Digital Learning Conference will take place Feb. 15-16 at the Andover eCademy, 1411 N. Main in Andover.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) administers several award programs for districts to recognize outstanding students and teachers throughout the state.
The 71st annual Fall Conference for School Counselors, slated for Nov. 17, will feature a keynote presentation from award-winning educator Brandi Heather.
Several FastBridge and Star trainings are scheduled throughout the month of October, including a fall Star Regional training on Wednesday, Oct. 4.
Presenters are needed for the 42nd annual Kansas Division for Early Childhood Conference, which is scheduled for Feb. 28-March 1 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Wichita Airport in Wichita.
29: 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., CTE Technical Assistance opportunity, Orion, 13939 Diagonal Ave., Clearwater. Click here to register.
29: Noon-1 p.m., KSDE weekly “ASQ Tips and Questions Session.” KSDE staff members will be available to answer questions and help with the ASQ. Visit the KSDE TASN Calendar at ksdetasn.org/events to register.
The Kansas State Department of Education is sponsoring a Star regional training on Wednesday, Oct. 4.
With the first day of school several weeks behind us and fall looming, staff members from Kansas schools were busy on Wednesday, Sept. 20, counting students for Enrollment Count Day.
Four Kansas elementary schools have been designated 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools, U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona announced Tuesday, Sept. 19.
This is an exciting weekend for the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) and eight of the state’s top educators. On Saturday, Sept. 23, KSDE will announce the 2024 Kansas Teacher of the Year during the Dale Dennis Kansas Teacher of the Year Banquet in Wichita.
Reminder: Anyone who drives a school bus and/or activity bus with a passenger rating of 16 or more (including the driver) and/or a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 26,001 pounds or more, per federal and state law, is required to have a commercial driver’s license with a school bus and passenger (P&S) endorsement.
The Fall Vacancy Report (FVR), which is accessible in the Educator Data Collection System (EDCS), is due by 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 25.
To be considered for 2023-2024 mentor stipends, mentor teacher information needs to be entered into the Mentor Programs application by 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 25.
District leadership teams wanting to enroll in the Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Adaptive Schools Training need to do so by Friday, Sept. 22.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) team is offering you a firsthand look at Kansas farms as part of the Farm to Plate program.
22: 9 a.m.-2 p.m., CTE Technical Assistance opportunity, Greenbush, 1104 E. 1100 Road, Lawrence. Click here to register.
22: 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Kansas MTSS and Alignment Regional FastBridge training session, DoubleTree by Hilton, 200 McDonald Drive, Lawrence. Click here to register. Space is limited. The training sessions are sponsored by Kansas MTSS and Alignment.
22: Noon-1 p.m., KSDE weekly “ASQ Tips and Questions Session.” KSDE staff members will be available to answer questions and help with the ASQ. Visit the KSDE TASN Calendar at ksdetasn.org/events to register. This series will conclude Friday, Sept. 29.
On Tuesday, Sept. 12, the Kansas State Board of Education approved licensure test changes.
Aspiring Kansas educators seeking a standard initial teaching license will no longer have to take the Principle of Learning and Teaching (PLT) pedagogy exam as a requirement for licensure.
Maehlee Her, a fifth-grade student at McCarter Elementary School, Topeka Unified School District 501, was all smiles as she exited the new inflatable Body Venture exhibit on Thursday, Sep. 7. Maehlee Her, a fifth-grade student at McCarter Elementary School, Topeka Unified School District 501, was all smiles as she exited the new inflatable Body Venture exhibit on Thursday, Sep. 7.
The Kansas Corporation Commission this week is joining utility regulatory commissions nationwide in observing Digital Connectivity and Lifeline Awareness Week.
The 15th episode of HirePaths’ Cool Careers video series just dropped.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) submitted its annual budget request on Friday, Sept. 8.
The Fall Vacancy Report (FVR), which is accessible in the Educator Data Collection System (EDCS), is due Monday, Sept. 25.
Kansas statute designates Sept. 20 as Enrollment Count Day, the date that is used to determine the number of students regularly enrolled for funding purposes.
This week, Kansas Ages & Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) Online users received the fourth installment of Kansas Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot News and Updates, a five-part guide to a successful start to the kindergarten year.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s science team has been working hard at piloting a Science Standards Unpacking Tool.
District leadership teams wanting to learn how to foster innovation while maintaining and supporting foundational practices that have proven to be impactful are encouraged to sign up for the Kansas State Department of Education’s four-day Adaptive Schools Training.
You are invited to get a firsthand look at what’s happening out “in the field” of Farm to Plate as the KSDE Child Nutrition and Wellness team announces regional farm tours across Kansas.
Seven additional Kansas schools will receive hydroponic farm classrooms thanks to a two-year, $1,052,000 Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) Community Capacity Grant that Gov. Laura Kelly announced earlier this week.
The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) Safe Routes to School program is providing planning assistance and kick-start grants to schools and communities interested in Safe Routes to School.
It may be several months away, but now is a great time to add the 42nd annual Kansas Division for Early Childhood Conference to your calendar.
Last week, the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund announced a new grant opportunity. The Capital Projects Fund Accelerator will award $38 million in construction-only grants for community multi-purpose facilities to expand on the state’s efforts to create new licensed child care slots while adding space to enable work, health monitoring and education supports.
Participants of the Kansas Multi-Tier System of Supports and Alignment’s pre-K make-and-take trainings will learn how to intentionally plan for centers and small group instruction within the preschool classroom.
September
15: 8:30 a.m.-noon, Counting KIDS Workshop, Cimmaron High School Auditorium, 400 N. 5th in Cimmaron. https://learning.ksde.org/.
Topeka High School Drumline members pounded out a rhythmic cadence Tuesday morning in front of the Topeka Center for Advanced Learning and Careers (TCALC) as a bright blue tour bus pulled into a circular drive in front of the school.
Kansas State Board of Education members will act on licensing test change recommendations and receive a recap of the success of the 2023 Sunflower Summer program during their monthly meeting next week.
Rachel Swearengin, a fifth-grade teacher at Manchester Park Elementary School, is amongst the 10 finalists for the 2023 National History Teacher of the Year, the Gilder Lehrman Institute announced this week.
The Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund announced a new grant opportunity Tuesday.
During the Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) Kick Off event on Aug. 10, the Kansas State Department of Education’s Accreditation and Design team outlined three expectations that exist for every system during the 2023-2024 school year.
The sixth annual Kansas Vision Symposium will be Oct. 27 at the Drury Plaza Hotel Broadview, 400 West Douglas Ave. in Wichita.
The 2023 Great Ideas in Education Conference: Empowered Together offers three outstanding keynote speakers, breakout sessions, networking opportunities and the chance to meet like-minded educators from across the state.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is sponsoring an upcoming panel discussion and a fall Star regional training.
A four-week, text-dependent book study can assist English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teachers and general education teachers in understanding language acquisition; planning, teaching and assessing English language lessons; and using evidence-based skills and activities.
Kansas school districts are encouraged to nominate one exemplary elementary classroom teacher and one exemplary secondary classroom teacher for the 2025 Kansas Teacher of the Year award program.
The Kansas State Department of Education is hosting a 10-week professional development study via Zoom focusing on structure literacy interventions.
September is Suicide Prevention Month, and the School-Based Mental Health 2023-2024 ECHO series is gearing up to equip and empower school-based professionals with resources to address suicide in their school communities.
8: Noon-1 p.m., KSDE weekly “ASQ Tips and Questions Session.” KSDE staff members will be available to answer questions and help with the ASQ. Visit the KSDE TASN Calendar at ksdetasn.org/events to register. This series will conclude Friday, Sept. 29.
8: 9 a.m.-2 p.m., CTE Technical Assistance opportunity, Smoky Hill Education Service Center, 605 E. Crawford St., Salina. Click here to register.
“Joe and I were thrilled to welcome educators, students and families to the White House to celebrate the start of a new school year – one filled with possibility and discovery,” first lady Jill Biden posted Aug. 26 on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter.
A new monitoring report created by the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is making it easier for districts to determine missing child entry and exit data reported in the Outcomes Web System (OWS).
Last week, Child Care Aware of Kansas released the 2023 Child Care Supply Demand Report.
Accreditation regulations authorize districts to apply for waivers to extend the number of days an individual may serve on a substitute license.
The Kansas State Department of Education will be sending out a link to an online scheduling calendar by Sept. 8 to districts that had professional development plans expire July 31, 2022, or July 31, 2023, so that an in-person PD review meeting can be scheduled.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is seeking information from districts about leadership mentoring programs.
On Wednesday, Sept. 6, the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is offering a live webinar to walk through required reporting for Kansas Preschool Pilot (KPP) grantees.
This week, Kansas Ages & Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) Online users received the third installment of Kansas Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot News and Updates, a five-part guide to a successful start to the kindergarten year.
Below is some valuable information from ACT regarding the state paid PreACT 8/9:
Author and presenter Dr. Carol Brooks Simoneau will lead the Kansas State Department of Education’s four-day Adaptive Schools Training during the 2023-2024 school year.
Remembering four simple steps to handle food safely can help save your life or the life of a friend or family member. Clean. Separate. Cook. Chill.
It’s crunch time!
A four-week text dependent book study can assist English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teachers and general education teachers in understanding language acquisition; planning, teaching and assessing English language lessons; and using evidence-based skills and activities.
If you haven’t already registered to attend one of this year’s Counting KIDS workshops, there is still time to sign up for one of the September sessions.
Kansans are invited to celebrate literacy Sept. 4-10, which Gov. Laura Kelly has proclaimed Kansas Literacy Week.
There are several IXL Math resources available to help teachers and students have a successful 2023-2024 school year.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is providing Individual Plan of Study (IPS) and Career and Technical Education (CTE) Technical Assistance training opportunities this fall at educational service centers across the state.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is offering free access to videos and support documents from four professional development sessions provided this summer.
Teachers who are comfortable expressing honest opinions and concerns are four times more likely to be excited about their future careers in education, according to a survey by the Quaglia Institute for School Voice and Aspirations (QISVA).
Back by popular demand, the Fresh Look at Phonics text-based professional learning opportunity will start at 5 p.m. Sept. 20.
August
31: 5 p.m., deadline for completed Stronger Connections Grant (SCG). Instructions and required forms are located in the Request for Application at the following link: https://www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=792.
All Kansas school counselors are invited to join the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) School Counselor Leader Coordinators for a meet and greet via Zoom from 4-4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 30.
“More than 25,000 planes take off and land each day in the United States,” correspondent Maya shares in the first video of the third season of “Cool Careers.” “But did you know, most of these planes get their start in Kansas?”
Did you know the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) offers a variety of ways you can honor your peers, as well as students and your school?
College credit is being offered through Baker University and MidAmerica Nazarene University for the Kansas State Department of Education’s 2023 Great Ideas in Education Conference: Empowered Together.
With the start of the 2023-2024 school year, the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Teacher Licensure team wants to remind everyone of the process to add an endorsement to an initial or professional license.
The Kansas Every Child Can Read Act, K.S.A. 72-3262, provides a legislative statement of intent regarding the promotion of academic achievement in schools to ensure that all students move toward grade-level proficiency in literacy, especially by third grade.
Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) staff members will be available from 10-10:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 31, via Zoom to answer Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) questions.
Strong instructional leadership is crucial to system change and continuous improvement. Leading a system through change and adaptive challenges requires intentionality and professional learning.
This fall, the U.S. Department of Education invites high schools to enter the Your Place in Space Challenge — a CTE Momentum challenge to create new solutions for space and inspire students to envision careers in the space industry.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is offering free access to videos and support documents from four professional development sessions that were provided this summer.
FastBridge screening assessment measures give instructional teams a wealth of data. However, how do teams harness that data to inform instructional practice at the ground level?
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) annual Counting KIDS Workshops begin Monday, Aug. 28, and continue on selected dates through Sept. 13, in advance of the Sept. 20 Count Day.
25: Noon-1 p.m., KSDE weekly “ASQ Tips and Questions Session.” KSDE staff members will be available to answer questions and help with the ASQ. Visit the KSDE TASN Calendar at ksdetasn.org/events to register. This series will conclude Friday, Sept. 29.
28: 1-4:30 p.m. Counting KIDS Workshop, Oakley, Northwest Kansas Educational Service Center, 703 W. 2nd, Oakley. Register by Aug. 21 on the KSDE Training Portal at https://learning.ksde.org/.
29: 8:30 a.m.-noon, Counting KIDS Workshop, Cimarron High School Auditorium, Cimmaron USD 102, 400 N. 5th, Cimarron. Register by Aug. 21 on the KSDE Training Portal at https://learning.ksde.org/.
Over the span of four days, members of Gov. Laura Kelly’s Early Childhood Transition Task Force met with around 500 Kansans in nine Kansas communities to talk about early childhood across the state as part of the Community Engagement Tour.
A student is forced to provide sexual favors to a family member in order to receive food.
A sixth-grade student is choked out by her eighth-grade boyfriend, who records the incident and shares it. Within a few days, the boy has offers from more than 30 men who are willing to pay to sexually assault the young girl.
Before Dolly Parton’s father died, he told his daughter that her Imagination Library was one of the most important things the singer-songwriter had done during her lifetime.
Strands for the Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Great Ideas in Education Conference: Empowered Together offer something for everyone.
This week, Kansas Ages & Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) Online users received the second installment of Kansas Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot News and Updates, a five-part guide to a successful start to the kindergarten year.
Kansas Parents as Teacher (PAT) affiliates served 8,323 children and 6,178 families from July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023, statistics from affiliates’ annual reports show.
Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) staff members will be available from 10-10:30 a.m. Aug. 31 via Zoom to answer Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) questions.
Three Kansas school districts and two organizations were recently honored for outstanding practices in Child Nutrition and Wellness programs that help support the Kansans Can vision.
School counselors, nurses, social workers, psychologists and administrators are invited to join the School-Based Mental Health 2023-2024 ECHO series for free.
Information provided during a Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) kickoff meeting last week is now available online.
All eligible students are encouraged to apply for the 2024 United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP).
FastBridge screening assessment measures give instructional teams a wealth of data. However, how do those teams utilize that data to inform instructional practice at the ground level?
Calendar
18: Noon-1 p.m., KSDE weekly “ASQ Tips and Questions Session.” KSDE staff members will be available to answer questions and help with the ASQ. Visit the KSDE TASN Calendar at ksdetasn.org/events to register. This series will conclude Friday, Sept. 29.
23: 9 a.m., School-Based Mental Health 2023-2024 ECHO series begins via Zoom. For more information, topics, dates and to register for this free opportunity, visit https://www.kumc.edu/community-engagement/our-divisions/project-echo/current-series/school-based-mental-health-echo.html.
Kansas State Board of Education members at their August meeting approved adjusting the current Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) cycle to allow systems to follow the KESA Learning Year timeline for the 2023-2024 school year.
Since 2004, 1,013 exemplary American history educators have been recognized as State History Teachers of the Year by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. This year, Rachel Swearengin, a fifth-grade teacher at Manchester Park Elementary School, joins them.
The top three winners of the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Great Ideas in Education Art Contest have been announced.
Kansas Commissioner of Education Dr. Randy Watson went head-to-head in a bus rodeo competition with Mollie Cornwell, a five-time State Safe Driver Competition winner and school bus driver at Derby Unified School District 260, for this year’s back-to-school video.
Kansas families have only a few days left to enjoy free access to museums, zoos, historic landmarks, outdoor locations and other attractions across the state. The 2023 Sunflower Summer program ends Sunday, Aug. 13.
Registration is now available for the next LETRS® (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) training cohort, which begins January 2024.
The Mentor Programs application system is now open for entering mentor teachers for stipend review.
This reminder is for Professional Development Councils (PDCs) in preparing professional development transcripts.
The Educator Data Collection System (EDCS) is now open for submitting the Fall Vacancy Report (FVR) and entering the Licensed Personnel Report (LPR) data.
Members of the Kansas State Department of Education’s Accreditation and Design team hosted two Zoom meetings Thurs., August 10, to share with systems what will be expected during the 2023-2024 KESA Learning Year.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) administers several award programs that can help districts recognize outstanding students and teachers throughout the state.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is providing Individual Plan of Study (IPS) and Career and Technical Education (CTE) Technical Assistance opportunities this fall at educational service centers across the state.
Registration is open for the virtual Kansas Vaping ECHO for Education Summit, which will take place 9-11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 30.
Kansas high schools are invited to register for the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) 2023 Apply Kansas Campaign.
11: Noon-1 p.m., KSDE weekly “ASQ Tips and Questions Session.” KSDE staff members will be available to answer questions and help with the ASQ. Visit the KSDE TASN Calendar at ksdetasn.org/events to register. This series will conclude Friday, Sept. 29.
13: Last day of Sunflower Summer program.
Kansas State Board of Education members will review guidelines for graduation requirements, present the Kansas State Department of Education Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) Kansans CAN 2022-2023 Best Practice Awards and more next week during their August meeting at the Landon State Office Building in Topeka.
The Kansas State Board of Education has established regular meeting dates for 2024 and 2025, following the traditional schedule of meeting on the second Tuesday and Wednesday of each month.
The Great Ideas in Education Conference: Empowered Together will offer professional development to help school districts improve policies and strategies that ensure safer learning environments and even stronger teaching and learning practices for every Kansas student.
To help bring even more awareness to human trafficking – worldwide, almost 20% of all trafficking victims are children – the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) and CareSource HealthAlliance are partnering to bring the film “Wake Up” to Kansas.
This week, Kansas Ages & Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) Online users receive the first installment of Kansas Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot News & Updates, a five-part guide to a successful start to the kindergarten year.
The due date for submitting the Stronger Connections Grant has been extended to 5 p.m. Sept. 15.
The Educator Data Collection System (EDCS) is now open for submitting the Fall Vacancy Report (FVR) and Eentering the Licensed Personnel Report (LPR) data.
The Accreditation and Design (AD) team will share a presentation on technical changes to the Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) model for the 2023-2024 school year during a KESA kickoff meeting Thursday, Aug. 10.
Applications for the 2024 Kansas Horizon Award program are now available.
As the state prepares for singer-songwriter Dolly Parton’s visit and students are preparing to return to school, it is a great time to remind families that every Kansas child from birth to age 5 can receive free books every month from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
The Kansas Children’s Service League (KCSL) is offering several child abuse prevention and strengthening families training topics in August and September, including some evening opportunities.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) and the Kansas Association of Teachers of Science (KATS) are partnering to host a monthly virtual professional learning community for educators in their first through third years of teaching science.
8-9: Kansas State Board of Education meeting. View the live stream at https://www.ksde.org/Board/Kansas-State-Board-of-Education/Streaming-Media.
9: 1-1:45 p.m. Informational webinar on Mindfulness and School-Based Yoga: Tools for the Classroom E-Learning Course. Register for the informational webinar here.
Brook Train and Chelsea Warner were two of 15 aspiring teachers who made history on Tuesday, July 25, with the announcement of the Kansas Registered Teacher Apprenticeship program.
Devin Garcia and L A Adams may have been the only two people from outside of Kansas to attend this year’s EdCamp Kansas event earlier this week, but that didn’t deter them from soaking up everything they could learn from the dozens of other educators in attendance.
Nearly 400 educators were brought together for the Kansas State Department of Education Special Education and Title Services (SETS) two-day Leadership Conference at Hyatt Regency Wichita and Century II Convention Center.
Singer-songwriter Dolly Parton is stopping in Kansas on Aug. 14 for a private event to celebrate the statewide success of her Imagination Library program.
The Kansas Preschool Revenue Calculator and Budget Template can help districts estimate preschool revenue and budget across multiple funding sources. An updated version of this tool for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years is now available.
The Kansas State Department of Education will host an informational webinar at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 2, about the Stronger Connections Grant (SCG).
The Reasonable Suspicion Training on Wednesday, July 19, brought 85 commercial driver’s license supervisors to Topeka.
The Accreditation Review Council (ARC) plays a critical role in advancing the Kansas vision for education by assuring education systems are implementing effective continuous improvement processes that lead to improved student results.
Human trafficking is the fastest growing and second largest – after drug dealing - criminal industry in the world, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Several resources are available to support schools in engaging with the families of incoming kindergarteners to complete the Ages & Stages Questionnaires®, Third Edition (ASQ-3) and the Ages & Stages Questionnaires®: Social-Emotional, Second Edition (ASQ: SE-2).
28: KSDE will host a Zoom meeting to review the steps schools can take to prepare for a successful Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot. Click here to register for the Get Ready for the 2023 Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot Zoom (10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Friday, July 28).
31: 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., in-person training appropriate for K-12 school counselors to set up 2023-2024 comprehensive school counseling program for success, Southwest Plains Conference Center, 810 W. Lark Ave. in Sublette. Registration is $25 per person, which includes lunch. For more information, click here. To register for the training, click here.
Final numbers show that 34 families comprised of 61 adults and 75 children – 136 in total – participated in this year’s Sunflower Summer Family Campout on July 13-14 at Eisenhower State Park.
The Kansas Highway Patrol will be working to ensure students are safe on their travels to and from school. Every July and August, KHP troopers partner with school districts across the state to check all school buses and ensure they are in proper working condition.
Gov. Laura Kelly recently announced that $4.1 million in Community Service Program (CSP) Tax Credits has been awarded to 36 nonprofit organizations across the state to boost fundraising efforts focused on improving local access to quality child care, health care, education, arts and housing.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) Child Care Licensing Team is conducting a comprehensive review of Kansas child care licensing regulations. Visit the KDHE website to learn more about this work.
Engaging families as children transition into kindergarten supports kindergarten readiness and later student success.
The updated protocol for the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Dyslexia Initiative Universal Screening is now available for the 2023-2024 school year.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) will host an informational webinar at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 2, about the Stronger Connections Grant (SCG).
Registration is open for the annual Counting KIDS Workshops led by Laurel Murdie, director of the Kansas State Department of Education’s Fiscal Auditing team.
Quarterly reporting for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds will close at the end of the business day on Friday, July 21.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Child Nutrition and Wellness team will host a Thursday Townhall meeting at 2 p.m. on Aug. 24.
As summer break comes to an end and everyone gears up for the beginning of the school year, Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) After-School Meals and Snacks can again be served to children located in low-income areas.
The Accreditation and Design (AD) team will share a presentation on technical changes to the Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) model for the 2023-2024 school year during a KESA kickoff meeting in August.
The Accreditation Advisory Council (AAC) is a critical partner with the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE). The AAC provides input and feedback to KSDE on accreditation documents, procedures and processes.
Eighty-two students from the SkillsUSA Kansas delegation competed in skilled trades and leadership competitions at the annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Championships Conference from June 19-23 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Gary Scott, of Olathe, has been selected as a Teacher of Excellence by the National Road Safety Foundation (NRSF) and the American Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association (ADTSEA).
21: Quarterly reporting for ESSER funds closes on CommonApp.
24: 9-11 a.m., FastBridge Essentials: Progress Monitoring Day 1. Virtual. Get started with a quick tour of how to navigate the FastBridge system and then dive into assessments you can use to progress monitor students: CBM Automatically, CBM Reading and Early Reading Nonsense Words. Register here.
Kansas State Board of Education members during their July meeting approved lists of Career and Technical Education (CTE) credentials, received an update about teacher vacancies and learned about technical changes being made to the Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) model for the 2023-2024 school year.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) has been granted Education Flexibility Program (Ed-Flex) authority from the United States Department of Education.
More than 100 people camped for free and learned all about the great outdoors July 13-14 at Eisenhower State Park thanks to the 2023 Sunflower Summer program.
The Kansas State Board of Education has requested all school districts complete an online survey to learn which school districts offer a firearms safety training program for students.
Kansas has appropriated $1 million for professional development to Kansas educators to support computer science program delivery and/or program expansion to meet critical technical workforce development needs.
Quarterly reporting for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds will remain open in the CommonApp through Friday, July 21.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) has these important reminders about Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds:
Registration for the 2023 Kansas Home Visiting Virtual Conference opened Monday, July 10.
17: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. 2023-2024 School Year Kick-Off Event for Jump Start Your Success in School Nutrition Programs. Jump Start offers a blend of in-person, live virtual, on-demand and personalized training opportunities for new and aspiring school food service directors and managers. This training opportunity is for those with less than three years of experience. For more information about the program or event, contact KSDE’s Kelly Chanay at kchanay@ksde.org. All participants must register at https://ksde.sjc1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_577eu6HSSn2VhRk.
17: Registration deadline for Fort Hays State University’s Trauma-Informed Practices virtual workshop. The workshop is 9-11 a.m. July 25-26. The cost is $40. To register, contact Mary Cooper by email at mccooper2@fhsu.edu or by phone at (785) 628-4283.
Kansas State Board of Education members will hear about recommended technical changes to the accreditation process, review the legal provisions and State Board processes for the dissolution of a unified school district and more next week during their July meeting at the Landon State Office Building in Topeka.
The Kansas Early Childhood Transition Task Force stopped in nine cities across Kansas last week during its Community Engagement Tour, allowing more than 500 Kansans to share insight and feedback on the successes and challenges affecting the early childhood sector.
Gov. Laura Kelly last week signed House Bill 2292, legislation that promotes and expands apprenticeships with businesses, healthcare organizations, educational institutions and nonprofit groups through the use of tax credits and grants.
Thanks to a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Team Nutrition grant, there are three regional Local Foods Culinary Workshops scheduled in July and August.
Kelly Guindon and Noalee McDonald-Augustine, teacher leader coordinators for the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE), are hosting the summer academy, “It’s Not Just PE: Meeting the Physical, Mental and Emotional Needs of Students.”
The Accreditation and Design (AD) team is scheduled to present to the State Board of Education from 1:30-2:15 p.m. Tuesday, July 11.
Registration for the 2023 Kansas Home Visiting Virtual Conference will open Monday, July 10.
Melanie Scott, a Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) school counselor leader coordinator, is facilitating a training on July 31 that can help each school counselor set up their 2023-2024 comprehensive school counseling program for success.
July
7: 11 a.m. to noon, Kansas counselors group chat. Watch for an email from KSDE’s Kent Reed for a link to this event.
9: Deadline for applications to become a HirePaths teacher ambassador. For more information, email info@hirepaths.com. Learn more and apply here: https://hirepaths.com/for-educators/become-a-hirepaths-ambassador.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) announced Thursday, June 29, that the state of Kansas has met special education compliance reuirements on its state level of determination.
Fifty-five years ago, then-Deputy Commissioner Dale Dennis started a tradition of hosting summer workshops to help school district personnel with school budgets. The tradition has been kept alive.
The Kansas Early Childhood Transition Task Force Community Engagement Tour is underway this week. The task force is visiting nine cities across the state to discuss successes and challenges affecting the early childhood sector.
Gov. Laura Kelly and the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund earlier this week announced funding awards to 52 statewide organizations, including several affiliated with school districts, for the purpose of creating new and sustainable high-quality licensed child care slots and to accelerate capacity building in support of families, businesses and economic development.
School nutrition programs around the country have faced significant challenges in recent years, including supply chains for food and labor.
Kelly Guindon and Noalee McDonald-Augustine, teacher leader coordinators for the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE), are hosting their second and final summer academy, “It’s Not Just PE: Meeting the Physical, Mental and Emotional Needs of Students.”
Kansas State Department of Education’s School Bus Safety Unit is hosting free Transportation Basics Workshops for transportation directors and supervisors in July.
Friday, June 30, is the deadline for systems to submit and correct chronic absentee data via the End of the Year Assessment (EOYA) record.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) team is hosting a kickoff event for the Jump Start program from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 17 at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library in Topeka.
Reasonable Suspicion Training for Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Supervisors will be offered for free from 9 a.m. to noon July 19 at the Kansas Association of School Boards, 1420 S.W. Arrowhead Road, in Topeka.
Thanks to a United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) Team Nutrition grant, there are three regional Local Foods Culinary Workshops scheduled in July and August.
The Kansas Parents as Teachers Association (KPATA) hosts a variety of professional development for early childhood providers and members, including monthly trainings that are topic specific.
The University of Kansas School of Medicine’s virtual fall 2023 Tobacco Treatment Specialist Training will be Aug. 14-Oct. 13.
30: Deadline for Child Nutrition and Wellness KANSANS CAN 2022-2023 Best Practice Awards. One-page nomination form is available here.
30: Deadline to submit and correct chronic absentee data via the End of the Year Assessment (EOYA) record.
A total of 70,686 adults and children have visited Sunflower Summer venues from May 26-June 18. This is an increase of 30,306 people – or 43% – over the same time frame in 2022.
Gov. Laura Kelly’s Early Childhood Transition Task Force will host community engagement sessions June 27-30.
More information about the Kansas State Department of Education’s Great Ideas in Education Conference: Empowered Together from Oct. 25-27 at the Wichita Hyatt and Convention Center is now available.
Kansas educators are invited to sign up for the 2023 Keep It Clean, Kansas (KICK) Outreach Challenge sponsored by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s (KDHE) Bureau of Waste Management.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Technical Assistance System Network’s (TASN) School Mental Health Initiative is hosting an e-learning course and e-coaching series.
The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is helping thousands of children across Kansas access nutritious meals and snacks this summer.
Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) staff members who work with Kansas Individual Data on Students (KIDS) are available via Zoom on Thursday, June 29, regarding end-of-the-year collections.
The deadline for systems to submit and correct chronic absentee data via the End of the Year Assessment (EOYA) record is Friday, June 30.
Kansas educators are invited to apply to become a HirePaths teacher ambassador and earn a $2,000 stipend.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) Child Care Licensing Team is conducting a comprehensive review of Kansas child care licensing regulations.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) and the Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) are partnering to offer Reasonable Suspicion Training for commercial driver’s license (CDL) supervisors from 9 a.m. to noon July 19 at the Kansas Association of School Boards, 1420 S.W. Arrowhead Road, in Topeka.
The deadline to register for the Kansas State Department of Education’s New Superintendents Budget Workshop is 4 p.m. Friday, June 23.
The University of Kansas School of Medicine has announced its fall 2023 Tobacco Treatment Specialist Training, which will be Aug. 14-Oct. 13.
Fort Hays State University is hosting three workshops via Zoom this summer designed for school counselors and K-12 educators.
June
23: 4 p.m., registration deadline for New Superintendents Budget Workshop. The workshop will take place from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday, June 29, at the Salina District Office, 1511 Gypsum Ave. in Salina. Registration is limited to new superintendents and first-year board clerks or business managers. Register by contacting Deborah Howard via email at deborah.howard@usd305.com or via phone at 785-309-4727. There is a $15 fee to cover a meal and refreshments.
The Kansas State Board of Education in 2015 announced a new vision for education – Kansas leads the world in the success of each student.
“This is the greatest experience ever,” Sydney Parcell told her teammates and team captain as she took a break from brainstorming ideas for the Make48 collaborative inventor challenge at the Kansas School for the Blind in Kansas City, Kansas, on Friday, June 9.
Thirty-seven educators who will for the first time be at the helm of Kansas school districts during the 2023-2024 school year had the opportunity to network, build new relationships, ask questions and share concerns during the 2023 Kansas School Superintendents’ Association New Superintendent Workshop.
Professional Development Councils (PDCs) can now accept work from Idaho State University’s Albion Center if the activity meets the definition of “in-service education,” the Kansas State Department of Education’s Teacher Licensure team has announced.
Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) staff members who work with Kansas Individual Data on Students are available via Zoom on Thursdays through the end of June regarding end-of-the-year collections.
Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) staff members will be available to answer questions and help with Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) topics via Zoom from 10-10:30 a.m. Thursday, June 22.
Systems have until June 30 to submit and correct chronic absentee data via the End of the Year Assessment (EOYA) record.
The updated final stipend amounts for 2023 qualified mentors are listed below:
Educators are invited to learn more about IXL Math in Kansas through webinars being offered on Tuesdays in June.
It isn’t too late to register for a 2023-2024 Kansas State Department of Education Budget Workshop.
19: 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. KSDE Budget Workshop, Southeast Kansas Education Service Center, 947 West 47 Highway, Girard. Register here by June 16. Registration fee is $25, which includes lunch.
20: 10-11 a.m. FastBridge FastTrack 101: Grades 4-5. Virtual. This KSDE-sponsored professional development opportunity will teach participants about universal screening with FastTrack Reading and Math at your grade level. This session will be an overview of assessments and reports for fourth and fifth grades. Register here.
Ask 15-year-old Abby Vandaveer what she wants to do after high school, and you will get a quick and definitive answer – an elementary special education teacher.
Although Kansas educators enjoyed fun activities like hiking, painting lessons, golf, team building activities and music during the Educators Recharge Retreat earlier this week, the focus was on mental health and well-being.
The Early Childhood Transition Task Force will embark on a statewide community engagement tour to discuss the challenges communities face in supporting children through their earliest years, Gov. Laura Kelly announced earlier this week.
Kansas State Board of Education members will hear a discussion about educational options for foster students, review the Every Child Can Read Act and more next week during their June meeting at the Landon State Office Building in Topeka.
Jennifer Farr, a fifth-grade teacher at Lincoln Elementary School in Junction City, has been named a 2023 Lowell Milken Center Fellow.
Kelly Guindon and Noalee McDonald-Augustine, teacher leader coordinators for the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE), are hosting “It’s Not Just PE: Meeting the Physical, Mental and Emotional Needs of Students.”
Twenty-nine Kansas school districts/systems and service centers have professional development plans that expire Monday, July 31.
Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) staff members will be available to answer questions and help out with Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) topics via Zoom from 10-10:30 a.m. Thursday, June 22.
The Base State Aid for Excellence amount for the 2023-2024 is:
The deadline to submit applications for the Mental Health Intervention Team (MHIT) grant and the Safe and Secure Schools grant is 5 p.m. Friday, June 9.
The Kansas Volunteer Commission is hosting a civic engagement training opportunity.
The 2023-2024 KSDE Budget Workshops kick off Wednesday, June 14, at Southwest Plains Regional Service Center in Sublette.
12: 9 a.m.-noon, KSDE Summer School Counseling Virtual Academy. Registration required. For more information or to register, click here.
12-13: 9 a.m.-noon, KSDE and Phenomenon Elementary Science Education virtual training. There will be approximately two hours of additional asynchronous engagement before, during and after the training. Applicants will be asked to commit to engaging during this time. College credit is optional, and certificates of professional learning will be provided. There is no cost to participants. Please email mrichard@ksde.org with questions.
Two Kansas eighth graders competed this week in the Scripps National Spelling Bee at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland.
The Kansas Volunteer Commission has announced the Social Justice Capacity Building mini-grant, which is designed to help volunteer and mentor initiatives in Kansas build their capacity around social justice.
A program that aims to increase the number of first-generation, lower-income and underrepresented high school students who pursue postsecondary plans isn’t just impacting the lives of students, it is also helping adults from across the state determine their career paths.
Within the first six days of the 2023 Sunflower Summer program, more than 14,800 people visited venues across the state. With this pace, the program is on track to substantially exceed the number of participants from the first week of 2022.
The 2022-2023 school year may be over, but the Kansas School for the Deaf (KSD) is looking to the next school year when it will host a national deaf basketball tournament, as well as a track and field conference meet during the spring semester.
A balanced assessment system, early learning, leadership, technology, and safe and supportive schools are just a few of the topics that will be discussed at the KSDE Great Ideas in Education Conference: Empowered Together.
The Paid Lunch Equity (PLE) tool is now integrated into KN-CLAIM with information pulled from prior years to assist with completion.
Sponsors should make plans to attend a School Nutrition Program (SNP) administrative update training this summer.
Accreditation regulations authorize state-approved local education agencies (LEAs) to apply for waivers to extend the number of days an individual can serve on a substitute teaching license.
Attention superintendents, clerks and business managers of school districts: Mark your calendars now and make plans to attend a budget workshop presented by Deputy Commissioner Dr. Craig Neuenswander and Dale Brungardt, director of the Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) School Finance team.
Kansas school counselors are invited to join the free KSDE Summer School Counseling Virtual Academy from 9 a.m. to noon Monday, June 12.
4: 3-5 p.m. Orientation session for Kodály Certification Courses at Wichita State University. To register, or for more information, visit www.wichita.edu/kodaly or email Steve Oare or Matt Hanne.
5-16: 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (Monday-Friday) Kodály Certification Courses at Wichita State University. Cost for the noncredit workshop is $600. Courses also can be taken for graduate credit. Housing is available. All classes take place at the Duerksen Fine Arts Building on the Wichita State University campus. To register, or for more information, visit www.wichita.edu/kodaly or email Steve Oare or Matt Hanne.
An educational program that promotes learning and family engagement during the summer by allowing Kansas families free access to museums, zoos, historic landmarks, outdoor locations and other attractions will kick off May 26.
Angel Lira knows anything is possible.
In 2022, the Kansas State Department of Education’s Technical Assistance System Network (TASN), Kansas Parent Information Resource Center (KPIRC) and TASN Evaluation Team, developed and updated a free family engagement survey designed to inform district and building leaders about their district’s/building’s success at engaging parents in the education of children.
Character development is an integral part of the educational experience for students at Beloit Unified School District 273. Kansas, as well as the nation, are celebrating schools within the district that are doing an outstanding job helping students develop positive character traits.
Make plans now to join the Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) team for the 2023-2024 Jump Start Your Success in School Nutrition Program kick-off event from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 17 at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library in Topeka.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Child Nutrition and Wellness team wants to remind school meal program operators that Sodium Target 1A, as promulgated by the Transitional Standards for Milk, Whole Grains and Sodium – Final Rule, goes into effect July 1 in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) only.
Sponsors serving summer meals through the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) in July and/or August must complete and be approved for school year 2023-2024 operations before July 1.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) team is offering several training opportunities throughout the summer months.
The last day to enter data into the Early Childhood Foundations to School Success authenticated web application is Wednesday, May 31.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) has these important reminders about Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) topics:
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Accreditation and Design (AD) team shared these updates and reminders:
Join Nick Hurd, Kansas’ IXL Professional Learning Lead, as he shares best practices and resources for using IXL this summer, both for summer school and for independent summer learning, on Tuesday, May 30.
Are you looking for a way to sharpen your teaching skills and musicianship? Or perhaps a way to renew yourself musically at the end of the year? Would you like to join a community of educators interested in refining their pedagogical processes?
Every year, the Kansas Art Education Association (KAEA) recognizes exemplary contributions, achievements and service to the profession by educations within the state of Kansas.
Mark your calendar and make plans to attend a budget workshop presented by Deputy Commissioner Dr. Craig Neuenswander and Dale Brungardt, director of KSDE’s School Finance team.
May
25: Due date for Remote Learning Report (spring semester).
23: 3:30-4:30 p.m., FastBridge Lightning Round. A space for collaboration, resources and asking questions. Exclusively for Kansas educators. Virtual event. Register here.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is currently seeking feedback and public comments on the Kansas English language arts (ELA) standards.
Jihyeon “Elly” Han, 14, doesn’t plan to pursue art as a career despite winning numerous state, national – and now, international – awards for her artwork.
A bill that fully funds K-12 schools and protects funding for schools facing declining enrollment was signed into law by Gov. Laura Kelly on Thursday, May 18.
Gov. Laura Kelly on Monday, May 15, signed Senate Bill 25 into law.
During the May 2023 Kansas State Board of Education meeting, amendments to regulations governing the use of Emergency Safety Interventions were approved by State Board members.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Teacher Licensure team has released additional information about the emergency substitute license temporary modification, which the Kansas State Board of Education voted to extend for two years.
The Patterson Family Foundation is offering grants for child care centers operated by public school systems.
The window to submit data for Early Childhood Foundations for School Success is quickly approaching.
Systems have until June 30 to submit and correct chronic absentee data via the End of the Year Assessment (EOYA) record, said Dr. Robyn Kelso, an education program consultant with the Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Career, Standards and Assessments Services (CSAS) team.
Is vaping an issue at your school? Are you ready to address it and get students connected to the help they need? If yes, then enroll now to take part in the Kansas Vaping ECHO for Education program for the 2023-2024 school year.
After hearing from individuals in support of and opposition to proposed amendments to Emergency Safety Interventions (ESI) regulations, the Kansas State Board of Education on Wednesday, May 10, unanimously approved the amendments.
Outstanding Kansas seniors were honored Sunday, May 7, at the 40th annual Governor’s Scholars Award Program in Topeka.
In just a few short months, Gabriel Reyes-Gonzalez, a senior at the Kansas State School for the Blind (KSSB), will be navigating the campus of Wichita State University. Like most incoming freshmen, it’ll be a bit of an adjustment transitioning from high school to college. But for Reyes-Gonzalez, his adjustment will be different than most.
Two Kansas students are being recognized as 2023 U.S. Presidential Scholars by the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars.
Natalie Johnson-Berry, a dean of students and restorative justice facilitator at Wyandotte High School in Kansas City – and a member of the 2022 Kansas Teacher of the Year Team – recently received one of public education’s highest honors for her commitment to restorative justice and partnership building.
As 45 middle and high school student-athletes exited buses at Lawrence High School on May 3 in preparation for the Pat Grzenda Triathlon, dozens of spectators cheered in anticipation of the competition.
Did you know there are many opportunities to participate in the 2023 KSDE Great Ideas in Education Conference: Empowered Together?
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) School Bus Safety Unit has a variety of events planned for the 2023 summer months, said Keith Dreiling, director of the unit.
The Kansas State Board of Education on Tuesday, May 9, approved 79 Kansas Preschool Pilot Grant Awards to Kansas school districts and partners.
Remember that end-of-the-year reporting for Early Childhood programs includes the end-of-the-year survey for both Preschool-Aged At-Risk and Kansas Preschool Pilot funding sources.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) expects to award about $400 million in competitive grant funding under the Clean School Bus Grant Program.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Accreditation and Design (AD) team will be publishing its calendar of events for the 2023-2024 school year in the coming weeks.
The Early Childhood Transition Task Force will have its second meeting next week on Tuesday, May 16.
Kansas teachers have been in the spotlight this week as we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week from May 8-12.
The Kansas State Department of Education and the Kansas Association for Career and Technical Education (KACTE) have announced that the deadline for the 2023 KACTE Summer Conference Perkins funds grant application has been extended to May 31.
Two free online science professional development opportunities are available for educators this summer.
12: Deadline for KSDE Great Ideas in Education Conference: Empowered Together session proposals. Proposal form: https://ksde.sjc1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eaL4WlfFowNIyz4.
16: 2 p.m., School Nutrition Program Renewal Training, at https://ksde.zoom.us/j/84920437369?pwd=dXgrdE5ickp6VVVHRTFWbkowN0FJUT09. KSDE will record this session and make the recording available to sponsors following the training if sponsors are unable to attend.
Kansas State Board of Education members will recognize one of the 2023 U.S. Senate Youth Kansas Delegates next week during their May meeting at the Landon State Office Building in Topeka.
More than 500 outstanding Kansas seniors will be recognized Sunday, May 7, at the 40th annual Governor’s Scholars Award Program in Topeka.
It’s hard to believe the school year is winding down. With May approaching, it’s time to celebrate Kansas’ senior students – the Class of 2023.
The Kansas Legislature on Friday wrapped up the 2023 session, passing several education bills. Below is a recap of bills passed and vetoed, and how they will affect Kansas students and educators.
The Kansas State Department of Education and its partners are excited to share that Sunflower Summer will return from May 26-Aug. 6 with even more attractions, museums, venues, events and more.
The window to submit chronic absentee data is May 15 through June 15, said Dr. Robyn Kelso, an education program consultant for the Kansas State Department of Education’s Career, Standards and Assessment Services team.
For 2022-2023, school districts are required to track and report students attending through remote learning. This information is due to KSDE twice a year – once for the fall semester and once for the spring semester. The due date for the spring report is Thursday, May 25, 2023.
The Kansas State Department of Education has these important reminders about Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief (ESSER) topics:
Engaging families as children transition into kindergarten supports kindergarten readiness and later student success. Please make sure your school is kindergarten ready for the 2023-2024 school year by preparing to partner with families of incoming kindergarten students to complete the Ages & Stages Questionnaires®, Third Edition (ASQ-3) and the Ages & Stages Questionnaires®: Social-Emotional, Second Edition (ASQ:SE-2).
The statewide curriculum leaders group met Friday, April 28, at the Bishop Professional Development Center in Topeka for a networking session and to give guidance to the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE).
The Summer Assessment Review for English language arts (ELA), math and science will take place in person from July 17-21 in Salina and Lawrence.
The Kansas State Department of Education and the Kansas Association for Career and Technical Education (KACTE) has announced that the deadline for the 2023 KACTE Summer Conference Perkins funds grant application has been extended to May 31.
The Kansas State Department of Education has canceled all Summer Academies because of low registration numbers.
5: Last day for early bird registration for Kansas School Transportation Safety Conference and State Driving Competition. The conference program, registration form and more can be found here.
Clovis Point Elementary School in East Wenatchee, Washington, has a lot in common with the Kansans Can vision statement of “Kansas leads the world in the success of each student.”
Brian Skinner, the 2023 Kansas Teacher of the Year, joined other 2023 State Teachers of the Year this week in Washington, D.C., for the National Teacher of the Year Program Washington Week, an event hosted by the Council of Chief State School Officers.
The Confidence in Kansas Public Education Task Force has named 91 schools as recipients of the 2022 Challenge Awards.
Several lawmakers returned to the Kansas Statehouse on Monday for their wrap-up session. The full legislature returned Wednesday.
A bipartisan group of 13 educators with more than 300 years of combined experience are calling on legislators to pass a clean, policy-free school funding bill.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s (KDHE) Bureau of Oral Health has provided the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) with a report of schools in various levels of compliance with state law K.S.A. 72-6252.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) has these important reminders about Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief (ESSER) topics:
Districts/systems need to have all mentors, mentees and assignments entered in the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) web application, Mentor Programs, and submitted by 5 p.m. Monday, May 1, to ensure that mentor teachers are screened for earning the stipend.
A new deadline of May 31 has been established to submit all fully allocated Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief (ESSER) II plans.
As required by Program Assurance 20, Kansas preschool programs funded by Preschool-Aged At-Risk and/or Kansas Preschool Pilot (KPP) must enter data into the Early Childhood Foundations for School Success Authenticated web application.
Community Green Farms and Leafy Green Farms announced this week that Columbus Unified School District 493 will be the next school district in the state to receive a hydroponic farm classroom as part of a $10 million Farm to School initiative.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) traveling health education exhibit for students in grades K-5 has been updated and can be scheduled now for the upcoming school year.
Nominations are being accepted for the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW)’s 2023-2023 Kansans Can Best Practice Awards.
Funding from the Promoting Advancement in Computing Knowledge (PACK) Act has allowed the Kansas State Department of Education to partner with The College Board to provide training opportunities, many at no cost, to Kansas educators and administrators this summer.
April 2023 marks one year since Learning Forward released revised Standards for Professional Learning. Since then, educators have learned about standards through webinars, networks and professional learning communities, as well as how to use standards tools.
All Kansas educators are encouraged to make a reservation today for upcoming Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Summer Academies.
The Kansas National Education Association (KNEA) and Educate Kansas are co-hosting the #EpicEducators23 Summer Retreat on July 20-21 at the Alvin E. Morris Administrative Center, 903 South Edgemoor St. in Wichita.
The University of Kansas is hosting the 2023 GenCyber Summer Camp for Teachers from July 24-28.
1: Participant evaluation survey due for Youth Mental Health First Aid Community of Practice.
1: 5 p.m., KSDE Mentor Programs system closes.
Gov. Laura Kelly signed Senate Bill 66, a bipartisan bill that allows Kansas to join the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact, making it easier for educators within the multi-state agreement to move to and work in Kansas.
OLATHE - Isaac Swindler stands out in a crowd because of his smile, engaging personality, kindness and genuine love for life.
Registration is open for the Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Great Ideas in Education Conference: Empowered Together, which will take place Oct. 25-27 at the Hyatt Regency in Wichita.
Gov. Laura Kelly on Tuesday signed House Bill 2322, which updates the Special Education for Exceptional Children Act to include dyslexia under the list of disabilities covered. Schools will now be required to provide additional resources and support to students with dyslexia.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to host a public hearing on a proposed rule that could impact heavy-duty engines and vehicles, including school buses.
After reports earlier this month from Fairfax, Virginia, about suspicious buses being used in attempts to pick up children, the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) offers some general school bus and transportation safety tips.
Districts/systems still have time to enter mentees, mentor/mentee assignments and submit the stipend request form before the Mentor Programs system closes at 5 p.m. May 1.
Quarterly reporting for Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds closes Friday, April 21.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) has changed the office hours for Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief (ESSER) to 11:30 a.m.-noon Tuesday, April 25.
This year, 179 systems are going before the Accreditation Review Council (ARC) and the Kansas State Board of Education to receive an accreditation.
A teacher workshop scheduled for July 27-28 will allow attendees to investigate the pedagogical benefits of effective arts include across content areas while addressing deeper learning opportunities, fostering curiosity and exploring ways for increasing student engagement.
The 2023 Kansas Multi-Tier System of Support (MTSS) and Alignment Symposium will take place in person Sept. 12-14 at the Wichita Hyatt Regency.
If you have oversight responsibility for special education, school improvement, title services or early childhood, consider attending the 2023 KSDE Special Education and Title Services (SETS) Leadership Conference on July 26-27 at the Wichita Hyatt Regency.
A four-week Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) book study beginning June 8 will cover the nature and reading of dyslexia, diagnosing dyslexia, turning struggling readers into proficient readers and success after high school and beyond.
People who work for schools in Johnson County or for agencies that serve the public in Johnson County can pursue one of two certificate programs tuition-free through Emporia State University.
21: Quarterly reporting for ESSER funds closes. Please contact esser@ksde.org for any questions on this.
Kansas State Board of Education members are working with Kansas Commissioner of Education Dr. Randy Watson to develop new strategic and targeted goals.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is seeking recordings of student performances for the Great Ideas in Education Conference: Empowered Together, which will take place Oct. 25-27 in Wichita.
An eighth-grade student from West Franklin Unified School District 287 and a fifth-grade student from Frontenac USD 249 claimed the top two spots in the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) School Bus Safety Unit’s 2022-2023 School Bus Safety Poster Contest.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) announced that 261 Kansas high school seniors – the highest number ever - have been named 2023 Kansas Career and Technical Education (CTE) Scholars.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Accreditation and Design (AD) team hosted its monthly update on the Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) April 11 via Zoom.
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Governing Board is currently in the process of reviewing and updating the NAEP Science Assessment Framework, which was last updated in 2005.
Districts/systems still have two full weeks to enter mentees, mentor/mentee assignments and submit the stipend request form.
Districts/systems now have another option for their annual Professional Development Council (PDC) member training requirement.
Program reviews help maintain strong educator preparation in Kansas and are a vital part of each college education unit’s accreditation process.
Beginning next week, IXL Math will host a series of 30-minute webinars to provide an overview of IXL Math to Kansas educators.
The Kansas Multi-Tier System of Supports (MTSS) and Alignment is hosting “Celebrating the Power of Voice by Developing Greater Partnerships and Purpose” from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, April 27.
The 2023 Kansas Multi-Tier System of Supports (MTSS) and Alignment Symposium will take place in person Sept. 12-14 at the Wichita Hyatt Regency.
Two different science collaboration meetings have been scheduled for this month.
Reserve your seat today for upcoming Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Summer Academies – coming soon to a location near you.
14: 3-6 p.m., Kansas State School for the Blind preschool open house. Irwin Building, 1100 State Ave. in Kansas City, Kansas. Registration is required for the open house. To register or for more information, click here. For questions, contact Jeanne Goodin by phone at 816-808-6175 or by email at jgoodin@kssdb.org.
14: 9 a.m.-noon, Strategies for Supporting Deaf/Blind Individuals with Additional Disabilities, Envision, fifth floor, 610 N. Main St. in Wichita. Presented by Helen Keller National Center. This hands-on training will introduce communication systems; developing meaningful activities; human guide techniques; and simulation/experiential activities. Registration capacity is 30 people in person. There is no cost to attend. This workshop also will be made available virtually via Zoom. To fully participate in the simulation activities, in-person attendance is encouraged. To register: https://forms.office.com/r/2vRkD6LreN.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief (ESSER) team will have Zoom office hours from 10 to 10:30 a.m. Thursday, April 20.
Quarterly reporting for Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds closes on Friday, April 21.
Friday, April 7, is the deadline for Kansas school districts that plan on offering alternative schools during the 2023-2024 school year to complete a Google form for the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE).
The Education Kansas website (https://educatekansas.org) can help districts with staff recruitment, marketing and retention training and help connect you with potential employees.
The Kansas School Transportation Safety Conference and State Driving Competition will be May 31-June 2 at the Drury Plaza Hotel Broadview in Wichita.
There are now two opportunities to learn how writing can be incorporated in a variety of settings for diverse student needs.
While comparing mentoring plans currently under review with those previously approved, the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) noticed some inconsistencies that need to be addressed.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Summer Academies will take place in June and July at four schools across the state.
At the end of the 2022-2023 school year, the Accreditation and Review Council (ARC) will say goodbye to six of its members who have completed the maximum length of service, which is two, three-year terms. Thus, new applicants are being sought to fill the open seats.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Accreditation and Design (AD) team will have its next monthly update on the Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) from 9 to 9:45 a.m. Tuesday, April 11, on Zoom (register here).
7: Deadline for districts that plan on offering an alternative school during the 2023-2024 to complete Google form at https://forms.gle/5sAidnRkpvb63pMc7.
11: 9-10 a.m., Star Assessments Spring Virtual Learning, sponsored by KSDE. “April Star Burst: Closing Out of the School Year with Star Assessments.” Learn more about the month’s topic or join the Office Hours Breakout Room. Registration: https://renaissance.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIrd-yrqDMqHtQE3TXZAettbokJ6qRUdh3c.
After the Kansas HOSA 2023 Spring Leadership Conference on March 28-29 in Pittsburg, 150 individual students from across the state received invitations to attend the International Leadership Conference in Dallas, Texas.
Gov. Laura Kelly signed a proclamation designating April as Financial Literacy Month in Kansas.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s School Bus Safety Unit is seeking assistance from all Kansas school districts during the Kansas One-Day Stop Arm Violation Count initiative on Wednesday, April 12.
Eight of Kansas’ top educators will now vie for the title of 2024 Kansas Teacher of the Year.
The Kansas State Board of Education on Tuesday, April 11, will learn more about a new registered apprenticeship program that can help address teacher shortages across the state; recognize districts, students and teachers; act on proposed amendments to accreditation regulations; and receive an update on emergency safety intervention (ESI) regulations.
The Kansas Volunteer Commission is excited to announce the Youth Civic Engagement mini-grant, which supports the civic engagement of youth in grades K-12.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief (ESSER) team wants to remind districts of the June 1, 2023, deadline to submit all fully allocated ESSER II plans.
The United States Department of Agriculture’s Nondiscrimination Statement (NDS) is no longer available as a separate page on the Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) website.
The application to participate in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) for school year 2023-24 is available at https://cnw.ksde.org, SNP, SNP What’s New.
The Kansas Online Application for Free and Reduced-Price Meals will be available free of charge to sponsors for the 2023-2024 school year.
Summer Meals Programs are designed to fill the nutrition gap that occurs in the summer and make sure children can get the nutritious meals they need.
Eating breakfast is one of the best ways to ensure students are healthy and able to achieve their full potential.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) team is hosting its Town Hall Tuesday via Zoom at 2 p.m. April 18.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is launching an optional Grade 2 Reading Assessment this spring.
Six outstanding Kansas educators were announced as regional finalists for the 2024 Kansas Teacher of the Year award during ceremonies this past weekend. And the final two regional winners will be announced Saturday, April 1, in Salina.
Quarterly reporting for Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds will open on April 3 and close on April 21.
Friday, April 7 is the deadline for Kansas school districts that plan to offer alternative school during the 2023-2024 school year to complete a Google form.
Grant applications for Kansas Parents as Teachers SFY 2024 are due Friday, March 31, 2023.
The Approval Form for Preschool-Aged At-Risk Funding are due Monday, April 3, 2023.
The 2023 Kansas State Department of Education’s Special Education and Title Services (SETS) Leadership Conference will take place in person on July 26-27 at the Wichita Hyatt Regency.
There are upcoming professional development sessions that can help with writing and reading comprehension.
Dr. Carol Salva, author of “Boosting Achievement for Students with Interrupted or Minimal Education,” will engage audiences with “Boosting Achievement for Interrupted Learners” from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. April 26 in Topeka.
The Kansas Vaping ECHO for Education program is allowing school districts in Kansas to engage in a year-long process to learn more about vaping education and best practices for cessation.
31: Final deadline for systems entering year five of KESA to have on-site Outside Visitation Team visit.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Great Ideas in Education Conference, formerly known as the KSDE Annual Conference, will take place Oct. 25-27 in Wichita.
More than 120 teachers nominated for the 2024 Kansas Teacher of the Year program will be recognized at ceremonies across the state this weekend and next.
Nine Kansas students, ranging in age from 6-17, will be honored by Gov. Laura Kelly on March 30 for their artwork illustrating the importance of aviation.
The Kansas State Department of Education is hosting a student art contest for the 2023 Great Ideas in Education: Empowered Together! conference.
The Approval Form for Preschool-Aged At-Risk Funding are due April 3, 2023.
This year, the Kansas State Department of Education’s Accreditation and Design (AD) team has been hosting updates from 9-9:45 a.m. on the second Tuesday of every month.
Mentor Programs, Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) web application, will now open early.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Teacher Licensure team, in coordination with its Special Education team, has updated the language of its special education endorsements.
Attention educator licensure contacts (ELCs): Licenses renewed based on professional development (PD) points require an official, itemized PD transcript to be uploaded by the school district to complete the application.
At the Feb. 14th, 2023, Kansas State Board of Education meeting, State Board members approved regulatory changes that allow for a driver’s education endorsement to be added to a license if the required driver’s education coursework is completed.
April 7 is the deadline for Kansas school districts that plan on offering alternative school during the 2023-2024 school year to complete a Google form.
Building and district leaders are encouraged to attend one of the 30-minute IXL webinars scheduled for next week.
25: 11 a.m., Kansas Teacher of the Year Regional Awards Banquet, Region 4, Wichita Marriott Hotel, 9100 E. Corporate Hills Drive.
Kansas State Board of Education members at their March meeting voted to support a bill that would allow Kansas to join the Interstate Teaching Mobility Compact.
Jihyeon “Elly” Han, an eighth grader at Altamont Grade School, Labette County Unified School District 506, received top honors in the 2023 U.S. Youth Aviation Art Contest.
Mallory Jacobs, a school counselor at Whitson Elementary School, Topeka Unified School District 501, was recognized as the School Counselor of the Year at the 2023 Kansas Counseling Association (KCA) and Kansas School Counselor Association (KSCA) Counseling Conference.
Kansas Commissioner of Education Dr. Randy Watson was interviewed by Steve Kraske on Thursday, March 16, about Kansas education.
The Kansas Seal of Biliteracy Guidelines and scores spreadsheet have been updated and are available on the Kansas Seal of Biliteracy website at https://www.ksde.org/Agency/Division-of-Learning-Services/Career-Standards-and-Assessment-Services/Content-Area-M-Z/World-Languages/Seal-of-Biliteracy.
This message is from the United State Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP):
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Accreditation and Design (AD) team is bringing Adaptive Schools Training to Kansas during the next three school years.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) team will have office hours from 1-1:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 21.
Mentor Programs, Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) web application, will be open April 1 through May 1 for districts to submit their mentor/mentee assignments.
The Kansas Children’s Cabinet Child Care Accelerator Grant Opportunity will support community-based teams - including early childhood providers and champions, employers and economic development leaders - in their efforts to create additional high-quality, attainable child care slots in their communities.
At the Feb. 14th, 2023, Kansas State Board of Education meeting, State Board members approved regulatory changes that allow for a driver’s education endorsement to be added to a license if the required driver’s education coursework was completed.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Safe and Secure Schools team wants to share the following information about new school safety-related funding opportunities that have been added to the Grants Finder Tool on SchoolSafety.gov.
The Kansas Technical Assistance System Network (TASN) is offering the opportunity to join Barbara Kaiser for a deep dive into the science of childhood behaviors and what to do about them.
Music educators and students from across the state gathered at the Kansas Statehouse on Monday, March 13, to celebrate Music in Our Schools Month®.
21: 9-11:30 a.m., Progress Monitoring with FastBridge. Discover the basics of progress monitoring with FastBridge, including a working definition, purpose and available measures. Learn how to select students for monitoring, set up progress monitoring groups, choose the details needed for each group’s schedule, how to indicate the specific intervention and where to go to conduct monitoring. Use the Individual Progress Monitoring Report, such as the trend, goal and projection lines, as well as specific student errors, in order to interpret the data, evaluate intervention effectiveness and intensify interventions. Register here.
Gov. Laura Kelly signed a proclamation designating March 12-18 as National Child and Adult Care Food Program Week.
Kansas school districts celebrated School Social Work Week, which is March 5-11, and National School Breakfast Week, which is March 6-10, in a variety of ways through social media.
Ten Kansas educators met with Kansas Commissioner of Education Dr. Randy Watson on Tuesday, March 7, to receive an update on program initiatives, discuss educational topics and give feedback as part of the Commissioner’s Teacher Advisory Council.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Accreditation and Redesign team is excited to roll out a School and District Culture Survey.
The Educator Data Collection System (EDCS) is now closed for the 2022-2023 Licensed Personnel Report (LPR) and Spring Vacancy Report submissions.
To better track and support alternative schools in the state, the Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Career, Standards and Assessment Services (CSAS) team is working to verify how many alternative schools will be in operation during the 2023-2024 school year.
The 2023 Kansas Federal Education Funds Administration Forum will begin at 8:30 a.m. March 30 at the Wichita Marriott, 9100 E. Corporate Hills Drive.
The Help Me Grow Kansas project is offering free virtual Ages & Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) trainings in March.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Summer Academies will take place in June and July. Choose an in-person option from four districts across Kansas.
10: Deadline for state-level School Bus Safety poster contest. Entries must be received in Topeka by this date to qualify for the contest.
A few years ago, only 50% of the child care needs in Coffey County were being met, said Craig Marshall, superintendent of Burlington Unified School District 244.
Has your district made plans for its tornado drill during March? Per K.S.A. 31-133, each school district must conduct a tornado drill during the month of March.
An event earlier this week allowed early childhood educators to learn how to embed children’s inquiry, cause-and-effect reasoning, problem-solving and literacy into a learning platform of play.
Students were at the Kansas Capitol on Thursday, March 2, for Theatre in Our Schools Advocacy Day. And what a perfect month for the event because March has two fine arts celebrations – Music in Our Schools Month ® and Theatre in Our Schools Month.
As part of the Kansans Can School Redesign Project, all redesign schools were asked to administer a School Culture Survey annually.
The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) team at the Kansas State Department of Education has a few important reminders:
The Licensed Personnel Report (LPR) and Spring Vacancy Report are due Friday, March 3.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief (ESSER) team wants to share how to address CARES Act fraud.
To better track and support alternative schools in the state, the Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Career, Standards and Assessment Services (CSAS) team is trying to verify how many alternative schools will be in operation during the 2023-2024 school year.
Does your district have concerns about vaping policies, practices or procedures? Then, consider working with Project ECHO to engage in a year-long process to learn more about vaping education and best practices for cessation.
The deadline to nominate people for this year’s School Social Worker of the Year and Champion for Children awards is approaching.
The Kansas School Nurses Organization wants to emphasize the contribution of Kansas school nurses by recognizing one professional registered school nurse and one professional registered school nurse administrator who demonstrate excellence and professionalism in school nursing practice.
College Board is offering the following AP professional learning opportunities for Kansas teachers and administrators during the summer.
Save the date for Summer Academies. Choose an in-person option from four districts across Kansas.
The Kansas State Department of Education is looking for volunteers from pre-K-12 and higher education to review educator preparation programs.
Catherine Eastland, a senior at Wichita South High School, has known for a long time that she wanted to go into the medical field.
Gov. Laura Kelly earlier this week announced her appointments to the Early Childhood Transition Task Force, including Amanda Petersen, director of the Kansas State Department of Education’s Early Childhood team.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Child Nutrition and Wellness team is launching its new website on Friday, Feb. 24.
The Kansas Department for Children and Families has created a quick and easy way for adults, families and schools to see what services are available.
Gardner Edgerton Unified School District 231 and Dodge City USD 443 have received the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Turnip the Beet award for the 2022 program year.
The Kansas Parents as Teachers (KPAT) program grant application packet for the 2023-2024 school year is now available online and will be emailed to all current PAT program coordinators, said Lisa Williams, Parents as Teachers consultant for the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE).
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Special Education and Title Services (SETS) team would like to congratulate Westview Elementary School, Olathe Unified School District 233, and Hillsboro Elementary School, Durham-Hillsboro-Lehigh USD 410, for receiving ESEA (Every Student Succeeds Act) Distinguished Schools awards.
This year, 179 systems are going before the Accreditation Review Council (ARC) and the Kansas State Board of Education to receive an accreditation rating.
The Kansas State Board of Education on Feb. 14 adopted proposed amendments to teacher licensure regulations, including changes to the names of some licenses, adding endorsements and deleting some requirements.
The Licensed Personnel Report (LPR) is due on March 3.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief (ESSER) team has established June 1, 2023, as the deadline to submit all fully allocated ESSER II plans.
The last three years have brought a surge of much needed federal relief aid to Kansas school districts, but those new funds come with a variety of conditions and requirements that will all be monitored for compliance.
The Kansas State School for the Blind will host an open house for its interactive Preschool Enrichment Program from 3-6 p.m. April 14.
The Kansas Department of Commerce is encouraging cities and counties to take a fresh look at Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding in 2023.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is seeking information on the KSDE Great Ideas in Education Conference through a survey.
An additional date and location for commercial driver’s license (CDL) proxy testing and Entry-Level Driving Training (ELDT) Theory has been created.
23-24: 41st annual Kansas Division for Early Childhood Conference in Wichita. Educators and service providers can earn continuing education units. Lunch is provided. Ellen Drolette, author of “Overcoming Teacher Burnout in Early Childhood,” is the keynote speaker. Registration: https://cvent.me/Wq7WL7.
School districts interested in hosting a Visiting International Teacher (VIT) in the 2023-2024 school year must complete the letter of intent available at: https://www.ksde.org/Agency/Division-of-Learning-Services/Career-Standards-and-Assessment-Services/Content-Area-M-Z/World-Languages/Visiting-International-Teachers.
Kansas State Board of Education members at their February meeting honored two Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) schools, discussed proposed regulation changes that reflect recently approved changes to graduation requirements and approved changes to teaching licensure regulations.
Greenbush, ESSDACK and Orion service centers have partnered to create a social-emotional learning (SEL) video resource library for paraprofessionals.
Two recorded webinars and accompanying resources from Dr. Suzanne Adolf, a dyslexia and language disorder researcher, are available on the Professional Learning section of the KSDE Early Literacy/ Dyslexia page.
There is a new Kansas State Department of Education policy for extending an Initial Teaching License if it expires the same semester a mentoring program will be completed.
The deadline for the 2023-2024 Kansas Preschool Pilot (KPP) grant renewal is quickly approaching – renewal applications are due Friday, Feb. 17.
The Kansas Department of Agriculture is expecting to receive $327,000 from the United State Department of Agriculture to fund projects that will enhance the competitiveness of the Kansas specialty crop industry.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s School Bus Safety Unit is offering a five-hour informational workshop for any mechanic performing the Part I Mechanical School/Activity Bus Safety Inspection.
Join the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) and K-State Olathe for a science summit centered around the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and Storyline process.
Prospective school bus drivers are invited to commercial driver’s license (CDL) proxy testing and an Entry-Level Driving Training (ELDT) Theory event.
Science professional development will take place Feb. 20 in six regions across Kansas.
Additional dates and locations have been added for the Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) in-person dyslexia professional learning.
Calendar of Events
Michael Regan, administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), made a stop in Alma on Wednesday, Feb. 8, to highlight the efforts and partnerships to decarbonize America’s school bus fleets.
Below is a list of House and Senate bills that the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is following:
The Kansas State Board of Education will meet Feb. 14 at the Landon State Office Building, 900 S.W. Jackson, Suite 102, in Topeka to act on licensure regulations and a joint resolution with the Kansas Board of Regents regarding dual credit courses.
The Kansas Annual CTE Conference: Connect the Dots offered 500 educators the opportunity to learn more about Individual Plans of Study (IPS) and work-based learning and to hear from two national guest speakers.
Please share this opportunity with families of children ages birth to 5:
It is time for virtual schools to begin preparations for the 2023-2024 school year.
The Accreditation Advisory Council had its first meeting of the 2023 calendar year from 9 a.m. to noon via Zoom.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Career, Standards and Assessment Services (CSAS) team is seeking individuals to join the 2023 KSDE Teacher Leaders group.
The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) team at the Kansas State Department of Education will host Zoom office hours from 10-10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15.
oin the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) and K-State Olathe for a science summit centered around the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and Storyline process.
SPARK funding announced in late December is being administered through the Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund under the Child Care Capacity Accelerator grant program.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is hosting workshops for the 2023 Kansas 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) grant competition.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is sponsoring a six-hour virtual professional development opportunity focused on the science of reading on Feb. 13.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) and College Board have partnered to offer statewide informational sessions on AP Seminar: English 10.
Teachers, school administrators, food service workers, paraprofessionals, school psychologists and social workers are coming together with one common goal – to learn how to identify and offer support to students who are showing signs of mental illness and substance abuse disorders.
Kansas celebrated its 162nd birthday on Jan. 29, and a Kansas Tourism campaign is paying homage to not only Kansas but also to the state song, which is 150 years old.
As Kansas students continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Laura Kelly announced earlier this week the creation of the Kansas Education Enrichment Program (KEEP), which will provide qualifying parents and guardians with a one-time $1,000 award per child to pay for educational goods and services, such as tutoring and school supplies.
February is Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month®, which celebrates the value of CTE and the achievements and accomplishments of CTE programs across Kansas and the nation.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Safe and Supportive Schools Conference earlier this week drew more than 200 people to Manhattan.
All personnel employed in a local food service operation that participates in federal Child Nutrition Programs must complete Kansas State Department of Education-approved food safety training.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Civic Advocacy Network application is now open for school-level submissions at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe9IgQ0phYzSvkTuca3dM_8DdR-AtW0ptmOoERvDuuU5dt15A/viewform?usp=sf_link.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Teacher Licensure team has released a new Educator Data Collection System (EDCS) training video.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is excited to offer a grant opportunity that can help support existing and potential HOSA – Future Health Professionals chapters and also support high-quality health science instruction.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is conducting a 2023 Kansas 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) grant competition.
Additional dates and locations have been added for Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) in-person dyslexia professional learning.
Is your community working to address a need for child care. If so, join the All In For Kansas Kids webinar at noon Wednesday, Feb. 8.
School districts are invited to participate in an informational session about hosting a Visiting International Teacher (VIT) in the 2023-2024 school year. The webinar will be held from noon to 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10.
Because of the interest in AP Seminar: English 10, the Kansas State Department of Education and College Board have added two experience workshops – one from 1-4 p.m. Feb. 9 at Smoky Hill Education Center and one from 9 a.m.-noon Feb. 10 at the Landon State Office Building in Topeka.
Eight of the top educators in Kansas came to Topeka earlier this week to be recognized by the Kansas House and Senate, learn from education leaders and present at a joint meeting of the House and Senate Education Committees.
The first-floor rotunda of the Kansas State Capitol was busy Thursday, Jan. 26, as dozens of people gathered for the seventh annual School Mental Health Advocacy Day.
Join the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) each Wednesday in February for Wellness Wednesdays via Zoom to assist Kansas schools in implementing wellness policies and creating a healthier school environment.
As systems begin scheduling their on-site visits for accreditation, the Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Accreditation and Design (AD) team wanted to send out a reminder regarding the Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) reporting expectations for this year.
In August of 2022, the Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Accreditation and Design (AD) team hosted a beginning-of-the-year kickoff for all systems.
The path to leading the world in the success of each student starts in early childhood, long before a 5-year-old child begins kindergarten.
The Kansas Volunteer Commission is excited to announce its 2023 mini-grant series, which includes seven separate mini-grant competitions. Eligible entities include public or private nonprofit organizations, school districts, institutions of higher learning, government entities and Native American tribes.
Nominations are being sought for this year’s School Social Worker of the Year and Champion for Children awards.
The Kansas Volunteer Commission announces monthly webinars on mentoring, volunteerism and civic engagement topics.
Kansas Day is right around the corner, and Kansas Tourism is continuing its annual celebration of the Sunflower State with a top-secret new video that will be released at 7 a.m. Jan. 29.
Fourth grade teacher Kristine Becker, of Logan Elementary, Seaman Unified School District 345 in Topeka, received the surprise of a lifetime on Wednesday, Jan. 19, when she was presented with a national Milken Educator Award by the Milken Family Foundation.
To help districts navigate the complex Shared Staff section of the Licensed Personnel Report (LPR), two new PowerPoint presentations have been added to the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) website.
The Kansas State Board of Education will conduct a public hearing at 1:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as possible, on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, in the Board Room of the Landon State Office Building, 900 S.W. Jackson Ave., Suite 102, Topeka, Kansas, to consider the adoption of proposed rules and regulations of the Kansas State Board of Education on a permanent basis.
A review of the 2023-2024 Kansas Preschool Pilot Grant Application, including FAQs regarding Preschool Revenue Calculator and Budget Template, will be available via Zoom at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023. Click here to register.
Quarterly reporting for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds will close Friday, Jan. 20.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Special Education and Title Services (SETS) Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) team is providing this reminder about the use of premium pay:
The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is looking for sponsors willing to provide nutritious meals to Kansas children during the summer months.
Did you know that the Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Safe and Secure Schools Unit is available for trainings on a variety of topics, including safety drills and incident command systems?
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) team will host office hours via Zoom on Wednesday, Jan. 25.
School staff members are invited to attend the Kansas State Department of Education’s Safe and Supportive Schools Conference on Jan. 30-31 in Manhattan.
Preparations are underway for the 40th annual Governor’s Scholars Award program, which will take place Sunday, May 7, in Topeka at Washburn University’s Petro Allied Health Center, Lee Arena.
The January 2023 Kansas State Board of Education meeting brought with it several changes.
Kansas State Department of Education staff members will give an overview of the CTE (Career and Technical Education) Scholar program and walk through the application process from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 17, via Zoom.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief team will host office hours via Zoom on Wednesday, Jan. 25.
Even if no students attended through remote learning this past semester, your district should complete and submit the Remote Learning Report that was due Jan. 1, 2023. If no students attended through remote learning, simply check the box directly underneath the certification and submit the report.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Special Education and Title Services ESSER team is providing this reminder about the use of premium pay:
Quarterly reporting for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds opened on Tuesday, Jan. 3, and will close Friday, Jan. 20.
Friday, Jan. 13, is the last day to submit the third annual reporting survey for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds.
Professional development and mentoring plans are due to the Kansas State Department of Education by Aug. 1. Districts may begin turning in plans beginning March 1.
The Kansas Preschool Pilot Renewal Grant Applications for the 2023-2024 school year are due by 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17.
Nominations are being sought for the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Advisory Board.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Accreditation and Design (AD) team hosted its monthly Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) update, which took place via Zoom on Tuesday, Jan. 10.
The Kansans Can Star Recognition Program is now in its fourth year of recognizing school districts for the great work taking place to help the state achieve its vision of leading the world in the success of each student.
Thirty-two educators from Kansas are being recognized for their outstanding teaching skills through the 2023 Kansas Horizon Award program.
Several state agencies are partnering for the Early Childhood Transition Task Force, which is charged with reviewing Kansas’ early childhood programs and developing a roadmap for the creation of a new state, cabinet-level agency focused solely on supporting the success of young Kansans.
The Help Me Grow Kansas project is offering free virtual Ages & Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) training in January and March.
A grant opportunity is available so that FCCLA advisers can attend a pre-conference session of the Kansas Annual CTE Conference for free on Monday, Feb. 6, at the Hilton Garden Inn Conference Center in Manhattan.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Accreditation and Design (AD) team will host its monthly Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) update from 9-9:45 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 10, via Zoom (register here).
The Kansas Multi-Tier System of Supports (MTSS) and Alignment preschool team is offering a free in-person professional development opportunity with Dr. Mary Louise Hemmeter in Hays and Topeka.
The 2023 Jump Start Your Success in School Nutrition Programs offers a blend of in-person, live virtual and on-demand personalized training opportunities for new and aspiring school food service directors and managers.
The timeline for submitting Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) documents is as follows:
The Preschool-Aged At-Risk Approval Form for the 2023-2024 school year is now available on KSDE’s Preschool Programming Webpage, along with the 2023-2024 Preschool-Aged At-Risk Program Requirements and Assurances.
School districts have one week left to submit the third annual reporting survey for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. The deadline for submissions is Friday, Jan. 13, 2023.
The Educator Data Collection System (EDCS) is now accepting submissions of the Licensed Personnel Report (LPR), which includes the Spring Vacancy Report (SVR).
Three newly elected and two re-elected Kansas State Board of Education members will be honored during a reception at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 10.
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) new Schools and Nonprofits Program is making $500 million in grant funding available to some of the nation’s highest-need K-12 public schools for critical energy upgrades.
During its regularly scheduled meeting on Dec. 13, 2022, the Kansas State Board of Education started its public hearing to consider the adoption of proposed rules and regulations of the Kansas State Board of Education on a permanent basis.
In partnership with DCCCA and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s (KDHE) Maternal and Child Health program, the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is offering a new learning experience to help address student mental health needs.
Here is a review of the reporting adjustments made to Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) for the 2022-2023 school year:
There are now two new Educator Data Collection System (EDCS) district training resources available.
Completion of the third annual reporting survey for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds is mandatory to ensure districts continue to receive federal funds without interruption.
ALMA - Wabaunsee Unified School District 329 on Wednesday, Dec. 16, became the first school district in the state to receive two electric buses through the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Clean School Bus Program.
A partnership between the Maize Parents as Teachers program and Maize Unified School District 266 offers the Maize and northwest Wichita community a seamless net of support and allows the district to offer services for newborns all the way to students in 12th grade.
Mallory Jacobs, a school counselor at Whitson Elementary School, Topeka Unified School District 501, was recently named the 2022 School Counselor of the Year by the Kansas School Counselor Association (KSCA).
A new Culinary Quick Bite video from KSDE’s Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) team is available for viewing on the KSDE Livemedia YouTube channel.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Division of Learning Services will have a planning retreat on Friday, Dec. 16 and will be out of the office.
Members from the Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Early Childhood and Child Nutrition and Wellness (Child and Adult Care Food Program – CACFP) teams met Thursday, Dec. 15, to build relationships and learn a little more about the roles each team plays within the agency.
The second Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) Monthly Update took place Dec. 13, and resources from that meeting are now available on the KESA Training webpage.
All Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) III plans should be submitted to KSDE no later than Friday, Dec. 16. Districts may continue to submit a change request for approved plans as necessary for the duration of the grant.
For the 2022-2023 school year, school districts are required to track and report students attending through remote learning. This information is due to the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) twice per year.
On Wednesday, Dec. 14, the KSDE Early Childhood team hosted two Zoom meetings to provide an overview of 2023-2024 preschool funding resources, including the Preschool Revenue Calculator and Budget Template. PowerPoint slides from that presentation are now posted on the KSDE Early Childhood webpage.
At the November 2022 Kansas State Board of Education meeting, State Board members approved new graduation requirements, which has led to many questions. To address many of those questions, the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) has developed a document that answers the most commonly asked questions.
Academic preparedness, chronic absenteeism, 2023 legislative priorities, the Sunflower Summer Program and proposed amendments to licensure regulations were all topics of discussion for Kansas State Board of Education members during their December meeting.
The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) are the highest honors bestowed by the United States government specifically for K–12 science, technology, engineering, and/or mathematics (STEM) teaching. This is a great opportunity to nominate your district’s exceptional STEM teachers. Secondary STEM teachers can also apply this year.
The National School Bus Safety Poster Contest is sponsored each year by the National Association for Pupil Transportation, the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services and the National School Transportation Association.
The Kansas Division for Early Childhood is seeking nominations for five special awards.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Division of Learning Services will have a planning retreat on Friday, Dec. 16 and many team members will be out of the office.
Dr. Suzanne Adlof will offer two virtual opportunities to learn about connections between dyslexia and language development.
The second Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) Monthly Update will take place Dec. 13.
The Kansas Division for Early Childhood (KDEC) is now accepting applications for mini-grant proposals.
Members of the Kansas State Department of Education’s Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) team will host Zoom office hours from 2-3 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Early Childhood team shared an update regarding preschool funding resources for 2023-2024 on Nov. 10. The 2023-2024 Preschool Revenue Calculator and Budget Template is now available on the KSDE Early Childhood webpage.
Three Kansas State Board of Education members, with a combined 32 years of service to Kansans, are leaving office after the December meeting.
The Accreditation Advisory Council (AAC) met Nov. 7.
Friday, Dec. 2, is National Special Education Day, which commemorates the nation's first federal special education law.
If you missed the fall 2022 Jump Start Your Success in School Nutrition Programs, mark your calendar now to join the Kansas State Department of Education’s Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) team for the spring kickoff event Jan. 12 in Salina.
The fiscal year 2023 United States Department of Agriculture Farm to School Grant Request for Applications (RFA) is now available here.
The Healthy Kansas Plate poster, based on the United States Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate, was developed to assist Kansas schools and sponsors in identifying the reimbursable meal and to assist in providing nutrition education to its participants.
The Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) team at the Kansas State Department of Education continues to develop new interactive online training classes and tutorials for food service professionals that can be accessed free of charge via the KSDE Training Portal.
The Kansas Legislature requires the Kansas State Department of Education to survey all districts regarding Career and Technical Education (CTE) Pathway courses and credentials.
During the spring 2022 semester, the Kansas State Department of Education’s Accreditation and Design (AD) team held focus groups to gather input and insight from the field regarding Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA).
The deadline to submit all Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) III plans is Friday, Dec. 16.
Janis Olds, an education program consultant for the Kansas State Department of Education’s Special Education and Title Services (SETS) team, is creating a list of primary English Learner contacts in each district.
Two new Educator Data Collection System (EDCS) district training resources are now available.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Safe and Secure Schools Conference will take place Jan. 30-31 at the Hilton Garden Inn, 410 South 3rd, in Manhattan. This year’s event will feature former Kansas State University Coach Bill Snyder as the closing keynote speaker.
The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) Division of Aviation is currently accepting artwork for the 2023 National Association of State Aviation Officials art contest.
Star Assessments spring virtual learning events, which are sponsored by the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE), will take place throughout January, February, March and April via Zoom.
Mark your calendar and plan to join the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) for annual summer development through the Summer Academy for Teachers.
A meeting will take place at 1 p.m. Monday, Nov. 21, to offer school counselors critical information pertaining to newly updated financial literacy standards.
A text-dependent professional development course will be offered via Zoom from 7-9 p.m. Wednesdays from Jan. 11-Feb. 8.
The path to leading the world in the success of each student starts in early childhood, long before a 5-year-old child walks through a kindergarten classroom door.
The Kansas State Department of Education School Bus Safety Unit will have a Transportation Basics Workshop for transportation directors/supervisors from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 28, 2022, with a break for lunch, which is on your own, in Great Bend.
The Qualtrics district link for the third annual Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) reporting survey has been updated.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Maintenance of Effort (MOE) and Excess Costs Reports are open. The full application will close on Jan. 14, 2023.*
At the Nov. 10, 2022, meeting, the Kansas State Board of Education moved to allow for an extension of the temporary modification to the Emergency Substitute License.
Join one of Amy Jo Jamison’s Zoom sessions during World Nursery Rhyme Week, and you’re likely to leave singing the featured song throughout the rest of the day.
School districts across Kansas and the nation are celebrating American Education Week, Nov. 13-19, in a variety of ways.
After more than a year of discussing graduation requirements for Kansas students, the Kansas State Board of Education last week voted to approve the Graduation Requirements Task Force recommendations.
The Kansas State Board of Education on Thursday, Nov. 10, accepted the Kansas Advisory Council for Indigenous Education Working Group’s mascot reform statement and recommendations.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) invites you to celebrate American Education Week (AEW) with us Nov. 13-19.
As part of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s new “Talk. They Hear You.” campaign to spread awareness about substance use prevention, a new screening tool Screen4Success helps parents and caregivers understand the well-being of their children.
On Tuesday, Nov. 8, the Kansas State Department of Education’s Accreditation and Design team had their monthly update.
The 2022-2023 Kansas Education Directory, which contains the contact and enrollment information for every public and private accredited school and district in the state, is now available online.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) staff members will be hosting two in-person trainings for the annual ESSER report survey.
Early childhood experiences lay the foundation for a child’s future success. The Kindergarten Readiness Kansans Can Star Recognition Rubric can help a district identify priorities in this area.
Thanks to $5.83 million in clean school bus rebates awarded to six Kansas school districts, a total of 17 new clean and zero-emissions buses will be on the state’s roads.
Jasmine Matt hadn’t heard about Parents as Teachers (PAT) when she and her military husband, William, moved to Kansas and the McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita.
Did you know that participating in the Kansas Teacher of the Year program is one of the most important investments you can make in your teaching staff?
The Kansas Technical Assistance System Network (TASN) and Kansas Infinitec Coalition (KIC) are hosting the 16th annual TASN KIC Technology Conference and Outstanding Technology Student Awards Luncheon from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2.
Natalie Johnson-Berry, a member of the 2022 Kansas Teacher of the Year Team and a restorative justice facilitator at Wyandotte High School, is one of five recipients of the Horace Mann Award for Teaching Excellence.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) team will host a Tuesday Townhall meeting at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15.
School social workers, social work students and retired social workers from across Kansas gathered Friday, Oct. 28, at the Double Tree Hotel in Lawrence for the Kansas School Social Workers Association's Fall Conference, said Shanna Hailey, coordinator of school mental health on the Special Education and Title Services (SETS) team.
Emergency Safety Intervention (ESI) and Discipline Data Collection are both open in the Kansas Integrated Accountability System (KIAS) so administrators can enter incidents as they occur.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) financial literacy webpage has been updated with new resources for K-12 educators and parents after the Kansas State Board of Education adopted National Standards for Personal Finance Education in July 2022.
The 2021-2022 National School Bus Loading and Unloading Survey report is now available.
The Kansas State Department of Education is seeking reviewers to serve on review teams for higher education preparation programs for each license and endorsement area. Reviews are held in fall and spring semesters, on a seven-year cycle for each college and university.
The third annual reporting survey for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds is now open.
Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) employees took part in the Mountain Plains Crunch Off on Monday, Oct. 31.
Kansas Commissioner of Education Dr. Randy Watson on Thursday, Nov. 3, hosted 10 Kansas principals at the Landon State Office Building, 900 S.W. Jackson in Topeka, for the Commissioner’s Principal Advisory Council.
The Kansas State Board of Education will meet next week in Topeka. However, please note the time and date changes.
Nearly 150 Kansas educators will be in Dodge City on Nov. 18-19 to attend the Kansas LEADs (Linking Educators Across Districts) Conference.
Registration is now open for the Kansas Annual CTE Conference, which will take place Feb. 6-8 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Manhattan.
Brian Skinner, the 2023 Kansas Teacher of the Year, is available this year through the Hubbard Foundation Kansas Teacher of the Year Ambassadorship to conduct workshops for school personnel, visit with team members of teachers or serve as a keynote speaker for your school district.
Time is running out for school districts to nominate one exemplary elementary classroom teacher and one exemplary secondary classroom teacher for the 2024 Kansas Teacher of the Year program.
Congratulations to Dr. Mike Argabright, who was named the 2023 Kansas Superintendent of the Year earlier this month by the Kansas School Superintendents’ Association (KSSA).
Susan Severin, a former school psychologist at Emporia USD 253 and a specialized learning services support consultant for Greenbush Education Service Center, was recently named the 2022 Kansas School Psychologist of the Year.
The Kansas State Department of Education would like to remind all systems in their fifth year of the Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) cycle that they must email accreditation@ksde.org with the date of their annual on-site visit as soon as possible.
Kindergarten through fifth grade educators in western Kansas are invited to participate in a full day of professional development on Nov. 14 that will help strengthen their literacy instruction block.
All Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) III plans need to be submitted to the Kansas State Department of Education no later than Friday, Dec. 16.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) would like to remind districts that the Dropout Graduation Summary Report (DGSR) will close Monday, Oct. 31.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) currently has a school bus award opportunity open to districts that own and operate their own fleet.
Do you know what sextortion is and how children are targeted online?
Households with low or no income across the country can still get federal money with the Child Tax Credit – even if they have never filed taxes before (and haven’t filed taxes this year).
Kansas Commissioner of Education Dr. Randy Watson spoke with members of the Commissioner’s Superintendent Advisory Council on Tuesday, Oct. 25, in Topeka.
Kansas state assessment results for math have rebounded to near prepandemic performance levels while English language arts have not, Kansas Commissioner of Education Dr. Randy Watson shared with the Kansas State Board of Education earlier this month.
Art contest winners of the Great Ideas in Education Conference: The Art of Teaching were announced this week during the Wichita conference.
More than 300 educators made their way to Wichita this week for the Kansas State Department of Education's Great Ideas in Education Conference: The Art of Teaching.
Dr. Jane Groff, executive director of the Kansas Parent Information Resource Center (KPIRC), the KPIRC organization, the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) and the Kansas Technical Assistance Systems Network (TASN) have put together a document that can help guide families on the Social, Emotional and Character Development (SECD) standards.
21: ESSER quarterly reporting closes.
25: 9 a.m.-noon, fall professional development for administrators, “Using Star Assessments to Strengthen Data Culture,” Beloit Junior-Senior High School, 1711 N. Walnut St. in Beloit. To reserve a seat, https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfimnqrRcgaFFhMg_4PdOlMYKQ24GWF8flMopVtsVSP3fvJ-Q/viewform.
Congratulations to Julie Scott, principal of R.L. Wright Elementary School, Sedgwick USD 439. On Wednesday, Oct. 19, Scott was announced as one of nine recipients of the Terrell H. Bell Award for Outstanding School Leadership for 2022.
The Kansas State Department of Education Technical Assistance Network (TASN) Autism and Tertiary Behavior Supports team recently announced a professional development opportunity that can help staff members who are new to providing services to students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other complex learning needs.
Intrapersonal curricula, sponsored by the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE), is available for free to Kansas elementary schools.
All Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) III plans need to be submitted to KSDE no later than Friday, Dec. 16.
On Oct. 11, 2022, the Kansas State Board of Education voted to approve the Kansas Purple Star School recognition program.
The program is designed to help schools respond to the educational challenges military-connected children face during their transition to a new school and to keep them on track to be college, workforce and life-ready.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
14: Deadline for completed Horizon application.
18: 9-10 a.m., Star Assessments Virtual Fall Training for Administrators and Teachers, “October Star Burst: Understanding the Screening Data.” To register, Meeting Registration - Zoom.
Smith Center Unified School District 237 administrators and students received a special visit from Kansas Commissioner of Education Dr. Randy Watson on Thursday, Sept. 29.
Kansas Commissioner of Education Dr. Randy Watson presented his annual report to the Kansas State Board of Education on Oct. 11 during the State Board’s monthly meeting in Topeka.
America’s Safe Schools Week, which is observed Oct. 17-21, is the perfect opportunity for Kansas schools to review and/or enhance their crisis plans.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is offering a free virtual opportunity that can enhance teacher practice related to structured literacy and the explicit teaching of phonics.
School districts still have time to nominate one exemplary elementary classroom teacher and one exemplary secondary classroom teacher for the 2024 Kansas Teacher of the Year program.
From promoting fresh vegetables at Garden City USD 457 to lunch and a movie at Wichita USD 259, districts across Kansas celebrated National School Lunch Week from Oct. 10-14.
De Soto Unified School District 232 staff members took part in fourth annual Mountain Plains Crunch Off earlier this month.
Anyone who is interested in being a member of an Outside Visitation Team member or OVT chair but couldn’t attend training in September can still become a trained member or chair by taking the following steps:
The ninth episode of HirePaths’ “Cool Careers” features welding as a career choice.
Quarterly reporting for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds closed Friday, Oct. 21.
School districts and Local Education Agencies (LEAs) are required to electronically file their CPA audit report and Single Audit (A-133) report with the Department of Administration, Municipal Services.
All data, including questionnaires administered via paper, pending Family Access screenings and child profiles noting the reason for not participating, is due in the ASQ Online system by Monday, Oct. 10.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Accreditation and Design team is still waiting for about 100 systems to report when they will host their Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) year five on-site visit.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Accreditation and Design team will kick off monthly Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) meetings on Tuesday, Oct. 11.
Did you know that Kansas is second only to Iowa in the nation for the portion of energy created by wind?
Quarterly reporting for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds closes Friday, Oct. 21.
Don’t miss the opportunity to attend two and a half days of high-quality professional learning at the Great Ideas in Education Conference – The ART of Teaching Conference, Oct. 19-21 in Wichita.
Sponsors using the Online Kanas Free and Reduce-Price Meal Application must print the applications or store them electronically within 30 days of receiving them.
National School Lunch Week, created by President John F. Kennedy in 1962, is celebrated Oct. 10-14.
Schools can still request an opportunity for students to experience the Virtual Body Venture Exhibit.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Child Nutrition and Wellness team offers a monthly "Culinary Quick Bites" video.
October 7: 8:30-10:30 a.m. Kansas MTSS and TASN 2022-2023 Preschool Webinar Series: Leadership webinar, “Addressing Challenging Behavior in young Children: The Leadership Role.” Barbara Kaiser. Free book for the first 75 registered. Register here. 10: “Structured Literacy: The 90-Minute Block Party,” Keystone Learning Center, Ozawkie. Register here: http://www.keystonelearning.org.
Science regional professional learning communities are scheduled across the state in November.
The deadline for submitting requests for reimbursement for Mentor Educators was Monday, Sept. 26.
Schools across the state next week are observing Kansas Anti-Bullying Awareness Week.
KanCare wants to make sure it has updated contact information for KanCare beneficiaries.
The fourth annual Mountain Plains Crunch Off will take place Oct. 12.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Career, Standards and Assessment Services (CSAS) team is collecting names of interested teachers, curriculum leaders, instructional coaches and administrators who would like to participate in the 2024 review/revision of English language arts standards.
Tuesday, Sept. 20, marked the close of the Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot window. This is a good time for district teams to reflect on the start of the kindergarten year. What went well as you partnered with families during this important transition? What might you change for next year?
Systems going through Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) that need additional Outside Visitation Team (OVT) members are in luck.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Teacher Licensure team would like to thank Kansas schools for participating in the recent educator vacancy data collection.
Quarterly reporting for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds opens Monday, Oct. 3 and closes Friday, Oct. 21.
The Dropout Graduation Summary Report (DGSR) opens Oct. 1.
23-24: Kansas Teacher of the Leadership Conference, Wichita..
24: Kansas Teacher of the Year Banquet, Wichita.
Applications are now available for the Kansas State Department of Education Association of Educational Office Professionals (KSDE AEOP) Margaret Van Horn Scholarship.
A grant will allow school districts with paid affiliated FCCLA chapters to attend a workshop for free to learn about integrating FCCLA into the Family and Consumer Science (FCS) classroom. It also will provide funding to purchase two national program curriculums, said Pam Lamb, the state FCCLA adviser.
The Annual Kansas Division for Early Childhood (KDEC) conference is scheduled for Feb 23-24, 2023, at the Double Tree by Hilton in Wichita.
Two and a half wonderful days of professional learning are available during the Great Ideas in Education Conference – The ART of Teaching conference, Oct. 19-21 in Wichita.
Kansas Multi-Tier System of Supports and Alignment (MTSS) is offering a four-part preschool webinar series this school year with Barbara Kaiser.
With nearly 180 systems going before the Accreditation Review Council (ARC) this school year, reviews of year five systems for Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) need to begin in November.
Beginning Monday, Oct. 3, the template for professional development plans will be on the Professional Development webpage. It will include guidance on how to update the plan and the template layout to write the plan.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is inviting district Individual Plan of Study (IPS) implementation facilitators and/or IPS team members to participate in an IPS Professional Learning Network (PLN) that will be convened for the 2022-2023 school year.
The deadline for submitting Mentor Stipend Requests is Monday, Sept. 26.
The deadline for submitting the Fall Vacancy Report in the Education Data Collection System (EDCS) is Monday, Sept. 26.
The 2023 Kansas Teacher of the Year will be announced Saturday, Sept. 24, during the Dale Dennis Kansas Teacher of the Year Banquet in Wichita.
Quarterly reporting for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds will open on Oct. 3 and close on Oct. 21.
Three Kansas schools have been designated 2022 National Blue Ribbon Schools, U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona announced.
The Kansas State Board of Education during its September meeting approved an amendment from the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) that would change the classification of senior high schools.
The Ready to Learn ECHO Series will take place from noon to 1 p.m. the first Thursday of every month beginning Oct. 6.
16: 9 a.m.-noon, fall professional development for administrators, “Using Star Assessments to Strengthen Data Culture,” South Hutchinson Elementary School, 405 S. Poplar St. in Hutchinson. To reserve a seat, https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfimnqrRcgaFFhMg_4PdOlMYKQ24GWF8flMopVtsVSP3fvJ-Q/viewform.
In-person district and building test coordinator regional trainings have been scheduled throughout September and October. Whether you are a new or veteran test coordinator, make plans to attend one of these trainings.
Six science professional learning communities are scheduled throughout the month of September.
Breakout sessions for the Kansas State Department of Education’s Great Ideas in Education Conference, which takes place Oct. 19-21 at the Hyatt Regency in Wichita, have been announced.
The Kansas State Interagency Coordinating Council invites families, professionals and community partners who support children ages birth to 5 to join the Local Interagency Coordinating Council (LICC) Retreat.
The Kansas Coordinating Council on Early Childhood Developmental Services – more commonly referred to as the State Interagency Coordinating Council (SICC) – will meet from 1-4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 16.
Tuesday, Sept. 20, marks the close of the window to administer both ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 to all incoming kindergarten students.
If you are a school district/system entering year five of Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA), let the Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Accreditation and Design team know when you are having your year five on-site visit.
There are two vacancies on the Professional Practices Commission (PPC). The Kansas State Department of Education is requesting nominations to fill these two positions:
The Dropout Graduation Summary Report (DGSR) will be opening Oct. 1. To prepare for this, it is suggested that districts review their data between now and then to check for inaccuracies that will complicate reporting for the DGSR.
The deadline for entering the Fall Vacancy Report in the Education Data Collection System (EDCS) and Mentors for Stipend (in Mentor Programs) is Monday, Sept. 26.
A full-day workshop focused on structured literacy will be offered at four locations throughout Kansas.
The date for the next Kansas Linking Educators Across Districts (LEADS) conference has been announced. The next event will take place Nov.18-19 in Dodge City. Kansas educators can register for this event at www.kansasleads.mystrikingly.com.
The Kansas Alternate Early Literacy Screener K-3rd grade is now available. A webinar to explain the new Kansas Alternate Early Literacy Screener is scheduled for Wednesday, September 28 from 3:00-3:30 p.m.
The KSDE Great Ideas in Education Conference, “The Art of Teaching” will take place October 19-21, 2022, at the Hyatt Regency in Wichita
KSDE submitted its annual budget request on Wednesday, Sept. 7.
The Accreditation and Design team kicked off OVT new member training this past week.
To raise awareness and educate Kansans on suicide prevention, Governor Laura Kelly has proclaimed September “Suicide Prevention Month” in the State of Kansas as part of the larger National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) campaign, “Together for Mental Health.”
The Kansas State Board of Education will receive proposed recommendations from the Kansas Graduation Requirements Task Force, act on the proposed amendment from KSHSAA to K.S.A 2014 Supp. 72-7114 and honor the 2021 Milken Educator Award Recipients.
The deadline for students to enter the art contest for the Great Ideas in Education: The Art of Teaching conference is Friday, Sept. 9.
With more than 60 superintendent changes across the state, three top leaders from the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) want to make sure new superintendents and those who are new to a district know they are supported.
June 30 was the deadline to enter Early Childhood Outcomes data into the Outcomes Web System (OWS). However, if there are additions or changes that need to be made, this is the time to do so.
2: 1-4:30 p.m., Counting Kids Workshop, Hiawatha High School. (Registration ended Aug. 26).
Training for new Outside Visitation Team (OVT) members will be from 9-11 a.m. Sept. 6 and from 1-3 p.m. Sept. 8.
Six-week fall and winter online courses, designed for middle and high school teachers, counselors, social workers and related service providers for students in grades seventh through 12th, are being offered on behalf of the Kansas State Department of Education.
William Parrett and Kathleen Budge, of Boise State University’s Center for School Improvement and Policy Studies, have been announced as keynote speakers for the first keynote address of KSDE’s Great Ideas in Education Conference: The Art of Teaching, Oct. 19-21 in Wichita.
The Presidential Scholars Program recognizes and honors high school seniors who have demonstrated high achievement academically or in the arts; some having to overcome special challenges or hurdles to do so.
The Engineering Career Cluster will be reviewed during the fall of the 2022-2023 school year.
The Kansas State Department of Education is excited to announce the creation of a new Exploration of Career Pathways course for middle school students.
Twenty-five multidiscipline modules were created to allow students to demonstrate mastery of their content in a variety of ways driven by their personalized learning interests and goals.
There is a new training video available to assist districts with entering data in the Educator Data Collection System (EDCS).
Teacher Licensure recently made a change to what people will see on their license the next time they renew.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s Fiscal Auditing Office is collecting each school district’s one-page 2022-2023 school calendar.
Having this document helps the auditors when scheduling the annual KSDE audit in each district.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) maintains that every system needs to have at least three Outside Visitation Team (OVT) members, which includes the chair. KSDE also understands that OVT spots can be difficult to fill, but anticipates that the reducation in required reporting this school year will increase individuals’ willingness to serve in these roles.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) will provide a training workshop for reviewing higher education teacher preparation programs from 9 a.m. to noon Oct. 6 in person at the Landon State Office Building, 900 S.W. Jackson in Topeka.
Thank you to all of the system leaders who participated in the first-ever Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) beginning-of-the-year kickoff in August.
Six-week fall and winter online courses, designed for elementary teachers, counselors, social workers and related service providers for students in grades kindergarten through sixth, are being offered on behalf of the Kansas State Department of Education.
Telehealth ROCKS, in partnership with Kansas Suicide Prevention Headquarters, will present an introductory webinar from noon to 1 p.m. Sept. 8 via Zoom.
The Kansas Partners in Empowering Youth for Suicide Prevention is hosting a Youth Suicide Prevention Art Contest to provide opportunities for youths to let their voices be heard.
The 2022-2023 Events Calendar for Early Childhood Programs is now posted to the KSDE Early Childhood webpage.
The Kansas Legislature and Gov. Laura Kelly in the spring passed HB 2466, the PACK Act, which provides a grant to professional development providers offering PD to Kansas educators in the area of computer science.
As some of you may be aware, Ford is no longer producing the 10-passenger Ford Transit Van. KSDE has been receiving numerous requests for alternative options.
The Component Baseline Analysis (CBA) is a perception survey that was created by the KSDE Accreditation and Design team in partnership with Kansas MTSS and educational service centers.
Systems/school districts entering year five of the Kansas Education Systems (KESA) process should report the date their year five on-site visit is scheduled.
Join us each month for a Culinary Quick Bite short video full of information & culinary tips.
23: 9 a.m.-noon. Register here for the Introduction to ASQ-3 training via Zoom.
23: 3:30 p.m., Register here for 1-800-CHILDREN training and demo via Zoom.
Applications for the 2023 U.S. Senate Youth Program are available now.
There’s still time to register for this year’s Counting Kids Workshops.
All sponsors contracting with a Food Service Management Company (FSMC) are strongly encouraged to participate in the FSMC Fall Update and Monitoring Training at 9 a.m. Sept. 15.
The Kansas State Interagency Coordinating Council invites families, professionals, and community partners who support children ages birth to 5 to join the Local Interagency Coordinating Council (LICC) Retreat.
The Kansas State Department of Education School Bus Safety Unit will be hosting Transportation Meetings/Forums for the 2022-2023 school year at 17 locations across the state during the month of September. We understand you are all busy but please consider attending one of these meetings. This may be the only occasion during the year where some of you have an opportunity to attend a meeting at a close, convenient location to your district. All meetings are from 9:30 a.m. to noon.
The 2024 Kansas Teacher of the Year nomination packet is available. Every school district is encouraged to nominate one exemplary elementary classroom teacher and one exemplary secondary classroom teacher for this prestigious award.
The 2022 KSDE Great Ideas in Education Conference: The Art of Teaching includes new networking opportunities.
The application to apply to participate in the Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program (FFVP) for 2022-2023 is available at www.kn-eat.org, School Nutrition Programs, What’s New.
KSDE’s Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) team honored three school districts for outstanding innovative practices at the Kansas State Board of Education’s A
Building relationships with families lays the foundation for a strong start to the kindergarten year and for later student success. The Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot gives schools another opportunity to partner with families and better understand each kindergarten student’s development.
There are now Educator Data Collection System (EDCS) training videos available on the Teacher Licensure website under Licensed Personnel (ksde.org) EDCS District Training Resources.
Training for Outside Visitation Team (OVT) members will be offered from 9-11 a.m. Sept. 6 and from 1-3 p.m. Sept. 8. New OVT members can choose to attend the training that works best for them.
The Accreditation and Design team at KSDE wants to highlight your back-to-school photographs during the Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) beginning of the year kick-off events on Aug. 23 and Aug. 25.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) continues to update district test coordinators for WorkKeys.
Kansas State Board of Education members during their August meeting conducted a public hearing to consider proposed changes to the Kansas State High School Activities Association’s (KSHSAA) classification of senior high schools.
Educators Rising Kansas will be hosting its Northeast Regional Conference on Nov. 2, 2022, at MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe.
All school systems are invited to attend the Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) kick-off event Aug. 23 and Aug. 25.
Are you interested in reviewing teacher preparation programs at higher education institutions across Kansas? If so, we have the opportunity for you!
In order to encourage students to use their creativity, the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is once again hosting a student art contest for the KSDE annual conference. This year’s theme is Great Ideas in Education: The Art of Teaching.
Nominations are currently being accepted for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST).
The KSDE Great Ideas in Education: The Art of Teaching Conference will take place Oct. 19-21 in Wichita at the Hyatt Regency and Century II Convention Center.
Join educators for the 13th annual Kansas MTSS Symposium Sept. 7-8 in Wichita at the downtown Hyatt.
The Kansas Multi-Tier System of Supports and Alignment (MTSS) is hosting an in-person event to help people increase student engagement, motivation and academic achievement.
There are 346,000 eligible Kansans who have not claimed their Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) benefit.
At this time, districts will be able to enter and submit information for the Fall Vacancy Report (FVR). The deadline for submission of the Fall Vacancy Report is Monday, Sept. 26, 2022.
So far, 14 Kansas school districts have applied for a total of 43 electric buses, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
With the school year starting, it’s a good time to remind drivers to be vigilant when school buses are in the vicinity and to obey the law, which requires all motorists to stop when approaching or overtaking a stopped school bus displaying its flashing red stop arm.
School systems entering their fifth year of Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) need to email accreditation@ksde.org as soon as possible to let the Accreditation and Design team know the date of their OVT visit for this school year.
Throughout the summer, the Accreditation and Design team at the Kansas State Department of Education invited a random sample of 50, year five Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) systems for one-on-one meetings to review their KESA goals and to support systems in feeling ready to complete their final year of the KESA cycle.
Quarterly science professional development will take place in six different regions of the state.
Join instructional leaders who support educators in their implementation of K-8 science for a book study.
The Kansas Horizon Award program offers Kansas school districts an excellent opportunity to honor exemplary first-year teachers.
Episode 11 of the Kansas State Department of Education’s “Insight Podcast” is now available.
Welcome to the new KSDEweekly newsletter, your weekly one-stop source for KSDE news and information. Our goal for this newsletter is to foster community within our profession and to reduce the number of messages you receive from KSDE on a daily basis, by bundling this information into one weekly resource.
Each Thursday, you can expect to receive the latest information organized around reporting and operations, assessments and accountability, standards and instruction, student health and nutrition, and upcoming events, trainings and recognition opportunities.
In order to support systems in years one through five of the Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) during the 2022-2023 school year, KSDE's Accreditation and Design (AD) team are hosting system kick-off events.
This year’s registrants are able to crunch on not only apples, but any local crunchable produce! Kansas is participating in the Mountain Plains Crunch Off with seven other regional states. The Kansas goal is 50,000 crunches statewide. The regional goal is 202,200 crunches.
Kansas has received an allocation of $218,453 to competitively award equipment assistance grants to eligible sponsors participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), including those operating the Seamless Summer Option (SSO).
Working groups creating resources for school board members, administrators, parents and community members have helped inform KSDE’s Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) team in the development of resources to help communicate the transition back to standard Child Nutrition Program operations for the 2022-2023 school year.
The application to apply to participate in the Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program (FFVP) for PY 2022-23 is available at www.kn-eat.org, School Nutrition Programs, What’s New.
All sponsors are required to use the Direct Certification system to assure that all foster students and students eligible for Food Assistance (FA) or Temporary Assistance to Families (TAF) are approved to receive free school meals.
Reimbursement rates for the 2022-2023 school year are now available at www.kn-eat.org.
A $100,000 federal grant will help the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) connect child nutrition programs in the state with locally produced flour.
Consider using this new evidence-based “panel card” created by the KSDE-sponsored Kansas Parent Information and Resource Center (KPIRC).
Beginning Monday, Aug. 8, 2022, all content and new information for the Mentoring and Professional Development programs will be put on each program’s respective web pages, according to Ed Kalas, an education program specialist for KSDE.
The Teacher Licensure team at KSDE has developed three surveys to assist educators with their license.
The new “Cool Careers” video, shot at Beeson Elementary School, Dodge City 443, focuses on becoming an elementary school teacher.
Here is a reminder on the age of eligibility for students to attend school:
Per K.S.A. 72-3118: The child will attain the age of 5 years on or before Aug. 31 of the school year. Guidelines for compliance with the law are shown below.
1-800-CHILDREN is a statewide 24/7 judgment-free parent helpline powered by Kansas Children’s Service League. At 1-800-CHILDREN, families can easily connect with the information, local resources and support they need 24/7, even if what they need is a listening ear.
Registration is open for the annual Counting Kids Workshops led by Laurel Murdie, KSDE’s Fiscal Auditing director.
August-September events. Click read more for the full list.
Engaging families as children transition into kindergarten supports kindergarten readiness and later student success. All children are ready to enter kindergarten when they meet the age requirement – 5 years old on or before Aug. 31 of their kindergarten year.
In this edition | Feature Story | Assessments and Accountability | Reporting and Operations Standards and Instruction | Student Health and Nutrition | Upcoming Events, Trainings and Recognition
Questions about this page contact:
Denise Kahler (785) 296-4876 dkahler@ksde.org
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The Kansas State Department of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities. (more information...)
To accommodate people with disabilities, on request, auxiliary aides and services will be provided and reasonable modifications to policies and programs will be made. To request accommodations or for more information please contact the Office of General Counsel at gc@ksde.org or by 785-296-3201.