Menu
Members of the Blue-Ribbon Task Force on Student Screen Time have met four times to date, reviewing research and discussing the issues that will form the basis for a recommended policy regarding the non-academic use of cell phones and other technology by Pre-K-12 Kansas students.
The 36-member task force, appointed by the Kansas State Board of Education in July, is focusing on the following areas:
Members of the task force include students, classroom teachers, administrators, two legislators, and two members of the state board.
Members of the Kansas State Board of Education received an update during their September meeting on what districts will have to include in their at-risk accountability plans, the at-risk pilot initiative and the status of the list of evidence-based programs.
The Kansas State Department of Education submitted its annual budget request on Friday, Sept. 6, to the Division of the Budget of the Kansas Department of Administration.
This year’s budget request included a revised estimate for state fiscal year 2025 and an initial estimate for FY 2026. The state fiscal year lasts from July 1 to June 30. A summary of the budget is provided below. The agency’s full budget request can be found on the KSDE website at Fiscal Services and Operations.
The ESSER quarterly reporting will open on CommonApp on Oct. 1, and will close at the end of the day, Oct. 17.
The Post-Award Reporting and Recording forms for capital improvement projects are due Sept. 30.
These reports are mandatory for capital project in which federal funds were used for ANY portion of the project. This includes any ESSER funding stream, such as ESSER I, ESSER I SPED, ESSER II, ESSER II SPED, ESSER II True Up, ESSER III, or ESSER III True Up.
As a follow-up to the annual Counting Kids workshops, KSDE’s Fiscal Auditing Team will offer six “Ask an Auditor” Zoom-based sessions to help answer 2024-25 Counting Kids questions. The sessions will be on the following dates:
A new tool, “Checklist for School Districts’ Annual KSDE Audit,” clearly identifies documents required for the audit, including a short list of items to upload in advance of your district’s scheduled audit.
The checklist is available on the KSDE Fiscal Auditing webpage under the heading, “Audit Guides.” The checklist will also be previewed and discussed during this fall’s Counting Kids workshops.
Call (785) 296-4976 or email auditing@ksde.org with questions.
Registration is now open for the second quarterly meeting of administrators of Local Consolidated Plans (LCP).
Is vaping an issue at your school? Are you ready to address it and get students connected to the help they need? If yes, enroll in the Kansas Vaping ECHO for Education program for the 2024-25 school year by Sept. 13.
The Kansas State Department of Education is committed to supporting districts that serve students who are experiencing homelessness. There are live trainings that will be offered on the following dates and times on this topic:
The approved Kansas State Plan for Career and Technical Education (CTE) includes a Perkins Secondary Reserve Fund, established to provide support for innovative CTE programs, program delivery and/or CTE program expansion to meet critical workforce development needs. Reserve funds are distributed through a competitive grant process.
Grant applications for the Fiscal Year 2025 Perkins Reserve grants are now available on the KSDE Carl. D. Perkins webpage.
KSDE’s Information Technology (IT) team is offering a series of webinars hosted by experts to assist 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. These 60-minute webinars will take place at 1 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month starting this month.
The following are reminders for KESA-related trainings as well as in-person and virtual information sessions in September:
KESA facilitator in-person trainings available at education service centers
Training sessions are open to any Kansas educator interested in serving as a School Improvement Day facilitator for KESA. There is still time to register for these September sessions at the following locations:
Next Friday, Sept. 20, is the deadline for all elementary schools to partner with families to complete the Ages & Stages Questionnaires (ASQ).
To advance kindergarten readiness, all Kansas elementary schools are required to partner with families to better understand incoming kindergarten students’ development. The 2024 Snapshot window closes Sept. 20. Schools should administer both the ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 questionnaires to all incoming kindergarten students by Sept. 20.
All data (including pending Family Access screenings and finalized manual screenings) must be entered in ASQ Online by Sept. 27.
Early childhood special education administrators should review and finalize their early childhood outcomes data for the 2023-24 school year by Sunday, Sept. 15.
The Outcomes Part B Web System (OWS) is the online data collection system that Kansas uses to collect the assessment data for Indicator 7 for Part B, one of the 17 indicators reported to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP).
Hosted by Kansas students, the fourth season of "Cool Careers" is now available here from HirePaths.
The new episodes feature a human resources specialist, emergency dispatcher, commercial driver and IT network installer. Downloadable, free worksheets have also been developed to go along with each episode.
The KSDE Career and Technical Education (CTE) program is offering technical assistance in September and October for various topics including Career Cluster and Pathway Program of Study Applications (CPPSAs), Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL) information and resources, industry recognized credentials, Students’ Right to Know Act and more.
The Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) has extended the application deadline for the 2024 Summer EBT program. Applications for the new federal program, designed to help eligible families offset some of the costs of buying food for their school-aged children during the summer, are being accepted until 5 p.m., on Oct. 15.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is accepting nominations for the 2026 Kansas Teacher of the Year. Every school district is encouraged to nominate one exemplary elementary classroom teacher and one exemplary secondary classroom teacher for this prestigious award.
Not only does participating in this program demonstrate that your district values exceptional teaching, you will be providing critical professional development opportunities for your nominees. Participants say year after year this program is life-changing and has made them better teachers.
Do you want to recognize and reward first-year educators in your district? The Kansas Horizon Award program offers school districts the opportunity to honor outstanding teachers after their first year in the classroom.
The program, sponsored by the Kansas State Department of Education, recognizes and rewards first-year teachers who have served as examples of excellent teaching in their elementary or secondary classroom.
Horizon Award winners receive special recognition during the Kansas Exemplary Educators Network (KEEN) state education conference which takes place annually in February, in Topeka.
The Presidential Scholars program recognizes and honors high school seniors who have demonstrated high achievements academically or in the arts — some having to overcome special challenges or hurdles to do so.
The Presidential Scholars in Career and Technical Education (CTE) program also offers recognition of high-achieving students who have demonstrated excellence in CTE. This program started in 2016.
These two separate programs require separate nomination forms.
Applications are being accepted for the 2025 United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) and are due Oct. 10. The students selected will be notified after Dec. 1.
The KSDE TASN School Mental Health Initiative is excited to share the following professional development opportunity: Mindfulness and School-Based Yoga: Tools for the Classroom
Don’t forget to register your leadership team to attend this year’s Great Ideas in Education Conference: Lighting the Path Forward, Oct. 23-25, in Wichita.
KSDE is encouraging districts and buildings to bring a leadership team to learn together. Each district will be slightly different according to size and district needs.
Teams of four will receive a discount on registration. *Please note: The hotel room block at the Wichita Hyatt Regency is filling up quickly.
Every district must have a district test coordinator and each district test coordinator is required to attend annual security and ethics training before training all other district staff involved in administering state assessments. Each training session will be 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Kansas Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) and Alignment announces the upcoming Kansas MTSS & Alignment Leadership Institute, a dynamic, one-day professional development event tailored for building and district leaders in November.
Districts with virtual learning to complete now have until Dec. 31 to schedule your session(s). Check this recording at the 1:37 time stamp to see if this deadline applies to your district. Districts can use their allotted virtual learning for any 60-minute session(s) in the Professional Learning Catalog. You do not need to hold the session by Dec. 31, but you do need to schedule it before then so that it does not expire.
September
13: Counting KIDS Workshop, 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m., Hiawatha USD 415 High School Auditorium. Email auditing@ksde.org with questions.
17: School Transportation informational meeting, 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m., Arkansas City, Avery Learning Center. Questions? Contact Keith Dreiling at kdreiling@ksde.org or (785) 296-4567.
17: School Transportation informational meeting, 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m., Great Bend, Front Door Community Center. Questions? Contact Keith Dreiling at kdreiling@ksde.org or (785) 296-4567.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s teacher licensure program has recently made some updates to a frequently asked questions (FAQ) fact sheet for the licensure literacy requirement that will go into effect in 2028.
Those updates are as follows:
As part of a social studies methods class to learn how to teach content that involves history and military service, Washburn University hosted a group of veterans and education majors during an event on the Topeka school’s campus this past week.
“Our veterans get to tell their stories and our students get to listen to those stories,” said Cherry Steffen, a professor of education and chair of the Washburn University School of Applied Studies. “It’s ‘let me hear your voice and what message should I be sharing with my students?’”
Members of the Kansas State Board of Education will consider approving American Sign Language (ASL) as part of the higher education educator preparation standards for Pre-K-12 world languages during their monthly meeting, Sept. 10-11, in Topeka.
A committee of ASL educators and world languages educators convened to review the world languages preparation standards and revise them to include features of ASL, such as expanding references to speaking to include signing, and identifying a minimum proficiency level for ASL educators. This was after the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) received inquiries from an ASL task force about Pre-K-12 ASL teacher qualifications as a content area for which the KSDE teacher licensure program didn’t have an established license.
KSDE will host a webinar from 11-11:30 a.m., on Sept. 12, to review important updates to the recording and reporting requirements for all districts that used federal funds for capital improvement projects or materials, or for services for capital improvements.
The Dropout Graduation Summary Report (DGSR) will open Oct. 1. Districts should validate data across all K-12 levels between now and Oct. 1 to ensure accurate reporting for the DGSR.
Whether you are new to the Educator Data Collection System (EDCS) or just want a refresher, these trainings are for you. Each session, either in-person or by Zoom, will cover the same information.
EDCS For Beginners (in-person)
Sept. 6: 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Chanute USD 413; district board office, 321 E. Main Street
Facilitator: Kelly Colter
The Accreditation Advisory Council (AAC) is currently seeking applicants for several open positions. The council consists of about 40 education professionals who represent a variety of roles and perspectives in Kansas education. This group provides input and recommendations to KSDE and advises KSDE staff on accreditation related topics.
On Sept. 4, Kansas Ages & Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) Online users received the fourth installment of Kansas Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot News & Updates, a five-part guide to a successful start to the kindergarten year.
Each edition provides proven resources to guide Kansas educators through each step of the Ages & Stages Questionnaires® (ASQ®) screening process. If you are not a Kansas ASQ Online user, you can visit https://agesandstages.com/ks to sign up for these emails and view past newsletters.
Early childhood special education administrators should review and finalize their early childhood outcomes data for the 2023-24 school year by Sept. 15.
The KSDE Career and Technical Education (CTE) program is offering technical assistance in September and October. Click on the education service center links below to register. Registration is $35 and includes lunch.
A free, online professional development resource is available to view for preschool through middle school educators.
Click here to access the virtual session, hosted by HirePaths. Speakers include Kansas Education Commissioner Dr. Randy Watson, educators from across the state and others, who share how to incorporate career exploration into the classroom. You will find tangible tips, and a certification for continuing education credit may be downloaded.
In partnership with the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE), the Kansas Department for Children and Families identified more than 117,300 Kansas school-aged children who were eligible to receive benefits to offset the cost of groceries during the summer break. The families of these children were automatically issued benefits in July.
Schools can share Summer EBT Fact Sheets (available in English and in Spanish) so that families who did not automatically receive benefits may access this program.
Families who didn’t receive Summer EBT benefits but believe they have an eligible child may apply through the DCF online self-service portal at https://cssp.kees.ks.gov/apspssp/ssp.portal until Sept. 11.
The KSDE TASN School Mental Health Initiative is excited to share the following professional development opportunity:
Mindfulness and School-Based Yoga: Tools for the Classroom
If students are gaining decoding skills and STILL struggling with comprehension, what might be the problem? Join us to learn from a leading scholar about Developmental Language Disorder, or DLD.
KSDE will host a free webinar with Dr. Tiffany Hogan to teach educators about DLD, 4-5 p.m., on Tuesday, Sept. 24. (registration link below). You will learn what this disorder looks like alongside dyslexia; how it may present without dyslexia; and how we might identify it with our youngest of students and get them the help they need before they struggle with comprehension as they get older.
There will be a follow-up panel discussion with Dr. Hogan and Kansas educators and specialists, 4-5 p.m., on Oct. 8.
Every district must have a district test coordinator and each district test coordinator is required to attend annual security and ethics training before training all other district staff involved in administering state assessments.
Veteran educators, anyone considering a career in education, and anyone in between is invited to Bethany College’s education conference, Feb. 8, 2025.
Contact scheduling@renaissance.com for more information, schedule sessions here, and/or join Sheleena Clark for professional learning office hours for assistance on Sept. 19 in the morning or afternoon.
6: Counting KIDS Workshop, 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m., Maize USD 266 Performing Arts & Aquatic Center. Email auditing@ksde.org with questions.
6: Curriculum leader meeting, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Fort Hays State University Union Ballroom. Questions? Contact Pat Bone, pbone@ksde.org or (785) 296-2303.
9: Counting KIDS Workshop, 1-4:30 p.m., Southeast Kansas Education Service Center, Girard. Email auditing@ksde.org with questions.
9: KESA 2.0 monthly Zoom update, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Click here for the Zoom link. (Mark your calendars for these future Zoom meetings: Oct. 14, Nov. 11, Dec. 9, Jan. 13, Feb. 10, March 10, April 14, and May 12.) Email accreditation@ksde.org with questions.
10-11: Kansas State Board of Education meeting, Topeka.
As another school year begins, three generations of educators in southeast Kansas – one retired and two in the classroom – share what experiences and advice they’ve given and received over the years that helped make them the teachers they are today.
KSDE will host a webinar from 11-11:30 a.m., on Sept. 12, to review important updates to the recording and reporting requirementsfor all districts that used federal funds for capital improvement projects or materials, or for services for capital improvements.
A new tool, “Checklist for School Districts’ Annual KSDE Audit,” clearly identifies documents required for the audit, including a short list of items to upload in advance of your district’s scheduled audit. The checklist is available on the KSDE Fiscal Auditing (ksde.org) webpage under the heading, “Audit Guides.” The checklist will also be previewed and discussed during this fall’s Counting Kids workshops.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) will host E-Rate training sessions in October. Don Dietrich and Lori Thompson from BTU Consultants will conduct five in-person sessions across the state to discuss the E-Rate program's opportunities and requirements.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced a cybersecurity pilot program that will allocate up to $200 million to selected schools and libraries. Schools must apply and be chosen to participate in this three-year initiative.
Training sessions are open to any Kansas educator interested in serving as a School Improvement Day facilitator for KESA
If you were unable to join KSDE’s Accreditation and Design on Aug. 12 for the first KESA monthly update, here are the slides and a recording of the meeting.
The next monthly update is scheduled for 10:30-11:15 a.m. on Sept. 9. Slides and recordings of these monthly updates are available on this webpage after every meeting.
Make plans to attend the in-person KESA 2.0 information sessions this fall for updates on the latest developments and valuable insights on the new accreditation process.
KSDE’s Dr. Ben Proctor and Dr. Jay Scott host these events to ensure districts and systems are prepared for the 2024-25 school year. Attendees will be able to ask questions, share feedback and network with fellow educators.
Registration is not required for these sessions. However, the Greenbush locations will conduct registration for the districts in their service areas.
The KSDE Career and Technical Education (CTE) program is offering technical assistance in September and October.
The KSDE Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) team will host verification training from 1:30-3:30 p.m., on Thursday, Sept. 5.
Verification is the process school nutrition program (SNP) sponsors must conduct annually to confirm households are eligible to receive free and reduced-price school meals. The training will cover the purpose and focus of verification and review the steps required to complete verification within all established deadlines.
Are you looking for a specialized professional development opportunity for Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) educators in your district? This two-day training in Salina, Sept. 9-10, is tailored directly to the needs of FCS educators in Kansas and will cover topics like work-based learning in the FCS classroom, managing an effective Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) chapter, methods for running a high-quality FCS program, and much more.
Whether you are a new or veteran test coordinator, make plans to attend one of the mandatory trainings held across the state beginning in September.
Every district must have a district test coordinator and each district test coordinator is required to attend annual security and ethics training before training all district staff involved in giving state assessments.
Make plans to attend this year’s Great Ideas in Education Conference, “Lighting the Path Forward,” Oct. 23-25 in Wichita, by clicking here to register, make room reservations, access the schedule and see the list of titles, strands and audiences for the breakout sessions.
Chris Perry, co-founder and executive director of Cultivate Education, an educational consulting company based in Baldwin City, will be the keynote speaker on Oct. 23.
College credit is now available for attending this conference. Click here for information.
FastBridge screening assessment measures give instructional teams a wealth of data. Yet, how do teams harness that data to inform instructional practice at the ground-level?
During this free, one-day event, the Kansas Multi-Tier System of Supports (MTSS) and Alignment team will guide districts in navigating several key FastBridge reports to make sense of the data and connect it to specific practices that ultimately impact student learning.
Click this link to register: https://www.bethanylb.edu/education-conference
2: KSDE offices closed in observance of Labor Day.
3: Counting KIDS Workshop, 1-4:30 p.m., Kansas City USD 500 Central Office. Email auditing@ksde.org with questions.
4: Counting KIDS Workshop, 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m., Olathe USD 233 Instructional Resource Center. Email auditing@ksde.org with questions.
5: Blue-Ribbon Task Force on Student Screen Time, 4-5:30 p.m. Click here to access the livestream.
5: Counting KIDS Workshop, 1-4:30 p.m., Andover USD 385 District Office Board Room. Email auditing@ksde.org with questions.
5: School Transportation informational meeting, 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m., Bishop Professional Development Center, Topeka. Questions? Contact Keith Dreiling at kdreiling@ksde.org or (785) 296-4567.
As the new school year gets underway for Kansas schools, the Kansas State Department of Education is reminding districts of updates to at-risk funding, including an updated list of evidence-based programs and practices, and an at-risk accountability plan pilot.
Is vaping an issue at your school? Are you ready to address it and get students connected to the help they need? If yes, enroll in the Kansas Vaping ECHO for Education program for the 2024-25 school year.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) will be hosting E-rate training sessions in October. Don Dietrich from BTU Consultants will conduct five in-person sessions across the state to discuss the E-rate program's opportunities and requirements.
Information regarding registration and costs will be posted on each service center's website so check their websites periodically for information. KSDE will distribute registration details once they are provided by the service centers.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has unveiled a cybersecurity pilot program that will allocate up to $200 million to selected schools and libraries. To participate in this three-year initiative, schools must apply and be chosen.
Do you have questions about the new school improvement model? Click here to access information about the model itself, the school improvement facilitator guide, definitions of the Four Fundamentals and what a school improvement day looks like.
All curriculum leaders are invited to attend the quarterly meetings scheduled for the 2024-25 school year. These sessions will be recorded and posted for viewing following their conclusion.
Training sessions are open to any educator wanting to serve as a school improvement day facilitator for KESA.
If you missed out on Accreditation and Design’s KESA monthly update on Aug.12, here is a recording of the meeting as well as the slides Dr. Jay Scott presented.
The next KESA monthly update will be 10:30 a.m. - 11:15 a.m., Sept. 9. Click here for the link to join. If you’d like reminders about these monthly updates, email accreditation@ksde.org to join KESA’s listserv and receive reminders.
These events are hosted by Dr. Ben Proctor and Dr. Jay Scott, of KSDE’s Division of Learning Services, to ensure districts and systems are prepared for the 2024-25 school year. Attendees will be able to ask questions, share feedback and network with fellow educators.
Early childhood teachers and administrators have multiple opportunities for professional learning and collaboration in the next several months.
On Aug. 21, Kansas Ages & Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) Online users received the third installment of Kansas Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot News & Updates, a five-part guide to a successful start to the kindergarten year.
Are you looking for a specialized professional development opportunity for Family and Consumer Sciences educators in your district? This two-day training in Salina is tailored directly to the needs of FCS educators in Kansas and will cover topics like work-based learning in the FCS classroom, managing an effective FCCLA chapter, methods for running a high-quality FCS program, and much more.
Every district must have a district test coordinator. It also is required that each district test coordinator attend annual security and ethics training before training all district staff involved in giving state assessments.
Any high school junior or senior is eligible for the program as long as they have not previously been a delegate to Washington Week and have not received a USSYP scholarship. The student applicant must hold a high-level leadership position in any student government, civic or educational organization during the entire 2024–25 academic year.
Make plans to attend this year’s Great Ideas in Education Conference, “Lighting the Path Forward,” Oct. 23-25, by clicking here to register, make room reservations, access the schedule and see the list of titles, strands and audiences for the breakout sessions.
Veteran educators, anyone considering a career in education, or anyone in between is invited to Bethany College’s education conference, Feb. 8, 2025.
Attention teachers and other district staff: Please share with your future educators the 11th annual northeast regional Educators Rising Kansas conference will be 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Nov. 6.
This conference takes place at MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe. More information will be shared later this month.
During a no cost, one-day event, the Kansas Multi-Tier System of Supports (MTSS) and Alignment team will guide districts in navigating several key FastBridge reports in order to make sense of the data and connect it to specific practices that ultimately impact student learning.
Calling all school districts – time is of the essence! Check this recording at the 1:37 time stamp to see if your school or district has virtual learning to schedule. You can use yourvirtual learning for any 60-minute session(s) in the Professional Learning Catalog. You can hold the session(s) at any point in the school year, but you do need to schedule it before Sept. 1 so that it does not expire.
August
26: Counting KIDS Workshop, 1-4:30 p.m., Northwest Kansas Educational Service Center, Oakley. Email auditing@ksde.org with questions.
27: Counting KIDS Workshop, 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m., Dodge City USD 443 district office building. Email auditing@ksde.org with questions.
28: KESA 2.0 facilitator training, in-person, Southwest Plains, Sublette. Click here to register. Contact Pat Bone at pbone@ksde.org for more information.
29: Counting KIDS Workshop, 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-4:30 p.m., Auburn-Washburn USD 437 district office building. Email auditing@ksde.org with questions.
29: KESA 2.0 facilitator training, in-person, Northwest Plains, Oakley. Click here to register. Contact Pat Bone at pbone@ksde.org for more information.
During the Kansas State Board of Education’s August meeting, members identified the topics and individuals who will serve on the Blue-Ribbon Task Force on Screen Time in Schools.
The 36-member task force, approved by board members in July, will discuss the following areas:
Kansas students, teachers and staff are headed back to school. That means it’s time to view the 2024-2025 Back-to-School video!
Kansas parents appear to be more positive than they were five years ago about their children’s pursuit of career and technical education during high school according to the parent perception survey conducted by HirePaths, a career exploration company based in Manhattan.
“I think this is a pat on everybody’s back here,” Kristin Brighton, founder of HirePaths, told members of the Kansas State Board of Education during their August meeting. “I think that is an exciting thing to celebrate.”
For the Paola Unified School District 368 robotics team, it is about more than just building robots.
“I really love this program because of the emphasis on growing the whole person,” said Mary Ure, one of the mentors of Team 1108 Panther Robotics, at the August Kansas State Board of Education meeting. “We’re making robots, yes, but we are making citizens who will be productive, inspiring to others, kind, considerate and ready for the workforce.”
Beginning July 1, 2028, Kansas veteran educators serving in the positions listed below will be required to demonstrate knowledge of the science of reading to renew their professional license. This knowledge may be demonstrated by completing state-approved training or passing a state-approved literacy exam.
KSDE’s School Transportation Unit will host school transportation meetings/forums for the 2024-25 school year at 15 locations in September.
School transportation professionals are encouraged to attend one of these meetings. This may be the only occasion during the year where you have an opportunity to attend a meeting at a close, convenient location to your district. All meetings are 9:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Each meeting will be held 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. There is a $25 registration fee.
Each year, a school system’s district leadership team (DLT) will participate in a one-day collaboration on continuous school improvement with a small number of like-system district leadership teams.
The KESA facilitator training sessions are in-person training sessions that are held at regional service centers. You only need to attend one training session. Registration - which is required - will close one week prior for each site.
Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe9wxTQm6z5zZA1qBF_vRiNoXCbMfYOLusVOPL9x5BQT89Whw/viewform?usp=sf_link
The KSDE Accreditation and Design team has resumed the KESA virtual monthly updates for the 2024-25 school year. These virtual updates are 10:30-11:15 a.m. on the second Monday of each month.
The next monthly update will be Monday, Sept. 9. Click here for the Zoom link. No passcode is required.
School districts and systems are invited to attend in-person KESA 2.0 information sessions this fall for updates on the latest developments and valuable insights on the new accreditation process.
Make plans to attend this year’s Great Ideas in Education conference, “Lighting the Path Forward,” Oct. 23-25, by clicking here to register, make room reservations, access the schedule and see the list of titles, strands and audiences for the breakout sessions.
NEW: College credit is now available. Click here for information.
Calling all school districts – time is of the essence! Check this recording at the 1:37 time stamp to see if your school or district has virtual learning to schedule. You can use the remaining virtual learning for any 60-minute session(s) in the Professional Learning Catalog. You can hold the session(s) at any point in the school year, but you do need to schedule it before Sept. 1 so that it does not expire.
Reach out to scheduling@renaissance.com for more information or schedule your time here.
When Akshay Nair found out he had been accepted to a prestigious science camp this summer, he thought his days would be filled with elaborate laboratory experiments and lectures from world-renowned scientists and leaders in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, fields.
“More than science camp, it felt like a life boot camp,” said the senior at Blue Valley West High School, Blue Valley Unified School District 229. “The life skills you learn, more than the content and the science, helped me the most.”
Members of the Kansas State Board of Education during their August meeting will finalize the framework for the blue-ribbon task force charged with developing recommendations for K-12 students’ digital device use during and outside of school hours.
During their July meeting, board members authorized Dr. Randy Watson, Kansas Education Commissioner, to form the working group charged with creating guidance for addressing several areas regarding the use of digital devices by K-12 Kansas students.
The deadline for completing the Pathways Student Data Management application is Thursday, Aug. 15.
Anyone needing assistance to complete the application can participate in a Zoom session at 10 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 12. Click here for the Zoom link: https://ksde.zoom.us/j/85724484528. Meeting ID: 857 2448 4528
The Enrollment Handbook for 2024-25 is available and posted under the headline "Audit Guides" on Fiscal Auditing (ksde.org). This handbook is updated annually and is a resource to assist schools in reporting data for student enrollment in the KIDS system (KIDS ENRL).
Registration is open and registration deadlines are approaching for KSDE’s annual Counting Kids workshops presented in advance of the state’s official student count day on Friday, Sept. 20. Each year, KSDE Fiscal Auditing Director Laurel Murdie updates school districts on the information needed to enter for funding purposes.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s School Transportation Unit will be holding school transportation meetings/forums for the 2024-25 school year at 15 locations in September.
We understand you are busy but please consider attending one of these meetings. This may be the only occasion during the year where you have an opportunity to attend a meeting at a close, convenient location to your district. All meetings are 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Currently, local education agencies (LEAs) are limited only to entering potential mentor teachers in the mentor stipends system.
Each year, a school system’s District Leadership Team (DLT) will participate in a one-day collaboration on continuous school improvement with a small number of like-system district leadership teams.
The KESA facilitator trainings are in-person sessions at regional service centers. You only need to attend one session. Registration - which is required - will close one week prior for each site.
The KSDE Accreditation and Design team is resuming the KESA virtual monthly updates for the 2024-25 school year beginning Aug. 12. These virtual updates will take place 10:30 am to 11:15 a.m. on the second Monday of each month.
The first monthly update will be next Monday, Aug. 12, beginning at 10:30 a.m. Click here for the Zoom link. No passcode is required.
The Kansas Children's Cabinet and Trust Fund board adopted the updated All in for Kansas Kids strategic plan for early childhood on Aug. 2. Updates to this plan continue years of work and collaboration between state agencies to collaboratively improve our state's early childhood programs and services.
On Aug. 7, Kansas Ages & Stages Questionnaires® (ASQ®) Online users received the second installment of Kansas Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot News & Updates, a five-part guide to a successful start to the kindergarten year.
Each edition provides proven resources to guide Kansas educators through each step of the Ages & Stages Questionnaires® (ASQ®) screening process. If you are not a Kansas ASQ Online user, you can visit https://agesandstages.com/ks to sign up for these emails and to view past newsletters.
The KSDE required dyslexia training modules have been updated and are available for all districts to use in training new teachers and teachers new to teaching in Kansas based on teacher licensure (see link below for details).
There are five modules included in the training, and all are accompanied by supportive materials, a slide deck with presentation video, and a facilitation guide.
Make plans to attend this year’s Great Ideas in Education conference, “Lighting the Path Forward,” Oct. 23-25, by clicking here to register.
For room reservations for the Hyatt Regency Wichita, click here. For the Fairfield Inn and Suites room reservations, click here.
NEW: Click here to see the conference draft schedule.
NEW: Click here for a list of titles, strands and audience for each of the breakout sessions. Stay tuned for more details on these sessions in the near future.
Calling all school districts! Check this recording at the 1:37 time stamp to see if your school or district has virtual learning to schedule. You can use the remaining virtual learning for any 60-minute session(s) in the Professional Learning Catalog. You do not need to hold the session by Sept. 1, but you do need to schedule it before then so that it does not expire.
11: Conclusion of Sunflower Summer, a program of Kansas Tourism. For a complete list of participating locations and more information about the program, click here. Have questions? Email sunflower.summer@ks.gov.
12: KESA 2.0 monthly Zoom update, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Click here for the Zoom link. (Mark your calendars for these future Zoom meetings: Sept. 9, Oct. 14, Nov. 11, Dec. 9, Jan. 13, Feb. 10, March 10, April 14, and May 12.) Email accreditation@ksde.org with questions.
13-14: Kansas State Board of Education meeting, in Topeka.
Kimberly Gilman, a history and social studies teacher at Hocker Grove Middle School in Shawnee Mission Unified School District 512, has been named the 2024 Kansas History Teacher of the Year. This prestigious award, given by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, recognizes extraordinary elementary and secondary educators for their contributions to the teaching of American history.
What actually constitutes kindergarten readiness? Knowing a child’s skills and level of development when they enter kindergarten is important, but it takes more than that to be kindergarten ready.
“Kindergarten readiness is also how ready does each family feels for the start of the kindergarten year,” said Amanda Petersen, director of KSDE’s early childhood team. “It’s also about what a school has done to build a relationship with a family so as they get ready for kindergarten and as the year goes on so they can really be partners in each child’s learning.”
Kansas is one of 29 states and two territories seeking to create a standardized agreement and data sharing protocol with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) that would allow states to access accurate, secure and standardized data on military service.
In November 2023, Kansas Commissioner of Education Dr. Randy Watson led the effort to have other state education officers sign an open letter to the DOD to ask the military to provide states with the data to be able to count enlisted military in postsecondary success.
Currently, local education agencies (LEAs) are limited only to entering potential mentor teachers in the mentor stipends system. LEAs cannot submit stipend requests at this time. The deadline for entering mentor teachers is 5 p.m. CST on Sept. 25.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Professional Development (PD) Planning program has received numerous questions from districts regarding the use of PD points for movement on the district salary schedule. Specific guidance is embedded within the PD plan review process to distinguish awarding PD points for renewal and districts’ policies toward salary movement based on PD points.
The goal of this information is to provide clarity regarding the KSDE’s role and responsibilities relating to the awarding of PD points for license renewal versus salary schedule movement.
Local education agencies (LEAs) are now able to enter and submit the Fall Vacancy Report (FVR). The deadline for submitting the FVR is 5 p.m. CST, on Sept. 25. LEAs also are able to start entering data for the Licensed Personnel Report (LPR), which can be submitted through March 1, 2025.
KESA facilitator trainings are scheduled for dates in August and September. These are in-person training sessions and will be held at regional service centers. You only need to attend one training session. Registration - which is required - will close one week prior for each site.
These meetings are recorded and posted along with other materials on the Accreditation and Design (KESA) webpage which is currently under construction. Click here for the Zoom link. No passcode is required.
The KSDE required dyslexia training modules have been updated and are available for all districts to use in training new teachers and teachers new to teaching in Kansas based on teacher licensure (see link below for details). There are five modules included in the training, and all are accompanied by supportive materials, a slide deck with presentation video, and a facilitation guide.
Make plans to attend this year’s Great Ideas in Education conference, “Lighting the Path Forward,” Oct. 23-25, by clicking here.
NEW: Click here for a list of titles, strands, and audience for each of the breakout sessions. Stay tuned for more details on these sessions in the near future.
If your district previously used or is currently implementing Star Assessments, you may have virtual learning to schedule. Schools can use their remaining virtual learning for any 60-minute session(s) in the Professional Learning Catalog. You do not need to hold the session by Sept. 1, but you do need to schedule it by then so that it does not expire. Reach out to scheduling@renaissance.com for more information.
6: ASQ® Training for School Leaders, 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Visit ksdetasn.org/events to register.
Teaching is not for the faint of heart.
“Teachers make 1,500 decisions a day,” said Kara Belew, a 2020 Kansas Teacher of the Year finalist. “It can be exhausting. But if you set your expectations, people will meet them.”
Belew, who teaches government at Andover Central High School, Andover Unified School District 385, was one of three certified teachers leading a group of registered teacher apprentices during an academy this week in Topeka. The event was at the Topeka Center for Advanced Learning & Careers, or TCALC, part of Topeka USD 501.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Professional Development (PD) Planning program has received numerous questions from districts regarding the use of PD points for movement on the district salary schedule. Specific guidance is embedded within the PD plan review process to distinguish awarding PD points for renewal and districts policies towards salary movement based on PD points.
Training sessions have been scheduled for new and veteran administrators responsible for their Local Consolidated Plans (LCP) for special education. These plans are necessary for the completion of federal requirements of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
On July 23, Kansas Ages & Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) Online users received the first installment of Kansas Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot News & Updates, a five-part guide to a successful start to the kindergarten year.
Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) are now able to enter and submit data for the Fall Vacancy Report (FVR) that is due Sept. 25 and begin entering data for the Licensed Personnel Report (LPR) that is due within the Jan. 1–March 1, 2025, window.
School districts and systems are invited to attend KESA 2.0 information sessions this fall for updates on the latest developments and valuable insights on the new accreditation process.
The Kansas Early Learning Standards (KELS) revision team is excited to announce the KELS website is officially live.
For sponsors who have not yet completed procurement training, the KSDE Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) team will be hosting one more session from 2-3 p.m. on Tuesday, July 30. Join the training here: https://ksde.zoom.us/j/86257503993?pwd=dFRmRFJvQmRVaXF5QWZmS1MvTGhadz09 (Passcode: 192661).
The Kansas State Department of Education announces the postponement of all upcoming English Language Arts (ELA) and English Learners (EL) professional development sessions scheduled to occur between July 20 and Oct. 30.
Training for the Ages & Stages Questionnaires® (ASQ) Screeners to engage with families and prepare classrooms for kindergarteners will be presented by KSDE, Kansas MTSS & Alignment, and the Kansas Parent Information Resource Center (KPIRC) at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, July 30, and at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 6.
The Kansas State Department of Education is looking for six to eight high school students to participate in a panel discussion at the KSDE Great Ideas in Education: Lighting the Path Forward conference. This discussion will take place during a general session at the conference, Oct. 23-25, in Wichita.
July
30: Deadline to apply for Patterson Family Foundation’s School Districts and Community-Based Centers grants for rural child care programs. Contact Denise Schuele, denise@pffkc.org, Patterson Family Foundation program officer, with questions.
30: ASQ Training for School Leaders, 3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Visit ksdetasn.org/events to register.
Preschool-aged children with autism in the Lansing Unified School District 469 early childhood program have begun building stronger connections among themselves and their neurotypical peers.
“Once I read a little bit about it, I jumped on board,” Dr. Rebecca Dalton, principal of early childhood at USD 469, said of the Peer Inventions for Preschoolers with Autism, or PIPA, a research project of Juniper Gardens Children’s Project at The University of Kansas. The interventions that are part of the research began last fall at the beginning of the 2023-24 school year.
The window closes on Friday, July 19, for school districts/systems to submit quarterly reports for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds on CommonApp.
The Kansas early childhood systems-building webinar on July 10 featured presentations about recent updates to two important Kansas early childhood resources.
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). This Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot is an accreditation requirement and an impactful strategy as part of an overall system of school improvement.
It is time for early childhood special education administrators to review and finalize their Early Childhood Outcomes data for the 2023-24 school year.
Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) are now able to enter and submit data for the Fall Vacancy Report (FVR) that is due Sept. 25 and begin entering data for the Licensed Personnel Report (LPR) that is due within the Jan. 1 – March 1, 2025, window.
The dates and locations for the 2024 KESA 2.0 facilitator trainings are set. These sessions are in-person at the regional service centers. Attendance at one training session is sufficient. Registration will close one week prior to each of the sessions.
The KSDE Accreditation and Design team will resume the KESA 2.0 monthly updates on the second Monday of each month beginning Aug.12.
Middle and high school students from across the state of Kansas had various opportunities to put their academic, technical, and employability skills to the test at seven national and international CTSO conferences this summer.
The KSDE Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) team will be hosting a required procurement training for School Nutrition Program (SNP) sponsors on July 30.
Newly-hired School Nutrition Program (SNP) directors and managers are invited to join KSDE Child Nutrition and Wellness for the Jump Start fall kick-off, on Wednesday, July 31, from 9 a.m.–3 p.m., in Hays.
The Kansas State Department of Education is looking for six to eight high school students to participate in a panel discussion at the KSDE Great Ideas in Education: Lighting the Path conference. This discussion will take place during a general session at the conference, Oct. 23-25, in Wichita.
Star Assessment learning sessions:
If your district previously used or is currently implementing Star Assessments, you may have virtual learning to schedule. Schools can use their remaining virtual learning for any 60-minute session(s) in the Professional Learning Catalog. You don’t need to hold the session by Sept. 1, but you do need to schedule it by then, so it doesn’t expire. Contact scheduling@renaissance.com for more information.
19: Window closes for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds quarterly reporting in CommonApp. Email esser@ksde.org for questions or more information.
23-24: School Bus CDL Proxy Testing and ELDT Theory event at Southeast of Saline USD 306; Note: ELDT Theory will be administered on July 23; Register here: https://events.ksde.org/sf/CDLTESTING3.aspx
For me, “cell phone” is a misnomer. It’s rarely used to call people.
In my generation, when we hear the word “phone,” we think of talking on a device. For more than 100 years, that’s what we used it for. But these devices aren’t being used to call your friend or call home but rather to access a variety of information, videos and social media. They’re actually a smart computer device and it’s in the hands of every kid.
The Kansas State Board of Education has directed the creation of a blue-ribbon task force charged with making recommendations for student cell phone use in the classroom.
During their July meeting this week, board members asked Kansas Education Commissioner Dr. Randy Watson to form the group, which is expected to be comprised of two board members, students, teachers, principals and other education representatives.
They will be asked to provide recommendations for a policy or guidance for the non-academic use of cell phones during instructional time.
Using a support model of cohorts to maximize resources, coaching and training, Kansas districts and private schools are set to implement the second iteration of the Kansas Education Systems Accreditation, known as KESA 2.0, this fall.
“We want to focus on fewer priorities and do those well,” said Dr. Ben Proctor, Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) deputy commissioner for learning services. “We want our students to know more and be able to do more which will give them more options and opportunities as they go through school and ultimately graduate and go on in life."
Members of the Kansas State Board of Education approved the school improvement model for KESA 2.0 during their July meeting in Topeka.
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). This Kindergarten Readiness Snapshot is an accreditation requirement and an impactful strategy as part of an overall system of school improvement.
It is time for early childhood special education administrators to review and finalize their Early Childhood Outcomes data for the 2023-24 school year. A new monitoring report (Missing Entry and Exit Report) makes it easier for districts to determine missing child entry and exit data reported in the Outcomes Web System (OWS) Part B authenticated application. As of July 3, 2021, school districts have missing entries or exits.
Registration is open for the annual Counting KIDS workshops led by Laurel Murdie, KSDE director of fiscal auditing.
The window is open for school districts/systems to submit quarterly reports for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds on CommonApp.
The KSDE Accreditation and Design team announces the KESA monthly updates will begin on the second Monday of each month beginning in August. These meetings will be from 10:30 -11:15 a.m. and will be recorded and posted along with other material on the KSDE Accreditation and Design webpage currently under construction.
Anyone interested in serving as a facilitator one or two times per year for KESA 2.0 school improvement days, please fill out this form: https://ksde.sjc1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eakt1Fs8ToGG8tw
New School Nutrition Program (SNP) directors and managers are invited to join KSDE Child Nutrition and Wellness for the Jump Start fall kick-off, on Wednesday, July 31, from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., in Hays.
If your district previously used or is currently implementing Star Assessments, you may have virtual learning to schedule.
1-19: Window open for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds quarterly reporting in CommonApp. Email esser@ksde.org for questions or more information.
17: School Bus Reasonable Suspicion Training for CDL supervisors at the Kansas Association of School Boards (KASB), in Topeka; Register here: https://events.ksde.org/sf/AlcoholandDrugTraining.aspx Note: This is mandated training for anyone who supervises CDL holders. This is free training and the KSDE School Bus Safety Unit offers it once a year.
Members of the Kansas State Board of Education are expected to vote on the adoption of the model for KESA 2.0, the second iteration of the Kansas Education Systems Accreditation, during their monthly meeting on July 9-10, in Topeka.
Make plans to attend one of the in-person sessions conducted at 11 locations – including two new host sites – to learn more about counting kids on the official count day Sept. 20, and the information needed to enter for funding purposes.
The window is now open for school districts/systems to submit quarterly reports for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds on CommonApp.
Reminder: Attention district webmasters, web content creators and coordinators!
Make sure you are using the correct KSDE logo on your website.
The KSDE Accreditation and Design team is excited to announce the upcoming fall KESA 2.0 district and system information sessions.
Hosted by Dr. Ben Proctor and Dr. Jay Scott, of KSDE’s Division of Learning Services, these sessions are designed to provide districts and systems with updates on the latest developments and valuable insights on the KESA 2.0 process, ensuring districts and systems are well-prepared for the 2024-25 school year. These meetings will provide an opportunity to ask questions, share feedback and network with fellow educators.
The KSDE Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) team will be hosting a joint School Nutrition Program (SNP) and Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) administrative training from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 9.
If your district previously used or is currently implementing Star Assessments, you may have virtual learning to schedule. Schools can use their remaining virtual learning for any 60-minute session(s) in the Professional Learning Catalog. You don’t need to hold the session by Sept. 1, but you do need to schedule it by then so it doesn’t expire. Contact scheduling@renaissance.com for more information.
1-19: Quarterly reporting for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds open in CommonApp. Email esser@ksde.org for questions or more information.
4: KSDE offices closed in observance of Fourth of July.
9: 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; Joint School Nutrition Program (SNP) and Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) administrative training, hosted by the KSDE Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) team. Join the training here: https://ksde.zoom.us/j/89730050845?pwd=SlBIWWQ0akhUeUc0N0tBUTNOOHMxZz09(Passcode: 259874)
9-10: Kansas State Board of Education meeting, Topeka.
Several education-related bills, passed during the 2024 Kansas legislative session, will go into effect Monday, July 1. The following highlights some key changes districts need to be aware of as the 2024-2025 school year approaches, including reporting requirements.
With a sense of urgency, the Kansas Blueprint for Literacy advisory committee took the first of many steps this week in continuing the Kansas State Board of Education’s commitment to improving the reading levels of Kansas students.
Access to high-quality, safe and consistent child care is a key element of thriving rural communities. The Patterson Family Foundation has a grant program to help public school districts and nonprofit community-based child care centers enhance their child care capacity.
Quarterly reporting for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds will open in CommonApp on Monday, July 1, and will close on Friday, July 19.
The window to submit chronic absentee data closes this Sunday, June 30, and is submitted on the End of Year Assessment (EOYA) record. However, chronic absentee data is not final until all EOYA records have been submitted.
As part of Kansas’ dyslexia initiative, all systems are reminded to upload their spring screening data for K-3, and eighth-grade student readers to the Kansas Individual Data on Students (KIDS) system no later than this Sunday, June 30.
The following are the dates for Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) facilitator training. These are in-person training sessions and will be held at regional service centers. You only need to attend one training session. Registration is required.
The KSDE Accreditation and Design team is excited to announce the upcoming fall KESA 2.0 information sessions for districts.
Hosted by Dr. Ben Proctor and Dr. Jay Scott, of KSDE’s Division of Learning Services, these sessions are designed to provide updates on the latest developments and valuable insights on the KESA 2.0 process, ensuring districts are well-prepared for the 2024-25 school year. These meetings will provide an excellent opportunity to ask questions, share feedback, and network with fellow educators.
HirePaths is hosting a free, professional development Zoom conference for pre-K through eighth-grade educators on Aug. 1. Keynote speakers will include Kansas Education Commissioner Dr. Randy Watson and other Kansas educators.
Would you like to serve free meals to all students during the 2024-25 school year?
If your district previously used or is currently implementing Star Assessments, you may have virtual learning to schedule. Schools can use their remaining virtual learning for any 60-minute session(s) in the Professional Learning Catalog. You don’t need to hold the session by Sept. 1, but you do need to schedule it by then so it doesn’t expire. Reach out to scheduling@renaissance.com for more information.
June
28: 1-3 p.m., Pittsburg Public Library, Large Meeting Room; the KU Center for Public Partnerships and Research and KDHE’s Maternal and Child Health program will host an open house to gather information about beliefs about systems of care for women, infants, children and adolescents across Kansas. Contact Ashley Lafond at alafond@ku.edu or kucppr-mch@ku.edu for more information.
Using humor mixed with tough love, Mary Alice Kelly wants young Kansans to know they can stop vaping.
“I tell them (students) that lung transplants aren’t pleasant,” said Kelly, a nurse at Shawnee Mission North High School. “I also let them know they’re not alone.”
Access to high-quality, safe, and consistent child care is a key element of thriving rural communities. The Patterson Family Foundation announces a grant program to help public school districts and nonprofit community-based child care centers enhance their child care capacity.
The following are some reminders about chronic absentee data uploads:
As part of Kansas’ dyslexia initiative, all systems are reminded to upload their spring screening data for K-3, and eighth-grade student readers.
Three and 4-year-old students who meet an at-risk criterion for the preschool-aged at-risk program and who are enrolled and attending a program that meets preschool-aged at-risk program requirements on Count Day, will automatically count as a ½ student (0.5 FTE) in calculating a district’s enrollment and accompanying weightings.
Beginning July 1, 2024, the Kansas Turnpike Authority (KTA) will go cashless and there will NO longer be toll tickets and toll booths.
The Kansas State Department of Education is looking for six to eight high school students to participate in a panel discussion at the KSDE Great Ideas in Education: Lighting the Path conference.
Mark Perna, a national expert on workforce and education, will be at Topeka West High School to speak during the Education and Industry Summit on July 25.
HirePaths is hosting a free, professional development Zoom conference for pre-K through 8th grade educators on Aug. 1.
Sponsors, a school, or a group of schools within the sponsor electing the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for the 2024-25 school year must complete the CEP application in KN-CLAIM by June 30.
Districts with Star Assessments should be sure to schedule their customized virtual learning before it expires in September.
25-26: School Bus CDL Proxy Testing and ELDT Theory event, at Maize USD 266; ELDT will be administered on June 25; Register here: https://events.ksde.org/sf/CDLTesting2.aspx
25: FastBridge Lightning Round, 1-2 p.m., on Tuesday, June 25, virtual. Register here.
Some educators in Kansas will have until 2028 to become trained or pass a test to show they are complying with the science of reading structured literacy requirements to renew their license. Members of the Kansas State Board of Education voted to approve the licensure renewal requirement this week during their June meeting in Topeka.
Family, each student matters and the joy of teaching were the main themes that emerged this week during a presentation by members of the 2024 Kansas Teacher of the Year team to the Kansas State Board of Education.
Three and and 4-year-old students who meet an at-risk criterion for the preschool-aged at-risk program and who are enrolled and attending a program that meets preschool-aged at-risk program requirements on Count Day, will automatically count as a ½ student (0.5 FTE) in calculating a district’s enrollment and accompanying weightings.
Starting July 1, 2024, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation will increase the costs of providing fingerprint-based record checks to state agencies.
The window to submit chronic absentee data is open until June 30 and is submitted on the End of Year Assessment (EOYA) record. However, chronic absentee data is not final until all EOYA records have been submitted.
As part of Kansas’ dyslexia initiative, all systems are reminded to upload their spring screening data for K-3, and eighth-grade student readers to the Kansas Individual Data on Students (KIDS) system.
Does your district have concerns about vaping policies, practices or procedures?
Dates have been set for Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) facilitator training. These are in-person training sessions and will be held at regional service centers across the state.
HirePaths is hosting a free, professional development Zoom conference for pre-K through eighth-grade educators on Aug. 1.
Sponsors of a school or group of schools within the sponsor electing the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for the 2024-25 school year must complete the CEP application in KN-CLAIM by June 30.
Join Renaissance for a webinar to learn more about eduCLIMBER, Renaissance’s interactive system for integrating whole child data.
The last session of KSDE Information Technology (IT) team’s cybersecurity series, “Disaster Recovery Plans for IT,” is scheduled for 1 p.m., on Wednesday, June 19.
Are you a Kansas educator who wants to integrate STEM and literacy in your elementary classroom?
17-22: School Bus Train the Trainer event, in Topeka; Register here: https://events.ksde.org/sf/TraintheTrainer.aspx
18: (repeated session) 9-11 a.m., KSDE is hosting a free, virtual workshop for Kansas educators who want to integrate STEM and literacy in their elementary classrooms. This session is for kindergarten through second grade. Click here to register.
19: KSDE offices closed in observance of Juneteenth.
Kassidy Gallagher and her three kids initially came to Bonner Springs Elementary School this week for the Kids and Big Rigs event, hosted by Bonner Springs Unified School District 204 and Bonner Springs Parks and Recreation. When she saw free lunch was being offered to kids 18 years old and under, she decided to utilize that opportunity.
Join Renaissance for a webinar to learn more about eduCLIMBER, Renaissance’s interactive system for integrating whole child data into a single platform.
Topeka – Members of the Kansas State Board of Education (KSBE) are expected to decide during their June meeting how most of the additional $75.5 million in special education state aid is going to be distributed to the state’s school districts.
The Kansas State Board of Education approved funding for preschool-aged at-risk programming for 2024-25 for 266 school districts during their May 15 meeting.
The window to submit chronic absentee data is open until June 30 and is submitted on the End of Year Assessment (EOYA) record.
As part of Kansas’ dyslexia initiative, all systems are reminded to upload their spring screening data for K-3, and eighth-grade student readers to the Kansas Individual Data on Students (KIDS) system no later than June 30.
Dates have been set for Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) facilitator training.
10-11: 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Learning through the Arts workshops, Wichita Northwest High School, in Wichita. Click here to register.
11: 9-11 a.m., KSDE is hosting a free, virtual workshop for Kansas educators who want to integrate STEM and literacy in their elementary classrooms. This session is for grades 3-5. Click here to register.
11-12: Kansas State Board of Education meeting, Topeka.
As a former superintendent and new to his position as KSDE’s deputy commissioner of fiscal and administrative services for the Kansas State Department of Education, Frank Harwood can relate to the cliché, “you don’t know what you don’t know.”
Harwood and Dale Brungardt, KSDE’s director of school finance, are preparing for this summer’s round of budget workshops for superintendents, business managers, clerks and other district officials June 12-26 in eight locations. As has been tradition, there will be a one-day session devoted solely to superintendents new to their position on July 2, in Salina.
As part of Kansas’ dyslexia initiative, all systems are reminded to upload their spring screening data.
Kansas Preschool Pilot (KKP) grantees need to submit their end -of-year survey in the Early Childhood Foundations for School Success authenticated web application by Friday, May 31, as required by program assurances.
Final reminder: The deadline to apply to be a KESA facilitator is 5 p.m., Friday, May 31.
The KSDE Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) team will be hosting School Nutrition Program (SNP) Administrative Training from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 4. At least one representative from each sponsor must complete this training.
Districts with Star Assessments should schedule their customized virtual learning before it expires in September.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is hosting a free two-day Learning Through the Arts workshop for all K-12 teachers, June 10-11, at Wichita Northwest High School, 1220 N. Tyler, in Wichita.
Researchers at the Center for Public Partnerships and Research at the University of Kansas (KU-CPPR) are teaming up with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s Maternal and Child Health Program to learn more about beliefs about systems of care for women, infants, children and adolescents across the state.
The 2024 Sunflower Summer season runs through August 11 and will include more than 220 tourism attractions.
5: 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Playful Learning Across the Day in Pre-K, Emporia State University Memorial Union, in Emporia. Click here to register.
6: 9 a.m -3 p.m., Playful Learning Across the Day in Pre-K, Hilton Garden Inn, in Salina. Click here to register.
Making peer-to-peer and community-level connections is one way Kansas teens are trying to help each other navigate the complexities of mental health and substance use.
There will be a special meeting of the Kansas State Board of Education at 10 a.m., Friday, May 24.
The window to submit chronic absentee data is now open until June 30 and is submitted on the End of Year Assessment (EOYA) record.
There is one week left for Kansas Preschool Pilot (KKP) grantees to submit their end of year survey in the Early Childhood Foundations for School Success authenticated web application. These must be submitted by May 31 as required by program assurances.
ESSER staff will host online office hours on Wednesday, May 29, beginning at 10 a.m., to address any ESSER related questions.
The Kansas State Department of Education’s School Bus Safety Unit wishes to thank the school districts who participated in the Kansas One Day Stop Arm Violation Count which was conducted on April 17, 2024.
The Kansas School Transportation Safety Conference and 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.
Forms for bus and school vehicle inspections have changed.
The KSDE School Bus Safety Unit is strongly recommending district transportation directors, or someone on the transportation staff, take time this summer to check the CDL status and medical self-certification category for all district bus drivers.
The Environmental Protection Agency anticipates awarding up to $932 million in competitive grant funding under the 2024 Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grants Program Notice of Funding Opportunity.
Thank you to all who have signed up to be facilitators for the Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA). All who have applied will play a role.
We have reopened the application until 5 p.m., Friday, May 31, to allow anyone else interested to be a part of the process.
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.
Registration is open for the 2024 KSDE Great Ideas in Education Conference: Lighting the Path Forward.
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 2024 Sunflower Summer season, operated by Kansas Tourism, will run May 25 through August 11 and will include more than 220 tourism attractions.
27: KSDE offices closed in observance of Memorial Day.
Gov. Laura Kelly on Wednesday, May 15, signed House Substitute for Senate Bill 387 into law.
The bill fully funds K-12 education, including special education.
Nine different bills were added into House Sub for SB 387 during the 2024 Kansas Legislative session.
At nearly 100 years old, Randolph Elementary in Topeka Unified School District 501 is the only continuously operating school building that was part of the 1954 landmark Brown v. Board of Education school desegregation case.
The colonial style building was one of the all-white schools that Topeka children attended prior to 1954.
Take a look in a modern-day classroom and you’ll see children of varying races, integrated and working toward the same goal of earning an education. Seventy years ago and beyond, that was not the case.
Despite being a free state, Kansas allowed segregation of elementary schools in cities with populations of 15,000 or more. Parents began to challenge these laws as early as 1881.
Members of the Kansas State Board of Education approved amendments to state regulations, K.A.R. 91-31-35, governing minimum graduation requirements during their May business meeting. The new minimum requirements will go into effect this fall for the graduating class of 2028.
Members of the Kansas State Board of Education (KSBE) have approved amendments to the Kansas Administrative Regulations (K.A.R.). that govern new minimum high school graduation requirements that will go into effect for the class of 2028, this fall’s incoming freshmen.
ESSER staff will host online office hours beginning at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, May 29, to address any ESSER related questions systems may have.
The window to enter data into the Early Childhood Foundations for School Success authenticated web application is open.
As the end of the 2023-2024 school year quickly approaches, the KSDE School Bus Safety Unit is providing the following information about events and workshops:
The Kansas School Transportation Safety Conference and State Driving Competition will be held June 5-7, at the Drury Plaza Hotel Broadview, in Wichita.
A virtual KESA 2.0 informational session has been scheduled for anyone who was unable to attend an in-person session this spring.
The KSDE Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) team will be hosting two required trainings for School Nutrition Program (SNP) sponsors.
Body Venture is KSDE’s traveling health education exhibit for students in grades K-5. This exciting exhibit has been updated and can visit approximately 100 schools during the 2024-25 school year.
Click here to register for the 2024 KSDE Great Ideas in Education conference, Oct. 23-25. Hotel reservation information is also posted on this site.
Summers in Kansas are an exciting time thanks to Sunflower Summer! Entering its fourth year, the program offers Kansas K-12 students and their families a way to explore and fall in love with Kansas by providing complimentary access to tourism attractions across the state.
You can help shape the future of health services for Kansas families!
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is sponsoring several professional learning opportunities. Now is a great time to start planning and scheduling your back-to-school professional learning! The fall calendar will fill up before you know it.
May
25: The 2024 Sunflower Summer season opens on May 25 and runs through August 11. For a complete list of participating locations and more information about the program, click here.
30-31: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Science Summit centered around the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and standards alignment/storyline process at Maize South High School, 3701 N. Tyler Road, in Wichita.
Recognizing the skills current paraprofessionals and other district staff have to become teachers is the first step in the Kansas Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program, or RTAP, that is wrapping up its first year.
Nine Topeka Unified School District 501 high school students recently signed letters of intent to pursue teaching careers. In addition to the letter of intent each student a signed contract, guaranteeing them a teaching job in the district when they graduate college.
After six years under the direction of the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE), the Mental Health Intervention Team (MHIT) will be under the umbrella of the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) as of July 1, 2024.
Members of the Kansas State Board of Education (KSBE) are expected during their May meeting to act on proposed amendments to Kansas Administrative Regulations (K.A.R.). reflecting new minimum high school graduation requirements. They are also expected to take final action on literacy requirements for teacher licensure.
Educate Kansas https://educatekansas.org/ has shared free marketing materials for the past several weeks leading up to Teacher Appreciation Week, May 6-10, to help support your teacher recruitment efforts and promote the teaching profession.
As the end of the 2023-2024 school year quickly approaches, the KSDE School Bus Safety Unit is providing the following information about events and workshops.
The early bird registration deadline is Friday, May 10.
Assignments for KSDE’s School Improvement Days are now available. These days are full-day and in-person to maximize collaboration and will be facilitated by those who have volunteered and been selected and trained in the School Improvement Model.
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.
Applications are due by Sunday, May 12.
Registration is now open! https://events.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=771
The 2024 Great Ideas in Education Conference: Lighting the Path Forward, will focus on the tools necessary to strengthen school improvement efforts to support each Kansas student. Through professional development and networking opportunities, the KSDE Great Ideas in Education Conference will help school personnel improve policies and strategies to produce safe learning environments and quality teaching and learning practices for each student.
Submissions for the 2024 KSDE Great Ideas in Education conference’s student art contest must be postmarked by Friday, May 24.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is hosting a free two-day Learning Through the Arts workshop for all K-12 teachers,June 10-11, at Wichita Northwest High School, 1220 N. Tyler, in Wichita.
14-15: Kansas State Board of Education meeting, in Topeka.
14: The Sunflower Foundation, Kansas Fights Addiction Grant Review Board in the Kansas Attorney General’s Office, and The University of Kansas Center for Public Partnership and Research (KU-CPPR) are hosting a webinar, “Intergenerational Response to Substance Use Prevention,” from noon – 1 p.m. on Tuesday, May 14.
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.
Juggling long hours, building maintenance emergencies and staff and student issues, can all take a toll on a principal’s physical and mental health.
When Mac Carr was five weeks old, his parents began noticing his eyes were making different movements that weren’t typical for a child his age.
His mom, Nicole, called an ophthalmologist to get him checked out. He was diagnosed with optic nerve hypoplasia, which Nicole said means someone could be sighted, otherwise seemingly typical, or totally blind and anywhere in between. They also did functional vision assessments, but that didn’t indicate blindness. So, it was a game of wait and see.
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. These resources are shared through a Canva link, with the ability to edit and share on your own media platforms.
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.
Assignments for KSDE’s School Improvement Days are now available.
High-Quality Instructional Materials Survey
Thank you to everyone who completed the high-quality instructional materials survey. The New Teacher Project (TNTP) is reviewing and summarizing the data for review. The data will be used to help KSDE determine next steps that will be taken to support districts in their selection of high-quality instructional materials.
This annual award recognizes an individual currently serving in an educational-related position (curriculum director, supervisor, administrator, college instructor, etc.), for outstanding leadership in curriculum and supervision of instruction in his/her respective educational-related occupation.
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 9, to discuss the School Nutrition Program (SNP) renewal process for the 2024-2025 school year.
The 2024 Great Ideas in Education Conference: Lighting the Path Forward, will focus on the tools necessary to strengthen school improvement efforts to support each Kansas student.
Safe Kids Kansas and the Topeka Zoo are partnering to host a family safety day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., on Saturday, May 4, to help teach children and their grown-ups how to be safe and healthy throughout the year. This year’s theme is “Building a safer world for Kansas kids.”
The Sunflower Foundation, Kansas Fights Addiction Grant Review Board in the Kansas Attorney General’s Office, and The University of Kansas Center for Public Partnership and Research (KU-CPPR) are hosting a webinar, “Intergenerational Response to Substance Use Prevention,” from noon – 1 p.m. on Tuesday, May 14.
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.
4: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Kansas Safe Kids “Building a Safer World for Kansas Kids” family safety event at the Topeka Zoo. For more information, go to safekidskansas.org or follow Safe Kids Kansas on Facebook and Instagram.
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.
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.
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.
Kansas students have two opportunities to be showcased during the 2024 Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Great Ideas in Education Conference.
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’