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The Confidence in Kansas Public Education Task Force has named 185 schools in 98 Kansas public school districts as recipients of the 2018 Challenge Awards.
The awards recognize Kansas schools that are making a notable difference in student achievement despite facing significant challenges in their school population. Since its inception in 2002, nearly 1,700 awards have been presented to schools across the state.
Certificates of Merit will be presented to schools by Kansas State Board of Education members.
The Challenge Award recognizes schools for outstanding achievement and uncommon accomplishments based on Kansas assessment results in math and reading, graduation rates, chronic absenteeism rates and the socioeconomic status of those taking the test. Only schools that have a total percentage of free and reduced-price lunch students above the state average of 46.49 percent are eligible for recognition.
The Confidence in Public Education Task Force is a nonprofit corporation whose primary purpose is to strengthen confidence in Kansas public education and to increase awareness of the positive aspects of public education in the state. The Task Force was created in 1981.
Members of the Task Force include American Association of University Women; Kansas PTA; Kansas Association of School Boards; Kansas National Education Association; Kansas State Board of Education; Kansas State High School Activities Association; Kansas Partners in Education; League of Women Voters – Kansas; and United School Administrators of Kansas.
For more information about the Challenge Awards program, call Tamla Miller at the Kansas State Department of Education at (785) 296-4950.
For more information about the Confidence in Kansas Public Education Task Force, call G.A. Buie, chairman of the Task Force, at (785) 232-6566.
Schools receiving a 2018 Challenge Award are:
Cheylin Junior-Senior High School, Cheylin USD 103
Rock Hills Junior-Senior High School, Rock Hills USD 107
Rock Hills Elementary School, Rock Hills USD 107
Washington County High School, Washington County USD 108
Belleville East Elementary School, Republic County USD 109
Thunder Ridge Middle School, Thunder Ridge Schools USD 110
Doniphan West Elementary School, Doniphan West Schools USD 111
Central Plains Middle School – Bushton, Central Plains USD 112
Junction Elementary School, Turner-Kansas City USD 202
Midland Trail Elementary School, Turner-Kansas City USD 202
Turner Elementary School, Turner-Kansas City USD 202
Hugoton Elementary School, Hugoton Public Schools USD 210
Elkhart Elementary School, Elkhart USD 218
Linn Elementary School, Barnes-Hanover-Linn USD 223
Central Elementary School, Olathe USD 233
Ridgeview Elementary School, Olathe USD 233
Washington Elementary School, Olathe USD 233
Westview Elementary School, Olathe USD 233
Fairview Elementary School, Olathe USD 233
Indian Trail Middle School, Olathe USD 233
West Bourbon Elementary School, Uniontown USD 235
Smith Center Junior-Senior High School, Smith Center USD 237
Tescott Elementary School, Twin Valley USD 240
Southeast High School, Southeast-Cherokee USD 247
Westside Elementary School, Pittsburg USD 250
Meadowlark Elementary School, Pittsburg USD 250
Pittsburg Middle School, Pittsburg USD 250
Northern Heights High School, North Lyon County USD 251
Hartford Junior-Senior High School, Southern Lyon County USD 252
Neosho Rapids Elementary School, Southern Lyon County USD 252
Riverside Elementary School, Emporia USD 253
South Barber High School, South Barber USD 255
South Barber Pre-K-6 School, South Barber USD 255
Lincoln Elementary School, Iola USD 257
Ortiz Elementary School, Wichita USD 259
Cloud Elementary School, Wichita USD 259
Northeast Magnet High School, Wichita USD 259
East High School, Wichita USD 259
Horace Mann Dual Language Magnet, Wichita USD 259
Irving Elementary School, Wichita USD 259
Woodland Health and Wellness Magnet, Wichita USD 259
Allison Traditional Magnet Middle School, Wichita USD 259
Lawrence Elementary School, Wichita USD 259
Cleaveland Traditional Magnet, Wichita USD 259
Mayberry Cultural and Fine Arts Magnet Middle School, Wichita USD 259
Paul B. Cooper Elementary School, Derby USD 260
Oaklawn Elementary School, Derby USD 260
Ruth Clark Elementary School K-5, Haysville USD 261
Oakley Elementary School, Oakley USD 274
Oakley Middle School, Oakley USD 274
West Elk High School, West Elk USD 282
Cedar Vale High School, Cedar Vale USD 285
Cedar Vale Elementary School, Cedar Vale USD 285
West Franklin Middle School, West Franklin USD 287
Central Heights High School, Central Heights USD 288
Central Heights Elementary School, Central Heights USD 288
Oakdale Elementary School, Salina USD 305
Heusner Elementary School, Salina USD 305
Schilling Elementary School, Salina USD 305
Salina South Middle School, Salina USD 305
Hutchinson Magnet School at Allen, Hutchinson USD 308
Lincoln Elementary School, Hutchinson USD 308
Hutchinson Middle School, Hutchinson USD 308
Nickerson Elementary School, Nickerson USD 309
Fairfield Schools, Fairfield USD 310
Yoder Charter Elementary School, Haven USD 312
Haven Middle School, Haven USD 312
Golden Plains High School, Golden Plains USD 316
Golden Plains Elementary School, Golden Plains USD 316
Onaga Senior High School, Onaga-Havensville-Wheaton USD 322
Glasco Grade School, Southern Cloud USD 334
Pleasanton High School, Pleasanton USD 344
Jayhawk Elementary School, Jayhawk USD 346
St. John Elementary School, St. John-Hudson USD 350
Macksville High School, Macksville USD 351
Lincoln Elementary School, Wellington USD 353
Washington Elementary School, Wellington USD 353
Wellington Middle School, Wellington USD 353
Caldwell Secondary School, Caldwell USD 360
Harper Elementary School, Chaparral Schools USD 361
Holcomb Elementary School 3-5, Holcomb USD 363
Yates Center Elementary School, Woodson USD 366
Montezuma Elementary School, Montezuma USD 371
Sunset Elementary School, Newton USD 373
Sublette Middle School, Sublette USD 374
Southwest Elementary School, Pratt USD 382
Eureka Junior-Senior High School, Eureka USD 389
Hamilton High School, Hamilton USD 390
Osborne Elementary School, Osborne County USD 392
Robinson Elementary School, Augusta USD 402
SouthWinds Academy, Otis-Bison USD 403
Lyons Central Elementary School, Lyons USD 405
Lyons Middle School, Lyons USD 405
Chanute High School, Chanute Public Schools USD 413
Hiawatha Middle School, Hiawatha USD 415
Prairie Heights Elementary School, Morris County USD 417
Washington Elementary School, McPherson USD 418
Osage City Elementary School, Osage City USD 420
Kiowa County High School, Kiowa County USD 422
Pike Valley Elementary School, Pike Valley USD 426
Riley Elementary School, Great Bend USD 428
Park Elementary School, Great Bend USD 428
Lincoln Elementary School, Hoisington USD 431
Dwight D. Eisenhower Elementary School, Abilene USD 435
McKinley Elementary School, Abilene USD 435
Lincoln Memorial Elementary School, Caney Valley USD 436
Wilroads Gardens Elementary School, Dodge City USD 443
Northwest Elementary School, Dodge City USD 443
Soule Elementary School, Dodge City USD 443
Dodge City Middle School, Dodge City USD 443
Independence Senior High School, Independence USD 446
Jefferson Elementary School, Independence USD 446
Independence Middle School, Independence USD 446
Thayer Elementary School, Cherryvale USD 447
Burlingame Junior-Senior High School, Burlingame USD 454
Burlingame Elementary School, Burlingame USD 454
Gertrude Walker Elementary School, Garden City USD 457
Buffalo Jones Elementary School, Garden City USD 457
Edith Scheuerman Elementary School, Garden City USD 457
Georgia Matthews Elementary School, Garden City USD 457
Alta Brown Elementary School, Garden City USD 457
Victor Ornelas Elementary School, Garden City USD 457
Florence Wilson Elementary School, Garden City USD 457
Kenneth Henderson Middle School, Garden City USD 457
Bernadine Sitts Intermediate Center, Garden City USD 457
Heller Elementary School, Neodesha USD 461
Udall Elementary School, Udall USD 463
Wichita County Junior-Senior High School, Leoti USD 467
Jefferson Elementary School, Arkansas City USD 470
Adams Elementary School, Arkansas City USD 470
Frances Willard Elementary School, Arkansas City USD 470
Roosevelt Elementary School, Arkansas City USD 470
Arkansas City Middle School, Arkansas City USD 470
Dexter High School, Dexter USD 471
Dexter Elementary School, Dexter USD 471
Enterprise Elementary School, Chapman USD 473
Washington Elementary School, Geary County USD 475
Grandview Elementary School, Geary County USD 475
Milford Elementary School, Geary County USD 475
Westwood Elementary School, Geary County USD 475
Prairie View Elementary School, Liberal USD 480
Seymour Rogers Middle School, Liberal USD 480
Southwestern Heights Junior-Senior High School, Kismet-Plains Southwestern Heights USD 483
Plains Elementary School, Kismet-Plains Southwestern Heights USD 483
Herington High School, Herington USD 487
Syracuse High School, Syracuse USD 494
Pawnee Heights High School, Pawnee Heights USD 496
Hillcrest Elementary School, Lawrence USD 497
New York Elementary School, Lawrence USD 497
Schwegler Elementary School, Lawrence USD 497
Broken Arrow Elementary School, Lawrence USD 497
Valley Heights Junior-Senior High School, Valley Heights USD 498
Liberty Elementary School, Galena USD 499
Galena Middle School, Galena USD 499
Sumner Academy of Arts and Science, Kansas City USD 500
Mark Twain Elementary School, Kansas City USD 500
Emerson Elementary School, Kansas City USD 500
Bethel Elementary School, Kansas City USD 500
William A. White Elementary School, Kansas City USD 500
Whittier Elementary School, Kansas City USD 500
McKinley Elementary School, Kansas City USD 500
Frank Rushton Elementary School, Kansas City USD 500
Topeka West High School, Topeka USD 501
McEachron Elementary School, Topeka USD 501
McCarter Elementary School, Topeka USD 501
McClure Elementary School, Topeka USD 501
Whitson Elementary School, Topeka USD 501
Lowman Hill Elementary School, Topeka USD 501
Marjorie French Middle School, Topeka USD 501
Landon Middle School, Topeka USD 501
Lewis Elementary School, Lewis USD 502
Parsons Senior High School, Parsons USD 503
Garfield Elementary School, Parsons USD 503
Guthridge Elementary School, Parsons USD 503
Parsons Middle School, Parsons USD 503
Neosho Heights Elementary School, Oswego USD 504
St. Paul Middle School, Chetopa-St. Paul USD 505
Labette County High School, Labette County USD 506
Mound Valley Grade School, Labette County USD 506
Bartlett Elementary School, Labette County USD 506
Satanta Junior-Senior High School, Satanta USD 507
Comanche Elementary School, Shawnee Mission USD 512
Crestview Elementary School, Shawnee Mission USD 512
Roesland Elementary School, Shawnee Mission USD 512
Nieman Elementary School, Shawnee Mission USD 512
Questions about this page contact:
Ann Bush (785) 296-7921 abush@ksde.org
The Kansas State Department of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, 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 ogc@ksde.org or by 785-296-3201.