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Originally posted on 20 Pounds Of Headlines:
(AP) – A panel of Kansas judges says it may be months before it rules on whether the state’s method of funding public schools is constitutional. The three-judge panel heard final arguments Wednesday in Shawnee County District Court in the trial of a 2010 lawsuit challenging the system. Attorneys…

August School Board Reports — Week 4

Nine local school boards met last week. Kansas Bonner Springs/Edwardsville Highlights: Routine but necessary responsibilities of governance Gardner-Edgerton Highlights: Held a public budget hearing and considered approving a budget for the 2012-13 school year Lee’s Summit Highlights: Hearing an enrollment report from Superintendent David McGehee. Public school funding depends on enrollment, and the final enrollment … Continue reading →

Originally posted on 20 Pounds Of Headlines:
AP: An appeals court ruled Tuesday that a Cole County judge erred in ordering charter schools to repay millions to the Kansas City School District. At issue was money diverted from charter schools to help the Kansas City district pay off bonds that were issued to build and upgrade…

Meet An Average Kansas Public School Teacher

Female: 75% of Kansas teachers are women. Caucasian: 97% of Kansas teachers are white. (In contrast, about 87% of people living in Kansas are white.) Age: 52 years old Experience: 7 years Most common reason for leaving the profession: Retirement Annual Salary: $35,000 (down from $50,000 at the beginning of the Great Recession) Teaches: Elementary School Data source: Personnel report, … Continue reading →

August School Board Reports — Week 3

The Kansas State Board of Education and thirteen local school boards met last week. Kansas State Board of Education Highlights: Hearing an update on the state’s No Child Left Behind Flexibility Waiver from the federal government Hearing an update on Kansas’ participation in development of the national Next Generation Science Standards Receiving a presentation regarding … Continue reading →

Split Ruling on KC Schools Transfer Case

Originally posted on 20 Pounds Of Headlines:
A Jackson County Judge has ruled on the Kansas City School District student transfer case. The Mixed ruling is not Likely to affect any school transfers in thus school because it is almost sure to be appealed. The judge ruled the state law permitting students to flee failed districts…

Hurdling Into The Future of Accreditation In Missouri

Close your eyes and visualize yourself as a runner. Not just any runner. A hurdler running around a high school athletic track, gauging the distance to each hurdle, leaping with a lift of the thigh and just barely clearing the obstacle. You know you aren’t the best hurdler on the track, but this race was … Continue reading →

2012 Annual Performance Reports for Missouri Public School Districts Released Today

It’s report card day for public school districts in Missouri. Parents and community members wanting to know about the achievement of students in their districts on the annual state assessment tests and other factors such as attendance and graduation rates now have access to that information online. “This is much earlier than we’ve ever released … Continue reading →

August School Board Reports — Week 2

Six local school boards met last week. Kansas Bonner Springs/Edwardsville Highlight: Reviewing proposed budget for the 2012-13 school year Gardner Edgerton Highlights: Receiving an update on projects funded by school bond sales approved by voters Considering revising facility usage policies Reviewing proposed budget for 2012-13 school year Considering approval of City of Gardner excise tax … Continue reading →

“Mom, Can I Really Tell My Teachers This Homework Is Against My Religion?”

Act 1, Scene 1: Our dining room over dinner last Wednesday, the day after Missouri voters overwhelmingly approved adding Amendment 2 to our state’s constitution ME: Wow! I can’t believe so many people voted for that amendment. I don’t think a lot of them really understood what they were voting for. I read an exit … Continue reading →