Kansas is changing the way it evaluates the performance of both students and teachers. As part of the process, the State Department of Education is holding a series of focus groups throughout the state, and one is scheduled for the metro area later this week. In order to receive a federal waiver of the requirements … Continue reading
The Kansas State Board of Education met Tuesday, Feb. 12 and Wednesday, Feb. 13. From a policy standpoint, the highlights of their agenda were: An announcement that the state department of education will cooperate with the State Highway Patrol to offer Active Shooter Training to public school employees. According to Diane DeBacker, state education commissioner, … Continue reading
The Kansas State Board of Education and 19 local school boards met during the second week of December. Kansas State Board of Education Highlights: Heard a report about how the state sets academic standards for student standardized tests. Considered allowing student participation in the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) to satisfy the state’s physical … Continue reading
15 local school boards met last week. Kansas Basehor Linwood Highlight: Heard financial audit report for fiscal year that ended last summer Blue Valley Highlight: Received a report on the district’s annual financial audit De Soto Highlights: Considered adopting a district policy governing “Energy Conservation” Heard an enrollment report, which showed an increase of 89 students (which … Continue reading
Today the U.S. Department of Education issued a letter to the Kansas State Department of Education granting the waiver they had requested. Now Kansas joins Missouri and more than half the states on the list of those no longer required to comply with the terms of the No Child Left Behind Act. Here is Kansas’ … Continue reading
This just in from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. (Kansas is still waiting for approval of their waiver request): Missouri’s ESEA Flexibility Waiver Approved State will receive relief from federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) requirements Today the U.S. Department of Education approved Missouri’s Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) waiver giving … Continue reading
“We are getting closer and closer to being approved” was the update members of the Kansas State Board of Education heard at their June meeting earlier this week. What they are waiting for is federal approval of their request for a waiver of the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). State Education … Continue reading
Kansas and Missouri are not on the U.S. Department of Education’s most recent list of states receiving waivers that would give them flexibility in meeting requirements of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. Last month, both states received letters from the federal government asking them to revise their applications and re-submit. Applications from Kansas … Continue reading
A new teacher evaluation system is undergoing some final tweaks as Missouri Department of Education staff members develop a proposal for possible approval by the State Board of Education next month. During their May meeting, board members heard an update on this project. According to the update, education department staff members are making revisions based on … Continue reading
The U.S. Department of Education has a few questions, and staff members at the Kansas and Missouri state departments of education are busy answering them. The deadline was May 1, but there seems to be some flexibility in the schedule. “Flexibility” is the key word here, because the questions are about the states’ requests for … Continue reading