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Individuals sharing their skills and knowledge through actions intended to improve communities, states, nations, the world, and themselves.

Star Recognition Updates for 2025-2026

  • As of January 2026, system qualitative Star Recognitions will transition to a two consecutive year cycle. Applications for both renewal and first-time recognition will open every other year, starting in January 2027. This revised timeline aligns more closely with continuous improvement efforts, providing systems additional time to implement and refine strategies while maintaining a focus on student growth. In summary, systems recognized in 2025 will retain their Star in 2026, and all systems—both previously recognized and new applicants—will apply in January 2027. The quantitative Star Recognition process remains unchanged.

(These changes apply only to the Star Recognition Program and

do NOT affect the annual Civic Advocacy Network awards.)

 

Civic Advocacy Network (CAN) Award Updates for 2025-2026

  • Civic Advocacy Network (CAN) awards will continue to be a school-level application. Star Recognition will continue to be based on the percentage of schools in the district who have earned the CAN award. Learn more on the Civic Engagement Star Recognition webpage.
  • Promising practices have been phased out and will no longer count towards the percentage of schools in a district who have earned an award. Schools who have earned a promising practice in the past will need to apply again for the award.
  • The school-level CAN application has been updated for schools who have never won a CAN award (as well as those who earned a promising practice in the past).  
  • A new school-level CAN RENEWAL Application has been added. If your school needs to complete this application, an email will be sent directly to your school principal and superintendent. Schools must complete the renewal application after THREE years in the network. If a school does not successfully renew, they will need to reapply for the award in the future.

Civic Advocacy Network Resources

 TitleDescription
2025-2026 Civic Advocacy Network Award ApplicationUse this link to complete a NEW and a RENEWAL Application. All Completed Applications are due to KSDE by May 4, 2026.
2025-2026 Civic Advocacy Network Award Application Planning Document PDF Application for planning purposes.
Civic Advocacy Network Award Scoring Rubic This document provides educators with information about the scoring process for the application.

Congratulations to the 2024 Civic Advocacy Network (CAN) award winners! 

  • Prairie Creek Elementary School – USD 230
  • Timber Sage Elementary – USD 230
  • Dayton Creek Elementary – USD 230
  • Lakewood Middle School – USD 305
  • Lyons High School – USD 405
  • Lyons Middle School – USD 405
  • Westwood Elementary School – USD 475
  • Washington Elementary School – USD 475
  • Eisenhower Elementary – USD 475
  • Seitz Elementary – USD 475

They join past CAN award winners:

2023

  • Heatherstone Elementary School – USD 233
  • Central Heights High School – USD 288
  • Grinnell Middle School – USD 291
  • Southeast of Saline Elementary School – USD 306
  • Charles Stones Intermediate Center – USD 457
  • Lincoln Elementary School – USD 475
  • Spring Valley Elementary School – USD 475
  • Fort Riley Elementary School – USD 475
  • Junction City High School – USD 475
  • Shawnee Mission North High School – USD 512

2022

  • Cimarron Jr./Sr. High – USD 102
  • Tanglewood Elementary – USD 260
  • Southeast of Saline High – USD 306
  • Mission Valley Jr/Sr High School – USD 330
  • Concordia Junior-Senior High School – USD 333
  • Circle High School – USD 375
  • Edith Scheuerman Elementary School – USD 457
  • Basehor-Linwood High School – USD 458
  • Basehor Intermediate School – USD 458
  • Junction City Middle School – USD 475
  • Milford Elementary – USD 475
  • Fort Riley Middle School – USD 475
  • Ware Elementary – USD 475

2021

  • Hartford Jr/Sr High School – USD 252
  • Neosho Rapids Elementary – USD 252
  • Olpe Jr/Sr High School – USD 252   
  • Olpe Elementary – USD 252
  • Baldwin Jr High School – USD 348

2020

  • Bernadine Sitts Intermediate School – USD 457
  • Derby North Middle School – USD 260
  • Fredonia Jr/Sr High School – USD 484
  • Halstead High School – USD 440
  • Lakeside Elementary – USD 250
  • Maize High School – USD 266
  • North Fairview Elementary – USD 345
  • Prairie Ridge Elementary – USD 232
  • Winfield High School – USD 465

2019

  • North Lyon County Elementary – USD 251
  • South Barber High School – USD 255
  • Swaney Elementary School – USD 260
  • Seaman High School – USD 345
  • Santa Fe Trail Middle School – USD 233
  • Whittier Elementary – USD 465
  • Shawnee Mission Northwest – USD 512

2018

  • Garden City High School – USD 457
  • Derby Hill Elementary – USD 260
  • Park Hill Elementary – USD 260
  • Complete High School – USD 266
  • Enders Community Service Magnet – USD 259
  • McPherson Middle School – USD 418
  • Starside Elementary – USD 232
  • Susan B. Anthony Middle School – USD 383

Educator Resources for Civic Engagement

 TitleDescription
Six Proven Practices for Effective Civic LearningThe purpose of this guidebook is to serve as a resource—a what’s next?—for teachers, administrators, policymakers, and other education leaders who want to put these practices in place but are not sure how to begin.
Facilitating Civil Discourse in the ClassroomThis document provides some suggestions about how best to facilitate civil discourse in your classroom.
Fostering Civil DiscourseThis resources gives teachers suggestions about how they might make their classrooms a safe and productive place to have critical conversations about today's issues.
Generation CitizenGeneration Citizen provides an excellent framework for student participation in civic engagement in the community.
Kansans Can Civic Engagement Fact SheetA fact sheet describing the Kansas State Department of Education's initiative around civic engagement. It includes a definition of civic engagement and a description of what good civic engagement education would include.
NCSS Position Paper: Revitalizing Civic Learning in Our SchoolsThis is the National Council for the Social Studies' (NCSS) position paper on improving civic learning in schools.
Participatory Budgeting in Schools GuideThis PDF lays out a plan for implementing participatory budgeting in your school. Please feel free to amend the timeline and the dollar amounts. This is a great way to improve the civic engagement of your students.
Civic Engagement Lead
Nathan McAlister,
Humanities Program Manager,
Career Standards and Assessment Services
(785) 296-3892
nathan.mcalister@ksde.gov 

Deputy Commissioner:
Division of Learning Services

Dr. Renee Nugent
(785) 296-2303
renee.nugent@ksde.gov

Director: 
Career, Standards and Assessment

Beth Fultz
(785) 296-4639
beth.fultz@ksde.gov

Assistant Director: 
Career and Technical Education (CTE)

Natalie D. Clark
(785) 296-4351
​natalie.clark@ksde.gov

Assistant Director: 
Curricular Standards

Jennifer Hamlet
(785) 296-8447
jennifer.hamlet@ksde.gov


Assistant Director: 
Assessment

Julie Ewing
(785) 296-2325
julie.ewing@ksde.gov

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