Dr. Renee Nugent, KSDE deputy commissioner of the division of learning services, updated State Board members this week on the federal waiver request regarding supports for Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI), Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI), and Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI) schools.

Members of the Kansas State Board of Education were updated during their monthly meeting in Topeka this week on the requested federal waiver related to supports and resources for the five- to 10% lowest performing schools in Kansas as determined by the U.S. Department of Education. 

Dr. Renee Nugent, deputy commissioner of the Kansas State Department of Education’s division of learning services, told board members the waiver is to temporarily delay - until the 2028-29 school year - the identification of schools needing Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI), Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI), and Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI). This follows the federal department’s guidance to pursue waivers that remove barriers to student achievement and better align federal programs with state priorities. 

“We will align our support more intentionally,” Nugent said. “These supports will be pretty intentional around the Four Fundamentals (of the school improvement model). This gives us the opportunity to have one clear system for Kansas.” 

Nugent said in addition to the waiver request delaying the new identification of CSI, TSI, ATSI schools until the 2028–29 school year, it also extends Title I, Section 1003(a) improvement funds for currently identified schools. She said the waiver, once granted, should reduce administrative reporting and strengthen the links between local, state and national school improvement processes. 

The waiver request is open for public comment. Kansans are encouraged to review the proposal and submit feedback on or before November 27, 2025, at https://www.ksde.gov/Agency/Division-of-Learning-Services/Special-Education-and-Title-Services/Announcements-Special-Education-and-Title-Services 

Once KSDE submits the feedback received after the public comment period concludes, the U.S. Department of Education is expected to issue a decision on the waiver request within 120 days.  

During this week’s meeting, board members also approved the process of reviewing state regulations that are burdensome or duplicative for Kansas school districts and systems, disconnected from student learning or put an undue strain on district resources.  

With the unanimous vote, members approved the procedures they will follow to review and then decide whether to keep, change or eliminate a state regulation. If a regulation is ultimately recommended for revision or elimination, it then must be submitted to the Kansas Department of Administration for review, then sent to the Kansas Attorney General’s office for legal review. A public comment period and hearing prior to final adoption will take place.  

After an executive session, the State Board approved a motion related to the search for a new education commissioner. The motion described the likelihood of the five bids received to meet the scope of work in the RFP and whether the bidder has moderate to extensive experience leading successful national searches for chief executive officers of public agencies, private nonprofit organizations, or private business organizations. The motion included that the technical evaluation for the Commissioner search firm RFP be submitted to the Kansas Department of Administration’s Office of Procurement and Contracts with the evaluation of each of the bids.  

During the Nov. 13 meeting, board members also approved the Evaluation Review Committee’s recommendations for higher education accreditation and program approvals and the recommendations of the Professional Practices Commission. 

Also during their November meeting, board members discussed 2026 legislative session priorities in the following main categories:  

• Academic support efforts 
• Health and safety 
• Funding 
• Education governance 

Board members also heard the following presentations: 

• A KSDE career, standards and assessment services team (CSAS) outlined resources available to Kansas math teachers to support school improvement initiatives. 
• Megan Berry, a civics teacher at Abilene High School, Abilene USD 435, told board members the lesson she created using the U.S. Citizenship test that garnered her a second place win in the national Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History’s Building Better Citizens Innovative Curriculum Contest. 
• Brian Dempsey, an assistant director on the KSDE special education and Tile services (SETS) team explained how private school, out of district and out of state students receive special education services from public school districts.  
• Three Kansas students from Topeka West High School, Russell High School and Shawnee Mission North High School presented board members with their positive experiences as elected officers and participating in the Jobs for American’s Graduates-Kansas (JAG-K) program. Kansas Education Commissioner Dr. Randy Watson was presented with the JAG-K Champion Award for his commitment to the program and all Kansas students. 
• Casey Peine, a teacher in Clearwater USD 264, told board members about her district’s focus on writing to improve reading. 
• Students in the Sumner Academy orchestra performed for the board members. 

The board will hold a special meeting at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 18, in the first floor board room in the Landon State Office Building, 900 S.W. Jackson, in Topeka. This meeting, which will be livestreamed, will include an executive session related to the search for a new education commissioner with possible action after the conclusion of the executive session. 

*This story has been updated to include the action the board took related to the search for a new education commissioner and the special board meeting scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 18.