KSDE Newsroom

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Jan. 30, 2025

SFSP seeks sponsors to ensure Kansas kids receive nutritious meals during summer

TOPEKA — The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is looking for sponsors willing to provide nutritious meals to Kansas children during the summer months. 

A program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), SFSP provides reimbursement to schools, public agencies and private nonprofit organizations for food services. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Jan. 29, 2025

2025 Kansas Teacher of the Year receives keys to car for travel across the state

TOPEKA — Liz Anstine, the 2025 Kansas Teacher of the Year (KTOY), was presented on Tuesday, Jan. 28, with keys to a car for traveling more than 15,000 miles across the state as Kansas educators’ ambassador for the next six months.

“Teaching is a noble profession. People need to know that. We’re trying to cover as much ground in Kansas as we possibly can,” Anstine said after getting the keys to a red 2024 Nissan Sentra. “It’s an honor. Thank you to Enterprise for taking care of teachers like this because it’s important.”

The Jan. 23 KSDEweekly is available for viewing. Read more about how School Improvement Days are seen as a collaborative tool to improve student achievement, information about Seals of Literacy being added to educator licenses and how the Great Ideas in Education conference slated for July has been revamped.

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TOPEKA — The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) has announced the recipients of the 2025 Kansas Horizon Award, a program recognizing the outstanding teaching skills of new educators.

The 32 educators chosen for this prestigious award will be honored at a special ceremony during the Kansas Exemplary Educators Network (KEEN) State Education Conference on Feb. 21, in Topeka.

TOPEKA — The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) today issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security directive issued Tuesday, Jan. 21, to rescind previously issued guidelines for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) enforcement actions that limit law enforcement in or near “sensitive” areas, which include schools and churches.

TOPEKA — President Biden recently announced the recognition of six Kansas educators, from 2021 through 2023, for their outstanding teaching skills through the prestigious Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) program.

The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, which was established in 1983 by Congress, is presented annually to outstanding K-12 science (including computer science) and mathematics teachers from across the U.S. Each awardee receives a certificate signed by the president of the United States and a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation.

The Jan. 16 KSDEweekly is now available for viewing. Read more about remembering the life of Janet Waugh, the longest serving member of the Kansas State Board of Education, an update on structured literacy licensure requirements, the 2024-25 Milken Educator Award winner, and news from the KSDE Accreditation and Design team.

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Kansas Volunteer Commission, volunteer organizations build capacity in Kansas
Funds provided through Volunteer Generation Fund used to support Kansas volunteerism

TOPEKA – The Kansas Volunteer Commission has awarded a total of $120,000 to six Kansas volunteer and mentor organizations through the 2025 Kansas Volunteer Generation Fund (VGF) grant competition.

Each organization will receive $20,000 for one year.

The Commission received the VGF grant from AmeriCorps, the federal agency that oversees the nation’s volunteer initiatives.

The Jan. 8 edition of KSDEweekly is now available. Read more about the work of facilitators during School Improvement Days, a special message from Kansas Lt. Gov. David Toland about a magazine for Kansas students, and professional development opportunities.

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The Jan. 2 edition of KSDEweekly is now available for viewing. Read more about KSDE's upcoming transition to the .gov domain for the agency's website and email addresses, a webinar for IT staff about artificial intelligence in education, virtual KESA 2.0 opportunities and more.

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