A goal of KSDE’s Accreditation and Design team is to make accreditation synonymous with school improvement, resulting in teachers being able to see their role clearly in the work of accreditation.

This is vital to ensure the work of accreditation is connected to the teaching and learning taking place in the classroom. To accomplish this, the accreditation team is building a model where the external accountability inherent in accreditation reinforces the internal accountability educators feel to improve teaching and learning. In KESA 2.0, there will be a great deal of support and accountability in the Four Fundamentals.

This new accreditation model will be an action-based model with multiple checks for progress on a yearly basis. These “actions” systems take related to implementing the Four Fundamentals are:

• Limited to a few action steps.
• Research-based.
• Supported by KSDE.

A draft of the School Improvement Model that will serve as the basis for KESA 2.0 is listed above.

In Kansas, school improvement is characterized by deep implementation of the Four Fundamentals (seen above).

Structures promote instructional coherence and Lead Indicators with associated Measures of Progress provide accountability and a roadmap over time for quality and depth of sustainable implementation of the Fundamentals.

KSDE will provide guidance, support, resources, and professional development for School Improvement in Kansas.    

Below is a timeline of KESA 2.0:

• April 2024
  • School Improvement Model released.
  • Announce School Improvement Day groupings and dates for the 2024-2025 school year.
• May 2024
  • Accreditation levels defined.
  • Accreditation determination protocol.
  • KESA Check-ins scheduled.
• June 2024
  • Full KESA 2.0 model to be presented to the Kansas State Board of Education including:
  • Fundamentals
  • State Board and student outcomes
  • Compliance
  • Regulations
  • Accreditation levels
  • Accreditation determination protocol
• July 2024
  • State Board action on KESA 2.0.
  • KESA Check-ins summary to State Board.
• August 2024
  • KESA 2.0 information sessions.
  • Confirm KESA Check-ins.
• Sept. 2024-June 2025
  • KESA Check-ins.
  • School Improvement Days.
  • Systems submit action plans to KSDE.
• June 2025
  • School Improvement Workgroup – Support/Professional development plan created for the 2025-2026 school year.
  • Action plans reviewed by the School Improvement Workgroup.
  • Accreditation Review Council (ARC) reviews if needed.
• July 2025
  • 2024-2025 KESA summary report to the State Board.