Members of the Kansas State Board of Education received an update on the Seal of Literacy training options along with a request to add another option during the board’s March meeting in Topeka this week. 

Shane Carter, director of teacher licensure for the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE), provided a review of the current science of reading licensure requirements in Kansas.  

Carter outlined the  State Board-approved licensure tests: 

• Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling, (LETRS®) for elementary educators, early childhood and administrators.  
• AIMS Pathways  
• Keys to Literacy 

Carter asked board members to add “Foundations in the Science of Reading: Understanding and Applying Structured Literacy Principles,” a structured literacy course outlined by Dr. Cindy Lane, director of the Blueprint for Literacy. 

Lane told board members the creation of the course was a collaborative effort among literacy experts at KSDE, the state’s seven public universities and independent colleges, and Wichita State University’s instructional design team. The program’s curriculum is aligned with KSDE’s higher education program standards and the International Dyslexia Association’s (IDA) Knowledge and Practice Standards for Teachers of Reading.  

Lane said the course contains 12 modules, six credits and 180 hours of course work that can be completed in two semesters. An educator who completes the course is given a $500 stipend and the tuition is paid for with Blueprint for Literacy funds -  part of SB 438 approved during the 2024 legislative session. Summative and ongoing performance assessments of the educator’s knowledge of what they’re learning are part of the course, along with an 85% passing cut score.  

The “Foundations in the Science of Reading: Understanding and Applying Structured Literacy Principles” was recommended by the Blueprint for Literacy advisory committee established by SB 438. The Reading League, a nonprofit organization that advances the use of evidence-based literacy instruction, validated the course. 

Lane said Washburn University and 40 to 60 educators in Topeka USD 501 are piloting the course at the end of March with an anticipated launch this summer at the state’s seven regents’ universities and independent colleges. She said the Kansas Board of Regents is designing a similar course for paraprofessionals.  

State Board members are scheduled to vote in April whether to approve “Foundations in the Science of Reading: Understanding and Applying Structured Literacy Principles” course as a Seal of Literacy training option. 

Some of the other items the board took action on or heard information about included the following:   

• Board members voted to remove the filling out of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) from state regulations governing the graduation requirements beginning with the class of 2028, the current school year’s freshmen. A public hearing on removing the requirement was held during the board’s February meeting. Before the 8-2 vote, board members voiced support for local school districts to continue providing information and public events for families about the FAFSA process. 
• Recognized teachers and administrators of Sterling Grade School, Sterling USD 376, and Overbrook Attendance Center, Santa Fe Trail USD 434, as 2024 National Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Distinguished Schools.  
• Received a request for a four-year contract with Kansas State University for the financial support of the executive director of the Kansas Future Farmers of America (FFA) organization.  
• Received a request to partner with the Kansas Association of Broadcasters for public service announcements to advertise the availability of summer meals.  
• Heard a presentation on the role of a technical advisory committee for state assessments. Cara Laitusis, of the national Center for Assessment, told board members one of the numerous responsibilities of the committee is to make sure the state assessment tests are high quality. 
• Received information and funding recommendations for Kansas Parents as Teachers grants for the 2025-26 school year.  
• Heard a report on the final expenditures of the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) and Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools (EANS) program funds.  
• KSDE general counsel Scott Gordon presented information on state regulations that govern the ways parents can opt-in and opt-out of certain aspects of their children’s education. 

Board members visited the Kansas School for the Deaf in Olathe, and the Kansas State School for the Blind in Kansas City, Kansas, on Wednesday, March 12. Both schools provided reports on their activities and operations.  

Staff members at both schools described the numerous outreach services they provide to school districts across Kansas, often at little to no cost. They said some school districts are not aware of the services, many times because of the turnover in special education staff and administrators. 

The superintendents at both schools also updated board members on their strategic plans and their KESA 2.0 work, including their action plans. They also emphasized recruitment of the highly specialized teachers at both schools is an ongoing process. 

The State Board will meet April 8-9, in Topeka, for their monthly meeting. The agenda and meeting materials will be posted here in the coming weeks.