Members of the Kansas State Board of Education voted this week to continue with the modifications made to the state’s emergency substitute teacher licenses.  

The modifications include the requirement of a high school diploma, completion of a KSDE-approved online training course and verification of hire for each school district the applicant wishes to serve as a substitute teacher. Individuals may substitute up to 75 school days a semester and no more than 25 consecutive days in the same assignment in one school district. A background check will continue to be required for all applicants. 

According to KSDE teacher licensure, 213 districts and five private local education agencies (LEAs) have employed individuals with a modified emergency substitute license since Jan. 2022. The modified substitute licenses are an outgrowth of the Temporary Emergency Authorized License (TEAL) the board approved in Jan. 2022 to address the shortage of classroom teachers caused by the pandemic.  

Shane Carter, director of KSDE teacher licensure, also presented the most current teacher vacancy data. He said in fall 2024 there were a total of 1,954 vacancies, 217 of which were filled in the spring of 2025 and there were 2,204 vacancies in the spring of 2025. 

Carter also shared the following educator data: 

• Educators with one to four years of experience make up the largest portion of the state’s educator workforce.  
• The retention rate in 2024 for Kansas teachers in their third year of teaching is 89.29%, up from 88.9% in 2023 and 86.25% in 2022. 
• The average age of Kansas classroom teachers is 43. The average base salary for first-year teachers is $44,609. The average salary for veteran teachers is $67,931. 
• The total number of teacher licenses issued in Kansas during the 2024-25 school year was 22,805. 
• Since structured literacy training has been offered to Kansas educators, 5,233 Seals of Literacy have been added to licenses. 

Carter shared information about the Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program (RTAP), reporting that there will be 167 new apprentices from 73 districts in the program this fall, up from 81 apprentices from 52 districts this past spring. 

Board members voted to approve the following: 

• Board compensation for fiscal year 2026, beginning July 1, will be $88.66 per working day, a daily rate that has been in effect since 2009. 
• Board members approved their 2026-27 meeting dates. 
• The language for the Request for Proposals (RFP) process for hiring the board’s attorney will be determined by the board’s policy committee. 
• The board’s policy committee will draft proposed language  that would raise the threshold from $10,000 to $25,000 for discretionary grants or contracts that are required to have state board approval.    
• Districts are strongly encouraged to prominently post their bullying reporting procedure on their district website or in their student handbook for parents to access. 
• Board members approved a taskforce to address issues related to the Kansas School for the Deaf. 
• Programs accredited through the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) will be added to the at-risk evidence-based programs list. 
• A list of industry-sought career and technical education (CTE) pathway credentials, a list of high-value industry-recognized CTE credentials and a list of standard CTE industry-recognized credentials. 
• Evaluation Review Committee recommendations made in April for educator preparation programs at Emporia State University, Kansas State University and Washburn University. 

Some of the presentations to board members included the following: 

• An overview of the Kansas health model standards and Senate Sub for HB 2382 passed by the 2025 Kansas Legislature. This law requires any school district that offers any course or other instruction that addresses human growth, human development or human sexuality shall include, as part of such course or instruction, a video presentation of a high-quality, computer-generated animation or high-definition ultrasound. It must be at least three minutes long and show the development of the brain, heart and other vital organs in early human fetal development. 
• KSDE’s agency operating budget options for fiscal year 2027 that begins July 1, 2026. They will vote on the recommendations during their July board meeting so a final budget request can be submitted to the governor’s office by Sept. 15.  
• The KSDE Child Nutrition and Wellness team presented information about the foods offered and locations of the summer meals program. 
• A discussion about the board’s draft goals for the rest of 2025 and all of 2026. 

The board will meet on July 8-9, in the first floor board room of the Landon State Office Building, 900 S.W. Jackson, in Topeka.