Members of the Kansas State Board of Education will hear how districts are addressing their students’ use of digital devices during the board’s monthly meeting, July 8-9, in Topeka. 

Kansas State Department of Education staff will present information taken from a survey sent to superintendents in June, asking what policies their districts have in place for students’ use of personal electronic devices. 

The State Board approved the formation of the Blue-Ribbon Taskforce on Student Screen Time in July 2024. Over the span of 12 weeks, the 36-member taskforce listened to presentations and discussed specific topics related to students’ digital consumption:  

• Students' personal device use in school;   
• Screen time and mental health; and   
• Parental oversight of district-owned devices.  

Based on these discussions, the taskforce compiled a report the board voted to accept in Dec. 2024. It included recommendations for districts to address the use of personal technology by their students. 

The taskforce was comprised of two state school board members, two legislators, two information technology professionals, local school board members, students, parents, classroom teachers, building administrators, and superintendents.  

During their July meeting, State Board members will also get a comprehensive overview of the work done in June by more than 100 Kansas educators to set cut scores for the spring 2025 state assessments in English, math and science.  

These presentations will be made by representatives of Assessment Technology Solutions (ATS) at the Assessment and Achievement Institute (AAI) at the University of Kansas, members of the Kansas Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), the Kansas Assessment Advisory Council (KAAC) and Kansas State Department of Education staff. 

Board members will hear other presentations about the Kansas Math Project and the definition of a persistently dangerous school. They will also discuss board goals and current federal funding issues. 

Other items on the board’s July agenda include the following: 

• Vote on recommendations for the agency’s FY 2027 (July 1, 2026-June 30, 2027) budget request. 
• Vote on enhancements to the Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program (RTAP) that would include tracks for graduate degree and youth apprentice tracks and vote on whether to approve MeadowLARK grant funds from the Kansas Office of Registered Apprenticeship to operate the RTAP. 
• Vote on a recommendation for regenerated licensure tests and cut scores for early childhood education foundational knowledge and content and middle school social studies that would go into effect on Sept. 1, if approved by the State Board.  
• Vote on career and technical education cluster review recommendations. 
• Vote on Evaluation Review Committee recommendations for higher education accreditation/program approvals. 
• Receive information to take a vote during the board’s August meeting regarding graduation requirements that will be part of a school system’s accreditation status annually, beginning at the end of the 2026-27 school year.  

Click here for a full agenda and meeting materials for the board’s July meeting.