Members of the Kansas State Board of Education were informed during their October meeting that the number of Kansas high school students preparing for their postsecondary pursuits after graduation continues to increase. 

Kansas Education Commissioner Dr. Randy Watson presented, “Coherence,” the 2024-25 annual report that included the increases in the number of Kansas high school students taking postsecondary courses, earning dual credits and earning scores of 3, 4 or 5 on AP exams. The number of students taking and completing high school career and technical education (CTE) courses also continues to steadily increase annually, setting students on their paths to success after graduation.  

Teacher vacancies have dropped by more than 450 statewide, a 21% decrease from spring 2024 to fall 2025. This reflects ongoing recruitment and retention efforts by multiple entities in Kansas to address shortages in the educator workforce. Click here for more information about the draft 2024-25 annual report. 

During this month’s meeting, board members agreed to support a proposed plan to develop a three-year pilot program to address literacy issues with young Kansans.  

Dr. Watson and Dr. Cynthia Lane, director of the Kansas Board of Regents’ (KBOR) Blueprint for Literacy, outlined their proposal for a pilot program to begin this summer. The pilot would include a small, voluntary group of districts representing rural, suburban, and urban areas. Watson said the model for the summer school would be research-based and focus on students in the early grades who are having reading difficulties. He said the data from the first year of the pilot would be reported to the State Board, KBOR and the state legislature, and would be used to make modifications to subsequent years of the program.  

Lane said the pilot would include participation by education professionals at the regents’ universities and how preservice teachers may get more intensive instruction before receiving their teaching license. 

Watson said he and Lane will continue discussing how the pilot would be carried out and bring recommendations to the State Board and KBOR. 

In other business, board members: 

• Voted to approve the continuation of state assessments work with Assessment and Technology Solutions (ATS) at the University of Kansas. This work includes the development of new items, test administration, score reporting, psychometrics and other projects. The contract will not exceed $6 million annually and will be in effect from July 1, 2026, to Sept. 30, 2029. 
• Voted to approve the request for proposals (RFPs) for a contract to provide a scientific approach to measure the reading ability and reading materials and mathematical achievement and concept/application solvability related to the Kansas summative assessments. This contract would be for July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2031, and not exceed $1.5 million. 
• Approved out-of-state tuition increases for day and dormitory services at the Kansas School for the Deaf (KSD) and Kansas State School for the Blind (KSSB) beginning with the 2026-27 school year. 

Board members also heard several presentations that included the following:  

• The KSDE Child Nutrition and Wellness (CNW) team presented the following 2024-25 Kansans Can awards to CNW program sponsors for their outstanding and/or innovative practices:  
  • Humboldt USD 258 - Outstanding Customer Service  
  • Madison-Virgil USD 386 - Impact Wellness  
  • Coffeyville USD 445 - Serve Local Foods  
  • JC Family Home Association, Junction City - Serve Local Foods  
  • Lakemary Center, Paola - Serve Local Foods  
• Board members also heard a report on the Farm to School federal school meals program, an innovative school lunch program in Washington County USD 108 and participated in the Mountain Plains Crunch Off by eating apples to celebrate local foods, farmers and ranchers. 
• Dr. Renee Nugent, KSDE deputy commissioner, presented information about one of the State Board’s goals to review Kansas education-related regulations and determine whether they enhance the school improvement process.  
• Board members heard a presentation from KSDE staff about a survey for gathering data on the use of district-issued technology devices and a presentation about artificial intelligence in education. 
• Dr. Luanne Barron, superintendent of Kansas School for the Deaf (KSD), in Olathe, provided an overview of KSD activities. Board members also heard an update on the contract negotiations between KSD leadership and the school’s local affiliate of the Kansas National Education Association. 
• Bill Faflick, executive director of the Kansas State High School Activities Association, presented KSHSAA’s annual report. 
• Board members received an overview of the tax credit for low-income student scholarship program. 
• Kansas Future Farmers of America (FFA) state officers shared their experiences about how agriculture education and their FFA experiences have impacted their education and lives.  

Because Tuesday, Nov. 11, is Veterans Day, the State Board will convene again for their monthly meeting on Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 12-13, in the first floor board room of the Landon State Office Building, 900 S.W. Jackson, in Topeka.