2025-26 School Improvement Day schedule announced  

The KSDE Accreditation and Design team has released the 2025-26 School Improvement Day schedule and is available on the KESA webpage. While the dates are expected to closely align with - if not exactly match - this year's schedule, the Accreditation and Design team will confirm any changes as needed. 

Registration links for the School Improvement Days are currently being developed. The schedule will be made available again once the links are finalized. 

Contact Rue Huereca-Retana, Rue.Huereca-Retana@ksde.gov, with questions.  

School Improvement Day cancellation protocol outlined 

If a system cannot attend its assigned School Improvement Day for weather, emergency or any unforeseen circumstance, the system must notify their regional executive or cohort lead as soon as possible to create a plan or reschedule.  

Accreditation and Design regional executives contact information:  

West - Amber Miller - amber.miller@ksde.gov; (620) 765-7490   

Central - Mindy Bruce – mindy.bruce@ksde.gov; (316) 304-6493 

East- Jean Rush - jean.rush@ksde.gov - (785) 691-7038  

Suburban & Private - Myron Melton - myron.melton@ksde.gov; (785) 760-0298 

Urban & Special Purpose - Jay Scott - jay.scott@ksde.gov;  (785) 230-4575  

The regional executive will reassign the affected system(s) to another School Improvement Day in their region and communicate to the system(s) and service center their alternate School Improvement Day.  

As long as there are at least two systems attending a School Improvement Day and the service center can host, the School Improvement Day may take place.  

If the host service center is closed for weather, emergency, or any unforeseen circumstance and cannot host the School Improvement Day, the service center will email systems, facilitators, and KSDE (all those registered) as soon as possible. KSDE and the service center will then work together to reschedule the School Improvement Day. 

Districts should contact their regional executive or Rue.Huereca-Retana@ksde.gov with questions.  

KESA Application Helpdesk 

The Accreditation and Design team is continuing to develop resources to assist school systems with KESA 2.0, and in developing and implementing action plans.  

The following are resources to help systems in accessing the KESA Authenticated Application, utilizing the action plan blank template (drafting the plan), and editing and submitting the plan.  

Gaining access to the KESA Authenticated Application: 

• Written instructions  
• Audio instructions 

Completing the action plan blank template: 

• Template audio instructions 

Editing and submitting the action plan 

• Audio instructions 

Rue Huereca-Retana, RHuereca-Retana@ksde.org or 785-296-3379, is at the KESA helpdesk to answer any questions regarding KESA 2.0.  

STAR Recognition Update 

The Kansans Can Star Recognition Program is entering its sixth year of recognizing school districts for the great work taking place to help the Kansas State Board of Education achieve its vision of leading the world in the success of each student. 

Over the past five years, the Star application rubrics have remained largely unchanged. During this time, systems receiving Stars have been allowed to carry over recognitions from year-to-year without needing to reapply.  

The Star Leadership Teams have updated and revised rubrics to better align them with current best practices and KSDE initiatives. This has resulted in updated application rubrics for Individual Plans of Study (IPS), Social-Emotional Growth, and Kindergarten Readiness. The new rubrics provide greater clarity and clearer expectations regarding artifacts and narratives. 

Important to note: Since the new rubrics will be substantially changed this year, ALL systems will need to submit 2025 applications for recognition in the qualitative areas. The Accreditation and Design team will not be carrying over Stars from previous years, and 2025 will be considered a baseline year for these new applications.  

Recognition in the quantitative areas (Academically Prepared for Postsecondary Success, Graduation Rate, and Postsecondary Success) will continue to be automatically calculated by KSDE based on data submitted by each school system. 

The opening of the Star Recognition Authenticated Application is anticipated by the end of the business day on Wednesday, Jan. 22. The deadline for submitting 2025 applications will be Friday, May 2. 

Email kcanstars@ksde.gov with questions or more information.