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Quality instruction to be spotlighted at State Board’s July meeting
Jul 9, 2026
by Angela DeinesMembers of the Kansas State Board of Education will receive updates during their July 14-15 meeting in Topeka on the State Board's quality instruction initiatives and KSDE's work to support their implementation.
Kansas Commissioner Dr. Jake Steel and Dr. Renee Nugent, deputy commissioner of the Kansas State Department of Education's Division of Learning Services, will update board members on the implementation of the State Board's quality instruction initiatives. Board members have identified quality instruction as one of the Four Fundamentals of the school improvement model the body adopted in 2024, recognizing high-quality classroom instruction as essential to improving student achievement.
While addressing the State Board during their June meeting, Steel told board members that “together with districts and schools, we will create the conditions for rigorous, high-quality instruction in every classroom.” He said he would be able to achieve that objective with the board’s continued support of the following:
Commitment to a unified vision centered on high-quality instruction for every student.
Staying focused on a few high-impact priorities and sustaining them over time.
Aligning policy, resources and accountability with those priorities.
Supporting organizational changes that bring greater coherence to KSDE's work.
Other presentations board members will hear during their July meeting:
An update on the latest licensed personnel report (LPR), including the professional and demographic characteristics of district staff across Kansas and district-reported vacancies during the 2025-26 school year.
A presentation from Wichita USD 259 about technology in the classroom.
Leaders at the University of Kansas and Pittsburg State University departments of education will provide information on how district administrators and instructional leaders are trained at their respective institutions.
Ottawa USD 290 leaders will provide information about their structured literacy progress.
A presentation about America’s origin from the manager of KSDE’s humanities program.
Colin Burke, a student at Salina South Middle School, Salina USD 305, will discuss his experience winning the 2026 Kansas Civics Bee, making him eligible to compete at the National Civics Bee later this year.
Action items on the board’s July agenda include the following:
KSDE budget options for fiscal year 2028.
Board procedures for district cell phone policy certification and student walk-out complaints.
Nominations for the Professional Standards board and Licensure Review Committee vacancies.
Higher education accreditation and math standards.
Items on the consent agenda.
Board members will meet in the first floor board room of the Landon State Office Building, 900 S.W. Jackson, in Topeka. The agenda, materials and livestream link can be accessed on the board’s meeting information webpage.
