News Releases

Members of the Kansas State Board of Education learned this week the state is making progress on its goal to reduce the number of students scoring in Level 1 on the English language arts (ELA) and math spring assessments.  

From 2025 to 2026, all Kansas students in grades 3-8 and 10th grade taking the ELA assessment had a 1.0 percentage point decrease in Level 1, the level showing a limited ability to demonstrate their knowledge and skills of grade-level content standards. There was a 1.46 percentage point increase in the number of all Kansas students scoring at proficient and advanced Levels 3 and 4 on the ELA state assessment from 2025 to 2026. 

Math scores from 2025 to 2026 showed all Kansas students in grades 3-8 and 10th grade taking the state math assessment had a 1.8 percentage point decrease in Level 1 while students scoring at proficient and advanced Levels 3 and 4 had a 2.27 percentage point increase in their math scores. 

Go to KSDE Data Central for the 2025-2026 state assessment for grades 3-8 and 10th grade ELA and math scores.

Kansas Education Commissioner Dr. Jake Steel also presented board members with a draft of the 2025-26 annual report, "What Matters Most."  

During their October meeting, the State Board continued to work on the draft policy for the effective use of instructional technology in Kansas classrooms. It is anticipated they will vote on a final version during their November meeting. When finalized, the policy will outline what districts and nonpublic accredited schools should have in place for their instructional technology use policies to ensure technology is utilized in a manner that supports and does not harm the academic, social, emotional, and physical well-being of students.  

Board members heard a number of presentations during their monthly meeting that included the following: 

• Dr. Frank Harwood, KSDE deputy commissioner, reported the results of a survey regarding the number of minutes per day districts allocate for elementary school recess, physical education and lunch. The survey results showed many districts provide more than 30 minutes of recess per day with some providing fewer minutes. 

• Education Commissioner Dr. Jake Steel provided an update on KSDE's work to create a strategic plan to bring support and accountability efforts together around a shared goal: ensuring Kansas educators have the tools, resources and support they need to provide high-quality instruction to students every day. 

• The State Board heard several examples of quality instruction in Kansas districts, including a presentation from Trenton Smedley, an agricultural educator for Prairie View USD 362 about teaching concepts that are part of the school-based ag education model. Nancy Zenger-Beneda and Kelsy Sproul from the Kansas Foundation for Ag in the Classroom presented information on how agricultural concepts can be used to improve literacy in young readers. Theatre students from Wamego High School, Wamego USD 320, provided a short performance, demonstrating how the arts contribute to more well-rounded students. 

• The following district nutrition professionals were awarded their certificate in child nutrition management during the board meeting:

  • McKyla Powers, Haven USD 312
  • Tara Stewart, Humboldt USD 258
  • Whitney Fish, Osawatomie USD 367
  • Kayla Crabtree, Osawatomie USD 367
  • Tammy Logan, Salina USD 305
  • Wendi Baldwin, Jayhawk Linn USD 346
  • Haley Tinsley, St. Joseph Catholic Elementary School  

• Board members also participated in the annual Mountain Plains Crunch Off, a celebration of Farm to School programs across the U.S., by biting into apples. 

• Mitzi Gose, director of the IKEducation program, in Abilene, presented information about the letters Dwight D. Eisenhower wrote to parents about the importance of their children’s education. 

The State Board also took action on the following items: 

• Approved the following Kansas educators to fill the vacancies on the Professional Practices Commission (PPC):  

• Amanda Voth, Baldwin City USD 348, for the middle school teacher position.
• Justin Coffey, Ulysses USD 214, for the public high school principal position.
• Stefanie Lane, Clay County USD 379, for the elementary school principal position. 

• The State Board reviewed the PPC’s proposed default order for Case No. 25-PPC-27. Board members did not approve the proposed order but voted 10-0 to remand the case back to the PPC for a full evidentiary hearing.  

• Approved the consent agenda items. 

The State Board will meet Monday, Nov. 9, and Tuesday, Nov. 10, because Veterans Day is Nov. 11. The meeting will be in the first floor boardroom of the Landon State Office Building, 900 S.W. Jackson, in Topeka.