KSDEweekly: Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026

Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026 | Issue 171

In This Week's Edition

Feature Stories

Reporting and Operations

Educator Data Collection System open for submissions of the LPR and SVR

Accountability, Accreditation and Assessments

Standards and Instruction

Standards and Instruction (cont'd)

Upcoming Events, Trainings and Recognition

Feature Stories

State Board to hear more about initiative to elevate high quality instructional materials

Members of the Kansas State Board of Education will learn more during their Jan. 13-14 meeting about the Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) efforts to highlight high quality instructional materials (HQIM) as part of the new school improvement model aimed at increasing student academic success.

2026 Kansas Horizon Award program recognizes 32 Kansas educators

TOPEKA — The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) has announced the 32 recipients of the 2026 Kansas Horizon Award, a program recognizing the outstanding teaching skills of new educators.

The educators chosen for this prestigious award will be honored at a special ceremony during the Kansas Exemplary Educators Network (KEEN) State Education Conference on Feb. 20, in Topeka.

Two Kansas educators achieve top honors in prestigious citizenship contest

Thomas Fulbright, a social studies teacher at Hope Street Academy, Topeka USD 501, addresses the Kansas State Board of Education in December.

Megan Berry, a social studies teacher at Abilene High School, Abilene USD 435, presented to the State Board in November.

It was attending a U.S. naturalization ceremony in Topeka that sparked civics teacher Thomas Fulbright’s idea for a lesson plan that ultimately earned him the third place award in a prestigious national citizenship contest this past year.

“It’s so moving, seeing those people committed to our country,” he said of seeing the Oath of Allegiance taken at the Brown v. Board of Education national historic site. “It was so moving, and I wanted to convey that to my students.”

COMING SOON: KSDE Insight Podcast -

How Kansas Funds Schools and

Why It Matters for Families

School funding can feel complicated and disconnected from the classroom, but it plays a major role in the opportunities students experience every day.

In January’s episode of the KSDE Insight Podcast, we break down how school funding works in Kansas, where the money comes from, and how funding decisions affect class sizes, programs, and student supports.

"Ask the Commissioner" podcast segment answers parents’ questions about education

Have a question about your child’s education? Kansas Education Commissioner Dr. Randy Watson wants to hear from you.

Each month on the KSDE Insight Podcast, Dr. Watson will answer parent questions in his “Ask the Commissioner” segment.

Encourage parents to email their questions to insightpodcast@ksde.gov — and it could be featured in the next episode!

Reporting and Operations

Educator Data Collection System open

for submissions of the LPR and SVR

The Educator Data Collection System (EDCS) is now open for submissions of the Licensed Personnel Report (LPR) and Spring Vacancy Report (SVR). The SVR will be submitted as part of the LPR, which is due on March 1.

Contact Leslie Bruton, leslie.bruton@ksde.gov, or (785) 296-8011 with questions.

Accountability, Accreditation and Assessments

ICYMI: Qualitative Star Recognition

application process update

By Myron Melton, KSDE accreditation and design team

The Kansas State Department of Education is updating the Star Recognition program, which continues to recognize system improvement and highlights the important work occurring in schools across Kansas.

January KESA virtual update reminder and other KSDE accreditation and design news

By Jay Scott, KSDE accreditation and design team

Information about the January KESA virtual update, the 2026-27 schedule and guidance document for hosting School Improvement Days and the protocol for canceling a School Improvement Day are included in the following update from the KSDE accreditation and design team.

Standards and Instruction

2026-27 Preschool-Aged At-Risk

approval forms open

By Natalie McClane, KSDE early childhood team

The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) invites school districts to submit plans to provide preschool services to children at risk of entering kindergarten socially, emotionally, or academically unprepared for success.

Updates for the ESEA Consolidated Review, virtual offices hours and webinars

The following is information pertaining to the ESEA Consolidated Review window opening for a cohort of Kansas school districts, virtual office hours available for staff who are doing their consolidated review and the ESEA program administrators webinar series continuing this spring.

Final reminder: Alternate assessment justifications due Jan. 9 in KIAS

Superintendents and special education directors were notified in early December of the Jan. 9 deadline to complete alternate assessment justifications in the Kansas Integrated Accountability System (KIAS) authentication application.

These justifications are for districts that tested over 1.0% of their students on the Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) alternate assessment in one or more subjects during the 2024-25 school year.

Contact Cary Rogers, cary.rogers@ksde.gov, or (785) 296-0619 with questions.

Reminder: Text to speech applications for

state assessment due Jan. 31

District test coordinators must submit all applications by Jan. 31 - in one combined .pdf - for TTS for Passages and Graphics Application for students to receive Text to Speech accommodations for the passages and graphics on the state assessment.

The combined .pdf must be sent to TTSpassages@ksde.gov by end of day on Jan. 31.

Contact Cary Rogers, cary.rogers@ksde.gov, or (785) 296-0619 with questions.

Reminder: KSDE teacher licensure seeks educator preparation program reviewers

The Kansas State Department of Education is seeking KSDE-trained program reviewers to review several educator preparation programs this coming spring.

Higher education institutions must have approved programs for all areas for which they wish to make licensing recommendations, so these reviews are vital to maintaining strong educator preparation in Kansas.

Upcoming Events, Trainings and Recognition

EIPA virtual workshop scheduled for Feb. 7

Registration is now open for the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA) online workshop, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., on  Feb. 7. The deadline to register is Jan. 30.

The “Interpreting in the Time of Language Deprivation,” workshop will be presented by Wyatte C. Hall, Ph.D. Participants will get an overview of language deprivation research, Deaf public health, research with cochlear implants and signing, and will discuss interpreting for fifth- through 12th-grade Deaf students.

Kansas volunteerism survey

responses needed

The Kansas Volunteer Commission is eager to hear from you through the Kansas Volunteerism Survey. Your voice matters—and by participating, you can help shape the future of Kansas communities.

Share what issues matter most to you, and your insights will directly influence the Commission's funding priorities across Kansas.

2026 Great Ideas in Education Conference: Don’t miss this transformative event!

Make 2026 your district’s most aligned and impactful year yet by attending the Great Ideas in Education Conference, July 27-29, to ignite coherence, accelerate learning and expand opportunities.

Join the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) for a powerful three-day experience at the Wichita Hyatt Regency & Convention Center designed to align leadership teams and drive meaningful change across Kansas schools.

PAX trainings available

in Kansas for a limited time

Virtual statewide sessions are now available on the PAX Trainings for Kansas event page.

Through funding by the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services, these trainings and related materials are provided at no cost.

PAX, which stands for “Peace, Productivity, Health, and Happiness,” is a set of trauma-informed, evidence-based strategies that teach behavior as a skill set - equipping adults with simple, effective tools to support children and youth across ages, settings, and developmental stages.

Reminder: Second edition of KANSAS! Kids magazine headed to classrooms in January

By Andrea Etzel, editor, KANSAS! Kids magazine

The team at KANSAS! magazine is excited to announce the second edition of KANSAS! Kids will be headed to Kansas schools for students in grades four through six.

KANSAS! Kids aims to ignite a sense of pride and wonder in the hearts of our state’s next generation. Our mission is to connect young minds to the beauty, history, and possibilities of Kansas, helping them discover the unexpected treasures in the place they call home.

Kansas Technical Assistance System Network  training opportunities

The Kansas Technical Assistance System Network (TASN) provides evidence-based professional learning and technical assistance, grounded in the federal requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

View upcoming professional learning opportunities on the TASN events calendar.
Learn more about TASN projects.

Contact Michele Hayes, mrhayes@pittstate.edu, with questions.

Renaissance provides FastBridge virtual trainings to districts and Kansas educators

There are still available slots as part of the KSDE FastBridge partnership for district-specific

virtual sessions at no charge to the district. These sessions must be held prior to Jan. 30. Contact Jeff Lancial, jeff.lancial@renaissance.com, to sign up.

Renaissance Learning is also offering the following FastBridge virtual training for Kansas educators in January:

Jan. 13: FastBridge Open Q&A, 3 - 4 p.m. Register here.

Contact Jeff Lancial, jeff.lancial@renaissance.com, with questions.

Calendar

January

9: Alternate assessment justifications in KIAS authentication application due. Contact Cary Rogers, cary.rogers@ksde.gov, or (785) 296-0619 with questions.

13-14: Kansas State Board of Education monthly meeting, first floor board room, Landon State Office Building, Topeka.

14: IDEA Maintenance of Effort and Excess Cost report due for stand alone, co-op/interlocal LEAs. Contact Helen Swanson, helen.swanson@ksde.gov, or (785) 296-1712.

15: Request for February Federal Funds (Form 240) deadline, if funds available. Contact Amanda Williams, amanda.willliams@ksde.gov, (785) 296-2020, with questions.

15: Kansas Pre-Kindergarten Pilot (KPP-TANF) 2nd quarter expense reimbursement payment request due. Contact Amanda Williams, amanda.willliams@ksde.gov, (785) 296-2020, with questions.

15: Local Consolidated Plan (LCP) final expenditure report due. Contact Nicole Clark, nicole.clark@ksde.gov, or (785) 296-4925.

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The Kansas State Department of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability or age in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies: KSDE General Counsel, Office of General Counsel, KSDE, Landon State Office Building, 900 S.W. Jackson, Suite 102, Topeka, KS 66612, (785) 296-3201.