Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024 | Issue 114

In This Week's Edition

Feature Stories

Reporting and Operations

Final reminder: Deadline for Title IV, Part A expenditure survey is Nov. 8

Accountability, Accreditation and Assessments

Standards and Instruction

Review data and access supports to improve services for preschool students with disabilities (Indicator 6)
Verifying data for Indicator 12: Part C to Part B transitions in the Kansas Integrated Accountability System (KIAS)

Student Health and Nutrition

Upcoming Events, Trainings and Recognition

Feature Stories

A Maize USD 266 student worked on a robot recently as part of a hands-on STEAM activity. (Photo submitted by Maize USD 266)

STEAM powers Maize USD 266’s boost in postsecondary and graduation rates

The interdisciplinary aspects and connectedness of STEAM are what Dr. Lindsay King believes help students develop critical thinking skills and resilience.

“I think the best part about STEAM is that it brings people together to solve a problem,” said King, director of college and career readiness at Maize Unified School District 266. “Regardless of what problems you’ll be solving in the future, you’re always going to benefit from working together with a team and handle setbacks. This is the vehicle in which we are practicing that skill.”

National STEM/STEAM Day is Friday, Nov. 8, which celebrates science, technology, engineering, (art) and mathematics. These subjects are woven into Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses which improve students’ college and career readiness, play a powerful role in preventing students from dropping out, and provide a variety of opportunities for postsecondary success and employment.

Screen time task force to present recommendations to

Kansas State Board of Education

Members of the Kansas State Board of Education will receive a set of recommendations from the Blue-Ribbon Task Force on Student Screen Time during their monthly meeting, Nov. 12-13, in Topeka.

The 36-member task force, comprised of students, teachers, administrators, parents, legislators and state board members Melanie Haas and Danny Zeck, have been meeting since August. They’ve shared and discussed information to formulate state board recommendations for the following three areas:

Students' personal device use in school,
Screen time and mental health; and
Parental oversight of district-owned devices.

Ava Gustin, a student at Mission Valley High School, Mission Valley USD 330, and Brian Houghton, principal at Fredonia Junior-Senior High School, Fredonia USD 484, co-chair the task force.

Reporting and Operations

Final reminder: Title IV, Part A expenditure survey to be completed by Nov. 8

The KSDE Special Education and Title Services (SETS) team is reminding districts to complete the Title IV-A Expenditure Survey SFY 2024 regarding information for the Consolidated State Performance Report.

This survey is REQUIRED and must be completed no later than Friday, Nov. 8.

This survey will allow KSDE to report federally required data regarding Title IV, Part A to the U.S. Department of Education. Responses should include only the amount of funds expended for each of the following content areas from July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024:

Well-rounded education
Safe and healthy students
Supporting the effective use of technology

Contact Roxanne Zillinger, rzillinger@ksde.org, (785) 296-7260, with questions.

Accountability, Accreditation and Assessments

Kansas Assessment Program’s ELA

text-to-speech guidelines changed

With the enhanced English Language Arts (ELA) assessment in 2024 and the focus on the science of reading, the Kansas State Department of Education’s Career Standards and Assessment Services team worked with national technical advisors to provide guidance for the appropriate accommodations needed for the ELA assessment.

Beginning this year, students in grades 3-5 will not have the text-to-speech (TTS) accommodation available for ELA questions and responses.

Reminder: KESA virtual update

rescheduled for Nov. 18

The November virtual KESA monthly update has been rescheduled for 10:30-11:15 a.m. on Nov. 18, due to Veterans Day falling on Nov. 11. These meetings will return to the second Monday of each month following the holiday.

Join the meeting here and subscribe to the KESA listserv at accreditation@ksde.org to receive email reminders and more.

The KESA monthly updates, along with most KESA-related meetings, are always recorded and posted to the KESA Conference and Training webpage along with presented materials. Visit the KESA webpage for any accreditation and school improvement resources.

Contact Rue Huereca-Retana, rhuereca-retana@ksde.org, with questions.

Standards and Instruction

Review data and access supports to improve services for preschool students with disabilities (Indicator 6)

Early childhood experiences set the stage for lifelong success. Providing excellent early learning opportunities for preschool students with disabilities is an important area of focus as districts seek to improve kindergarten readiness. Research clearly indicates creating environments for all students to learn together regardless of ability improves outcomes for all students.

Verifying data for Indicator 12: Part C to Part B transitions in the Kansas Integrated Accountability System (KIAS)

Smooth, seamless transitions from Part C to Part B ensure young children with disabilities receive services without disruption or delay.

Each year, school districts report data for Indicator 12 for Part B, one of the 17 indicators reported to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). Part B Indicator 12 is a compliance indicator that measures the percent of children referred by Part C prior to age 3, who are found eligible for Part B, and who have an IEP developed and implemented by their third birthdays.

Student Health and Nutrition

Fiscal Year 2024 Farm to School grant available to Child Nutrition Program Sponsors

Child Nutrition Program (CNP) sponsors may request up to $10,000 to support Farm to Plate initiatives that will increase the local foods served as part of Child Nutrition Program snacks and meals.

Subgrants will be utilized by CNP operators to advance eligible local foods programming activities including gardening, chicken houses, raising livestock, garden towers, and more. Two funding tracks will be available:

1) Up to $2,500 subgrant available for expansion of current farm to CNP projects; and

2) Up to $10,000 for new projects implementing farm to CNP programming. Sub-grants will be available to School Nutrition Program (SNP), Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) sponsors, with funding priority given to those with 40% or more of program participants eligible for free or reduced priced meals.

The application is available by going to https://cnw.ksde.org, then Farm to Plate, then What’s New.

Contact Barb Depew at bdepew@ksde.org with questions.

Reminder: Heartland Farm to School Institute

2025 application open

The Heartland Farm to School Institute aims to assist schools in incorporating Farm to School programming in the classroom, cafeteria, and community. The Kansas State Department of Education, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Nebraska Department of Education are leading this initiative.

Upcoming Events, Trainings and Recognition

Final reminder: Child care regional roundtable scheduled for Nov. 12 in Abilene

Early childhood professionals, caregivers, community members working to support local child care efforts, and anyone with an interest in child care in Kansas are invited to join a roundtable event to share your experiences with child care in your region.

This event will be 6:30-8 p.m., on Tuesday, Nov. 12, at the Abilene Childcare Learning Center 2/Nichols Education Center, 1003 N. Brady Street, in Abilene. Click here to register for this free event that is open to the public.

Final reminder: Webinars offered for business teachers, DECA and FBLA advisors on Nov. 13

Kansas is a member state of the MBA Research consortium and that means there are numerous resources available for free to our business teachers.

During a free webinar from 3:30-4:15 p.m., on Nov. 13, Tammy Cyrus, vice president of professional learning for MBA Research, will lead teachers through creating a state’s connection account and where to find all of the resources that can help in the classroom.

Following this general session for all business teachers, Cyrus will work with Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) and DECA advisors from 4:15-5 p.m., also on Nov. 13, to show the crosswalk between MBA standards and FBLA and DECA events which will help get students ready to compete and to win.

Virtual training session offered by KSDE’s Dynamic Learning Maps team on Nov. 14

The KSDE Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) team is offering a special virtual training session for Kansas educators on instructionally embedded assessments to guide classroom instruction, 3-4 p.m., on Nov. 14. Register here.

The team will provide an overview of the score reports and how they can be used to guide classroom instruction. This training is intended for staff working with students who take the DLM alternate state assessment. This webinar will be recorded and available on the KSDE DLM page about a week after the training.

Contact Cary Rogers, crogers@ksde.org, with questions.

Reminder: Mark your calendars for the 2025 Local Consolidated Plan quarterly meetings

Mark your calendars for the remaining 2024-25 Local Consolidated Plan (LCP) quarterly meetings that are for administrators (new and veteran) responsible for LCPs.

Administrators will receive timely information and more in-depth support from the KSDE Special Education and Title Services team and statewide experts, with an emphasis on upcoming tasks and special topics as needed.

The remaining LCP meeting dates and registration links are below.

Jan. 28: LCP quarterly meeting #3, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., virtual. Register here.
Jan. 28: LCP quarterly meeting #3, 1-4 p.m., virtual. Register here.
April 8: LCP quarterly meeting #4, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., in-person, Hilton Garden Inn and Convention Center, Hays. Register here.
April 10: LCP quarterly meeting #4, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., in-person, Aloft Wichita. Register here.

Contact Twyla Sprouse, assistant director of KSDE Special Education and Title Services, tsprouse@ksde.org, or (785) 296-6714, with questions.

Registration reminder: Innovate Next Steps: Pre-K-12 Learning at Bethany College

Veteran educators, anyone considering a career in education, and anyone in between is invited to Bethany College’s education conference, on Feb. 8.

The deadline to register is Jan. 18.

Attendees will have an opportunity to earn graduate credit, obtain professional development points, collaborate and network with other educators, and learn more about a career in education.

Professional learning available to support your FastBridge implementation

The Kansas State Department of Education has extended its partnership with Renaissance Learning into the 2025-26 school year. Contact your Account Manager for FastBridge pricing through the state contract.

Many districts have virtual hours they can use to schedule a session from the Professional Learning Catalog. See if this applies to you by watching the recording  at the 1:37 time stamp. You do not need to hold the session by Dec. 31, but you do need to schedule it before then so that it does not expire.

Contact scheduling@renaissance.com for more information and/or schedule sessions here.

Calendar

November

8: 2026 Kansas Teacher of the Year nominations due. Instructions for accessing the online application can be found here. Contact Tamla Miller, tmiller@ksde.org, or (785) 296-4950 for more information or questions.

8: Introduction to the Ages & Stages Questionnaires (ASQ)® training, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m., on Zoom. Register at ksdetasn.org/events.

8: Individual Plan of Study (IPS) technical assistance session, 9 a.m.- 2 p.m., ESSDACK, Hutchinson. Register here. Contact Natalie Clark, ndclark@ksde.org or (785) 296-4351, with questions.

11: KESA 2.0 monthly Zoom update, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Click here for the Zoom link.

12: Kansas MTSS & Alignment Leadership Institute, Topeka. Click this link to register: ksdetasn.org/events. Contact Josh Lee at josh@kansasmtss.org with questions.

12: McKinney-Vento virtual training, 10:30 a.m.; contact Maureen Tabasko, mtabasko@ksde.org, (785) 296-1101, or Roxanne Zillinger, rzillinger@ksde.org, (785) 296-7260 for access to the Zoom link and/or additional information.

12: Science collaboration for curriculum leaders, virtual, 4-5 p.m. Register here. Contact Stephanie Alderman-Oler, salderman-oler@ksde.org, with questions.

12: Child care roundtable, 6:30-8 p.m., Abilene Childcare Learning Center 2/Nichols Education Center, 1003 N. Brady Street, in Abilene. Click here to register for this free event that is open to the public. Contact Meghan Kluth, mkluth@ku.edu, with questions.

12-13: Kansas State Board of Education meeting. Click here for the agenda and meeting materials.

13: Kansas MTSS & Alignment Leadership Institute, Wichita. Click this link to register: ksdetasn.org/events. Contact Josh Lee at josh@kansasmtss.org with questions.

13: Science collaboration for science teachers, virtual, 4-5 p.m. Register here. Contact Stephanie Alderman-Oler, salderman-oler@ksde.org, with questions.

13: Science collaboration for new science teachers, virtual, 4-5 p.m. Register here. Contact Stephanie Alderman-Oler, salderman-oler@ksde.org, with questions.

13: District test coordinator mandatory training, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Southwest Plains Educational Service Center, Sublette. Register here. Contact Chelsea Pelfrey at cpelfrey@ksde.org or (785) 296-0040 with questions.

13: Online seminar for business teachers, DECA and FBLA advisors. Register here. Contact Kathy Camarena, kcamarena@ksde.org, (785) 296-3152, with questions.

14: District test coordinator mandatory training, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Northwest Kansas Educational Service Center, Oakley. Register here. Contact Chelsea Pelfrey at cpelfrey@ksde.org or (785) 296-0040 with questions.

14: Kansas MTSS & Alignment Leadership Institute, Garden City. Click this link to register: ksdetasn.org/events. Contact Josh Lee at josh@kansasmtss.org with questions.

14: Question, Signal, Stem, Share and Assess (QSSSA) deep dive, 6-7:30 p.m., virtual. Register here. Contact Heather Musil, hjmusil@fhsu.edu, for more information regarding enrollment and fees for graduate credit.

14: Instructionally embedded assessments to guide classroom instruction session, 3-4 p.m., virtual. Click here to register. Contact Cary Rogers, crogers@ksde.org, with questions.

15: Curriculum directors meeting, 9 a.m.–3 p.m., Bishop Professional Development Center, 3601 S.W. 31st Street, Topeka.  Contact Pat Bone, pbone@ksde.org, with questions.

18: Individual Plan of Study (IPS) technical assistance session, 9 a.m.- 2 p.m., Orion, Clearwater. Register here. Contact Natalie Clark, ndclark@ksde.org or (785) 296-4351, with questions.

19: Kansas MTSS & Alignment offers behavior intervention protocol training, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Hilton Garden Inn, Salina. No cost. Click here to register. Contact Susan Danner, susand@kansasmtss.org, with questions.

21: Question, Signal, Stem, Share and Assess (QSSSA) deep dive, 6-7:30 p.m., virtual. Register here. Contact Heather Musil, hjmusil@fhsu.edu, for more information regarding enrollment and fees for graduate credit.

December

3: Kansas MTSS & Alignment preschool team’s standards-based make it-take it event for preschool teachers, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., KU Edwards campus. Register here. Contact Lea Harding at lea@kanasmtss.org with questions.

3: Kansas MTSS and Alignment regional reading road show, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Dodge City, Boot Hill Casino & Resort. Register here. Contact Vicki Cooper, vicki@kansasmtss.org, with questions.

5: Question, Signal, Stem, Share and Assess (QSSSA) deep dive, 6-7:30 p.m., virtual. Register here. Contact Heather Musil, hjmusil@fhsu.edu, for more information regarding enrollment and fees for graduate credit.

5: Kansas MTSS and Alignment regional reading road show, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Wichita, Hyatt Regency. Register here. Contact Vicki Cooper, vicki@kansasmtss.org, with questions.

6: Deadline to apply for the 2025 Heartland Farm to School Institute. Click here to apply no later than 11:59 p.m., CST. Contact Eryn Davis, edavis@ksde.org, (785) 296-5060, with questions.

9: KESA 2.0 monthly Zoom update, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Click here for the Zoom link.

10-11: Kansas State Board of Education meeting. Click here for the agenda and meeting materials.

11: Science collaboration for new science teachers, virtual, 4-5 p.m. Register here. Contact Stephanie Alderman-Oler, salderman-oler@ksde.org, with questions.

12: Question, Signal, Stem, Share and Assess (QSSSA) deep dive, 6-7:30 p.m., virtual. Register here. Contact Heather Musil, hjmusil@fhsu.edu, for more information regarding enrollment and fees for graduate credit.

17: Science collaboration for curriculum leaders, virtual, 4-5 p.m. Register here. Contact Stephanie Alderman-Oler, salderman-oler@ksde.org, with questions.

18: Science collaboration for science teachers, virtual, 4-5 p.m. Register here. Contact Stephanie Alderman-Oler, salderman-oler@ksde.org, with questions.

January

8: Science collaboration for new science teachers, virtual, 4-5 p.m. Register here. Contact Stephanie Alderman-Oler, salderman-oler@ksde.org, with questions.

9: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean School Bus Rebate Program applications due by 5 p.m. CST. Click here for more information. Contact CleanSchoolBus@epa.gov with questions.

14: Science collaboration for curriculum leaders, virtual, 4-5 p.m. Register here. Contact Stephanie Alderman-Oler, salderman-oler@ksde.org, with questions.

14-15: Kansas State Board of Education meeting. Click here for the agenda and meeting materials.

15: Science collaboration for science teachers, virtual, 4-5 p.m. Register here. Contact Stephanie Alderman-Oler, salderman-oler@ksde.org, with questions.

18: Deadline to register for Innovate Next Steps: Pre-K-12 Learning conference, Feb. 8, at Bethany College. Click here to register. Contact Alan English, englishAE@bethanyLB.edu, or (785) 227-3380, with questions.

28: Local Consolidated Plan (LCP) quarterly meeting #3, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., virtual. Register here. Contact Twyla Sprouse, tsprouse@ksde.org, or (785) 296-6714, with questions.

28: Local Consolidated Plan (LCP) quarterly meeting #3, 1-4 p.m., virtual. Register here. Contact Twyla Sprouse, tsprouse@ksde.org, or (785) 296-6714, with questions.

30: 2025 Virtual Health Care Career Day, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Zoom instructions will be sent out the week before Jan. 30. Click here to register at no cost and click here for the agenda. Contact Jaron Caffrey, jcaffrey@kha-net.org, or (316) 640-9570 with questions.

February

7: Kansas MTSS & Alignment preschool team’s standards-based make it-take it event for preschool teachers, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Hilton Garden Inn, Salina. Register here. Contact Lea Harding at lea@kanasmtss.org with questions.

11-12: Kansas State Board of Education meeting. Click here for the agenda and meeting materials.

12: Science collaboration for new science teachers, virtual, 4-5 p.m. Register here. Contact Stephanie Alderman-Oler, salderman-oler@ksde.org, with questions.

18: Science collaboration for curriculum leaders, virtual, 4-5 p.m. Register here. Contact Stephanie Alderman-Oler, salderman-oler@ksde.org, with questions.

19: Science collaboration for science teachers, virtual, 4-5 p.m. Register here. Contact Stephanie Alderman-Oler, salderman-oler@ksde.org, with questions.

24-25: Kansas Math Project professional development, Hays, Hilton Garden Inn, 221 W. 43rd Street. Click here to register. Click here to enroll to complete asynchronous modules at your own pace. Contact kmp@kansasmtss.org with questions.

26-27: Kansas Math Project professional development, Topeka, Sunflower Nonprofit Center, 5820 S.W. 6th Street. Click here to register. Click here to enroll to complete asynchronous modules at your own pace. Contact kmp@kansasmtss.org with questions.

March

11-12: Kansas State Board of Education meeting. Click here for the agenda and meeting materials.

12: Science collaboration for new science teachers, virtual, 4-5 p.m. Register here. Contact Stephanie Alderman-Oler, salderman-oler@ksde.org, with questions.

18: Science collaboration for curriculum leaders, virtual, 4-5 p.m. Register here. Contact Stephanie Alderman-Oler, salderman-oler@ksde.org, with questions.

19: Science collaboration for science teachers, virtual, 4-5 p.m. Register here. Contact Stephanie Alderman-Oler, salderman-oler@ksde.org, with questions.

April

3: Kansas MTSS & Alignment preschool team’s standards-based make it-take it event for preschool teachers, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Lee Richardson Zoo, Garden City. Register here. Contact Lea Harding at lea@kanasmtss.org with questions.

8: Local Consolidated Plan (LCP) quarterly meeting #4, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., in-person, Hilton Garden Inn and Convention Center, Hays. Register here. Contact Twyla Sprouse, tsprouse@ksde.org, or (785) 296-6714, with questions.

8-9: Kansas State Board of Education meeting. Click here for the agenda and meeting materials.

9: Science collaboration for new science teachers, virtual, 4-5 p.m. Register here. Contact Stephanie Alderman-Oler, salderman-oler@ksde.org, with questions.

10: Local Consolidated Plan (LCP) quarterly meeting #4, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., in-person, Aloft Wichita, 3642 Oliver, Wichita. Register here. Contact Twyla Sprouse, tsprouse@ksde.org, or (785) 296-6714, with questions.

15: Science collaboration for curriculum leaders, virtual, 4-5 p.m. Register here. Contact Stephanie Alderman-Oler, salderman-oler@ksde.org, with questions.

16: Science collaboration for science teachers, virtual, 4-5 p.m. Register here. Contact Stephanie Alderman-Oler, salderman-oler@ksde.org, with questions.

28-29: Kansas Math Project professional development, Hays, Hilton Garden Inn, 221 W. 43rd Street. Click here to register. Click here to enroll to complete asynchronous modules at your own pace. Contact kmp@kansasmtss.org with questions.

April 30-May 1: Kansas Math Project professional development, Topeka, Sunflower Nonprofit Center, 5820 S.W. 6th Street. Click here to register. Click here to enroll to complete asynchronous modules at your own pace. Contact kmp@kansasmtss.org with questions.

May

13-14: Kansas State Board of Education meeting. Click here for the agenda and meeting materials.

14: Science collaboration for new science teachers, virtual, 4-5 p.m. Register here. Contact Stephanie Alderman-Oler, salderman-oler@ksde.org, with questions.

20: Science collaboration for curriculum leaders, virtual, 4-5 p.m. Register here. Contact Stephanie Alderman-Oler, salderman-oler@ksde.org, with questions.

21: Science collaboration for science teachers, virtual, 4-5 p.m. Register here. Contact Stephanie Alderman-Oler, salderman-oler@ksde.org, with questions.

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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.