Kansas

In 2015, the Kansas State Board of Education launched a new vision for education in the state—“Kansas Leads the World in the Success of Each Student.” Leveraging both research and information from Kansans regarding what they expected of their schools’ systems, the state invited schools to move away from a “one-size-fits-all” system reliant on state assessments to a more student-focused system that provides supports and resources for individual success as a Kansas high school graduate. The Kansas State Board of Education’s goal is to have all Kansas’ public school districts involved in the redesign process by 2026.

R12CC is assisting the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) to develop a working knowledge of how to use strategic planning to guide redesign, formative assessment tools to monitor implementation fidelity and progress at redesign implementation sites, and evidence-based practices for making continuous improvements to redesign training for district leaders. This work includes designing and implementing a professional learning program for a cadre of trainers to support districts in advancing and supporting student success. Training sessions focus on developing a shared understanding of personalized learning, competency-based education, and their intersection with redesign principles. Through an executive leadership forum, R12CC is also supporting superintendents to address common concerns and critical questions relating to leadership, curriculum and assessment, instructional changes, and planning and constituency building.

The capacity building services that R12CC will provide are aligned with the four areas of support KSDE has initiated to enhance the redesign initiative. By applying evidence-based practices in the four key areas of personalized learning, student success skills, business/family/community partnerships, and real-world application to the elements of school redesign, Kansas will be positioned to scale up redesign efforts throughout the state.