First Kansans Can Star Recognition Program awards announced

Posted Date: 04/13/2021

Kansas Education Commissioner Dr. Randy Watson on Tuesday unveiled the initial recipients of the Kansans Can Star Recognition Program.

The program recognizes districts for success in outcomes deemed necessary to produce successful students.

Those measures are social-emotional growth, kindergarten readiness, individual plans of study, civic engagement, high school graduation, academically prepared for postsecondary and postsecondary success.

Districts had to apply for recognition and could receive gold, silver, bronze or copper stars. There were also 54 districts that received Commissioner’s Awards for exceeding predicted performance based on high risk factors, such as poverty.

State Board of Education members congratulated the districts. “This represents the hard work of all of our teachers,” said Jean Clifford, a Republican from Garden City.

Board Member Deena Horst, a Republican from Salina, said, “Congratulations to all the districts and the hard work that students did — parents, teachers, paras, everyone that has something to do with schools did wonderful work.”

The next group of awards will be announced in October.

For a list of districts that received awards, go to this link. For more information on the program, go to this link.