More than 800 people in 14 cities participated in the first week of the Kansans Can Success Tour, which will help set the path for the future of public education in Kansas.
During the meetings, Kansas Education Commissioner Dr. Randy Watson and Deputy Commissioner Brad Neuenswander reviewed the goals of the Kansans Can vision, gathered input for the future and provided updated information on the state’s improving graduation rates and post-secondary participation.
Donna Hoener-Queal, a member of the Pratt USD 382 school board and KASB Region 8 Vice President, attended the week’s last meeting on Friday in Great Bend and said the message delivered was important.
“It’s worthwhile for school board members and members of the community and educators to hear it,” Hoener-Queal said. “It lets everyone know where we’ve been the last five years and the direction we need to continue for the next five years,” she said.
In 2015, Watson and Neuenswander held meetings across the state and learned that Kansans want students to be academically prepared for life after school and also better armed with real-world skills, such as working as a team member, overcoming adversity, being socially and emotionally stable and able to communicate effectively.
Those meetings produced the State Board of Education’s Kansans Can vision of leading the world in the success of each student. The State Board elevated focus on kindergarten readiness, individual plans of study, social and emotional growth, and improved graduation and post-secondary participation rates.
Watson said it was time to head back into the field to get more feedback on the Kansans Can vision.
Using interactive software, participants at the meetings showed strong support of the vision. In addition, at the end of each meeting, participants provided recommendations to strengthen that vision. So far, major themes that have arisen include improving communications with parents and the community, consistent funding, more alignment with local businesses, increased mental health support for students and much more.
Watson said the responses will be tabulated at the end of the tour and shared with Gov. Laura Kelly, legislators and the State Board of Education and will help guide education policymakers.
Brad Bergsma, a member of the Goodland USD 352 board and KASB President-Elect, participated in the meeting in Goodland.
“It was great for our community to see the progress we have made as a state and how we can improve our education system,” Bergsma said.
Since 2015, Kansas’ high school graduation rate has increased from 85.7 percent to 88.3 percent. That includes a 6.5 percent increase in the graduation rates of English language learners (77.2 percent to 83.7 percent); 3.7 percent among students who receive free or reduced lunch (77.5 percent to 81.2 percent) and 3.1 percent for students with disabilities (77.2 percent to 80.3 percent), which is the second highest in the nation.
In addition, the rate of students with postsecondary work two years after graduating high school has increased from 44 percent to 48 percent. Watson said this increase in postsecondary success shows that high schools are graduating quality students.
So far, Kansans have provided feedback in Salina, Concordia, Beloit, Hays, Phillipsburg, Colby, Goodland, Syracuse, Scott City, Garden City, Liberal, Dodge City, Goddard and Great Bend.
The tour resumes Mon. Aug. 16 with a swing through southeast and south-central Kansas. For a complete list of meeting dates and locations go here.
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