Evidence Based List and Provisional At-Risk Program Application

KSDE will provide school districts with an application process to submit programs and practices that are not currently on the approved evidence-based practices list but meet the statutory definition for a provisional at-risk educational program.

The application requires district evidence that the program or practice is producing or is likely to produce measurable success and which above and beyond category the provisional at-risk program meets.

The new evidence-based list is contingent upon the Kansas Legislature eliminating the five-year research requirement. If the legislature eliminates the five-year research requirement, the new evidence-based list has 72 programs and 78 practices. If the legislature does not eliminate the five-year research requirement, the new evidence-based list will have nine programs and 78 practices.

A provisional at-risk program means an evidence-based at-risk program or service identified or developed by a school district as producing or likely to produce measurable success that has been submitted to the Kansas State Board of Education for review.

Expenditures shall only be made for a provisional at-risk educational program for a period not to exceed three years after implementation of such provisional at-risk program by a district. The State Board shall review any such provisional at-risk program, and if such program satisfies the State Board’s requirements, then the program shall be included on the approved at-risk educational programs.

The updated list of Approved At-Risk programs and the application for Provisional Approval will both be released in early March.


Graduation Requirements

An update is being made to the licensure requirements for the speech portion of the English language arts/communication course.

KSDE’s current guidance provides the following options:

• Systems wishing to have a semester of communication within ELA can do so and will need a course code affiliated with the communication class. If this is the route chosen, an appropriately licensed English teacher may teach this class.

OR (New Language)

• Districts that require a stand-alone communication class may assign either a speech/theatre endorsed teacher to provide instruction, or an English Language Arts endorsed teacher to provide instruction. Please note: debate, forensics and public speaking courses will require a speech/theatre endorsed teacher.

Resources:

• Graduation Home Page
• Frequently Asked Questions Page (updated 1.31.24)
• Presentation to the State Board (2023)

For questions, contact Dr. Robyn Kelso, Career, Standards and Assessment Services (CSAS) coordinator, at rkelso@ksde.org; or Dr. David Fernkopf, CSAS assistant director, at dfernkopf@ksde.org.

Applications for School Improvement Days Facilitators open

Beginning in the 2024-25 school year, the new accreditation model, KESA 2.0, will involve school systems meeting together once per year for School Improvement Days.  As part of this process, KSDE is recruiting teams of facilitators to lead these sessions. The facilitators will be in teams of three and will lead school leadership teams through data conversations, reflective questions and action planning. We are recruiting interested educators for these roles over the next few months and will conduct training sessions later this spring.  Some of the characteristics we are looking for in our facilitators include: 

• Skilled in large group facilitated discussion.
• Systems-thinker and passionate about school improvement & instruction.
• Flexibility for 2 or 3 days per year.
• Willingness to learn and teach the KS School Improvement Model.
• Understand the importance of building relationships and trust.

If you are interested in being a facilitator or want to learn more about this role, we ask that you complete the survey at this link. Please let us know if you have any questions.