The Kansas State Board of Education will meet Feb. 14 at the Landon State Office Building, 900 S.W. Jackson, Suite 102, in Topeka to act on licensure regulations and a joint resolution with the Kansas Board of Regents regarding dual credit courses. 

The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. Tuesday. The State Board on Wednesday, Feb. 15, will be at the Kansas State High School Activities Association, 601 Commerce Place in Topeka, for a retreat beginning at 9 a.m. 

On Tuesday, State Board members will recognize the 2022 ESEA (Elementary and Secondary Education Act) Distinguished Schools from Kansas. Westview Elementary School, Olathe Unified School District 233, was recognized for closing the achievement gap between student groups. Hillsboro Elementary School, Hillsboro USD 410, was recognized for exceptional student performance for two consecutive years. 

Both schools were honored earlier this month at a ceremony during the national ESEA Conference in Indianapolis. 

The Board also is expected to act on amendments to teacher licensure regulations. A public hearing took place about the amendments on Dec. 13, 2022. The hearing continued Jan. 10. 

Deputy Commissioner Dr. Craig Neuenswander is scheduled to give a report on relevant House and Senate bill activity. 

Dr. Laurie Curtis, the early literacy/dyslexia program manager for the Kansas State Department of Education, is to present an update on Kansas dyslexia initiatives, including screening protocol, professional learning, collaborative partnerships and the newly established Kansas Literacy Advisory Council. 

State Board of Education members also will: 

• Act on the Accreditation Review Council’s (ARC) recommendations for Kansas Education Systems Accreditation for Pittsburg USD 250, Plainville USD 270, Hesston USD 460, Geary County USD 475, Satanta 507 and the Kansas State School for the Blind. This year, there are 179 public and private systems scheduled for review by the ARC. 
• Receive proposed amendments to accreditation regulations. Last year, the State Board reviewed recommendations from the Graduation Requirements Task Force and asked for changes to be made to the accreditation regulations to reflect State Board members’ desired changes to graduation requirements. The proposed regulatory changes will be discussed again during the Board’s March meeting with potential action to approve submitting the proposed amendments through the formal adoption process at the April meeting. 
• Hear from KSDE’s Amanda Petersen, director of Early Childhood, about the work the Early Childhood team has been doing. 
• Receive a presentation from Niomi Ndirangu, 2022 Miss Kansas Outstanding Teen. Ndirangu’s social impact initiative is epilepsy awareness. She works to spread awareness of epilepsy, reduce the stigma that comes with it and educate students about how to recognize and respond to someone having a seizure. 

State Board members are scheduled to end Tuesday’s meeting at 5:30 p.m. and reconvene at 9 a.m. Wednesday at KSHSAA for a retreat.