Strands for the Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Great Ideas in Education Conference: Empowered Together offer something for everyone.

The conference is slated for Oct. 25-27 at the Hyatt Regency Wichita.

Strands for this conference include:

• Balanced Assessment System
  A balanced assessment system can be thought of as a collection of assessments that provide varying types of feedback about instruction and student learning. In general terms, a balanced assessment system works to utilize formative, interim, and summative assessments for learning and of learning. Knowing the difference and how to use each assessment is critical to having a complete balanced assessment system. Sessions will focus on building the capacity to administer and utilize data to drive instruction.
   
• Early Childhood
  ​The path to leading the world in the success of each student starts in early childhood, long before the start of the kindergarten year.
  • A focus on early childhood and a commitment to strong community partnerships.
  • Strategies to help teachers, school leaders, communities, families, and children become more kindergarten ready in developmentally appropriate ways. 
     
• Elevating Voices in Education
  • Family and Community Engagement - Meaningful elevation of ALL student voices through purposeful school and community collaboration and partnerships.
  • Kansans Can Competencies
  • Equalizing Access to Education
     
• Leadership
  • Fiscal Responsibilities
  • KESA:  As a tool to support Kansas in leading the world in the success of each student, Kansas Education System Accreditation (KESA) 1) Ensures that each K-12 system meets a minimum standard of quality for compliance and continuous improvement, and 2) Evaluates each system’s student outcomes, both for a minimum standard and excellence in student success.
  • Recruitment and retention:  A new initiative at KSDE to work alongside districts to help them retain quality educators and recruit the next generation.
     
• Safe and Supportive Schools
  Creating safe and supportive school environments requires a comprehensive and coordinated effort.  All stakeholders should be involved in creating and nurturing positive school climates, preventing school violence, and protecting the school community through building positive relationships, security, emergency management, and preparedness planning.
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• Teaching and Learning
  • Career and Technical Education
  • High-quality Instruction
  • Standards Alignment
  • Structured Literacy
  • Work-based learning
     
• Technology and Cybersecurity
  The Technology and Cybersecurity strand will cover topics related to the K-12 cybersecurity landscape and best practices, technology plans, sustainability and all things "data" (student data privacy, data collection, data governance, data quality, data reporting and data literacy).

Attendees' registration check-in is from 6-9 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24, and from 7-8 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 25.

The conference will begin at 8 a.m. Oct. 25 with an introduction and welcome. Breakout sessions begin at 8:30 a.m. The first keynote speaker at the conference will be Dr. Steve Constantino from 12:30-1:45 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 26, will begin at 8 a.m. with a student performance and recognition of art design contest winners. Breakout sessions will begin at 8:30 a.m. Logan Taylor’s keynote speech will be from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 27, will kick off with announcements, a student performance and a keynote presentation by Kansas Commissioner of Education Dr. Randy Watson. Watson will share an update on education in the state of Kansas. Deputy Commissioner Dr. Ben Proctor will provide information on the four fundamental elements that drive student success.

Registration fees are:

• One day (any individual day) - $175. Attendees will need to indicate which day they plan to attend.
• Friday morning only - $100.
• Full Conference - (2 1/2 days) - $275.

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Registration questions may be sent to Kelli Byrne kbyrne@ksde.org.

Programming questions may be sent to Pat Bone pbone@ksde.org.