Southern Lyon County USD 252 only district to be recognized in all outcome areas

The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) recognized 242 public school districts and eight private systems through the 2023 Kansans Can Star Recognition Program, the highest number since the program’s inception in the 2019-2020 school year.

Recipients of this year’s recognition were announced by Kansas Commissioner of Education Dr. Randy Watson on Tuesday, Oct. 10, at the Kansas State Board of Education meeting.

The program honors districts and systems for excelling in outcomes established around the vision for education in the state – Kansas leads the world in the success of each student.

The vision was announced in 2015 by the State Board of Education and KSDE. A new accreditation model, Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA), was announced shortly after. KESA accredits at the system level to create systemic change among school buildings in a district.

The Kansans Can Star Recognition Program is designed to support the KESA process by providing a level of recognition that helps districts identify where they want to focus their improvement efforts.

The program recognizes district achievement in seven areas, which are broken into two different measures – quantitative and qualitative. Districts must apply for recognition in the qualitative measures area.

District recognition in the quantitative measures area is automatically calculated by KSDE based on collected district data. No application is necessary.

Districts can apply to receive gold, silver, bronze or copper stars in the qualitative measures of:

• Social-emotional growth.
• Kindergarten readiness.
• Individual Plan of Study.
• Civic engagement.

Districts can receive gold, silver, bronze or copper stars in the quantitative measure areas of:

• Academically prepared for postsecondary.
• High school graduation.
• Postsecondary success.

The Commissioner’s Award recognizes districts that outperform their predicted postsecondary effectiveness rate above a .40 standard deviation.

A district’s predicted postsecondary effectiveness rate factors in the degree to which identified risk factors known to depress effectiveness rates, such as poverty, chronic absenteeism and student mobility, are present in a district’s student population.

Districts that outperform their predictive rate by .4-.99 standard deviation receive the Commissioner’s Award. There were 45 districts/systems that achieved this award.

Districts that outperform their predictive rate by 1-1.99 standard deviations receive the Commissioner’s Award with Honors. There were 30 districts that achieved this award.

Districts that outperform their predictive rate by 2 or more standard deviations receive the Commissioner’s Award with Highest Distinction. There were six districts that achieved this award:

• Cheney USD 268
• Frontenac USD 249
• Hamilton USD 390
• Ingalls USD 477
• South Haven USD 509
• St. John-Hudson USD 350

Other awards included:

• There were 57 districts/systems recognized in the social-emotional growth outcomes area, 16 coppers, 24 bronzes and 17 silvers. There were no gold recipients.
• There were 41 districts/systems recognized in the kindergarten readiness outcome area, 15 coppers and 26 bronzes.
• There were 21 districts/systems recognized in the civic engagement outcome area, six coppers, 13 bronzes and two golds.
• There were 39 districts/systems recognized in the individual plans of study (IPS) outcome area, 20 coppers, 14, bronzes, four silvers and one gold.
• There were 133 districts/systems recognized in the high school graduation outcome area, eight coppers, 46 bronzes, 30 silvers and 49 golds.
• There were 114 districts/systems recognized in the academically prepared for postsecondary outcome area, 96 coppers, 14 bronzes and four silvers. There were no gold recipients.
• There were 149 districts/systems recognized in the postsecondary effectiveness outcome area, 42 coppers, 44 bronzes, 48 silvers and 15 golds.
• Southern Lyon County USD 252 was the only district to be recognized in all seven outcomes areas and be a recipient of a Commissioner’s Award.

A list of districts being recognized, along with what they are being recognized for, is attached.

For more information about the Kansans Can Star Recognition Program, visit https://www.ksde.org/Agency/Fiscal-and-Administrative-Services/Communications-and-Recognition-Programs/Vision-Kansans-Can/Kansans-Can-Star-Recognition.