School Improvement and Accreditation Timeline for progress

The KSDE School Improvement Workgroup and members of the Accreditation and Design team will share the following information with the Kansas State Board of Education during its April 9 meeting.

• The School Improvement Model – The board will receive an outline of the school improvement model including the fundamentals, structures and lead indicators. Districts will develop action plans based on this model.  
• Timeline for the implementation of KESA 2.0.
• Overview of the School Improvement Collaboration process.
• Overview of the facilitator training process and timeline of events.
• Remaining work will take place in May and June to finalize the School Improvement Model.
• Overview of the upcoming Regional Informational Sessions planned for this spring and summer. 

At-Risk and the Evidence-Based List

The State Board has approved a new list of evidence-based programs and practices for at-risk students. Districts should review this updated list and consider the following:

• The State Board has approved a new Evidence-Based List.
• This is not a list of “good” or “bad” programs and practices but a list of programs and practices that meet the requirements of the law.
• This list reflects what programs and practices that school districts can spend at-risk funds on.
• The new list is contingent upon the Kansas Legislature eliminating the 5-year research requirement.
  • If the legislature eliminates the 5-year research requirement, the new evidence-based list has 72 programs and 78 practices.
  • If the legislature does not eliminate the 5-year research requirement, the new evidence-based list will have nine programs and 78 practices.
• A “provisional” at-riskprogram 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 State Board 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 school 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.

At-Risk Provisional Application Process

Districts that have identified a promising at-risk program or practice that is not currently on the approved list, may submit a provisional application to the State Board requesting the continued use of this program or practice as described above. The application will require the following information be provided:

• District and submitter information.
• Whether the item was on the old list and if the district is currently spending at-risk funds on it.
• Name of the program or practice.
• Publisher information; grade levels; purpose.
• Details of implementation.
• Group delivery method (above and beyond).
• Relevant professional development.
• Data associated with implementation (impact on at-risk students).

Click here to access the At-Risk Provisional Application.