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The Kansas State Department of Education is proud to celebrate the success of the most recent group of Kansas Parents as Teachers programs to earn a prestigious endorsement from Parents as Teachers National Center (PATNC) called the “Blue Ribbon Endorsement.” Parents as Teachers programs that earn this endorsement are designated as the top-performing home visiting programs within the Parents as Teachers international network.
“Kansas families are so lucky to benefit from Kansas parent educators' commitment to providing exceptional services to prepare our youngest Kansans for success in school and in life,” said Amanda Petersen, director of the KSDE early childhood team. “We are proud that this designation recognizes the hard work, dedication and skill that Kansas Parents as Teachers programs bring to our state.”
The following districts’ PAT programs earned the Blue Ribbon endorsement in Oct. 2024:
Every five years, each Parents as Teachers program participates in the Quality Endorsement and Improvement Project (QEIP) with the PATNC. This continuous quality improvement assessment is a rigorous 15-month process that requires meeting 21 essential requirements (minimum standards) and 81 quality standards (highest standards).
“We are so incredibly proud of our local Parents as Teachers affiliates for embracing the Quality Endorsement and Improvement Project,” said Dr. Ben Proctor, deputy commissioner of KSDE’s Division of Learning Services. “PAT evidence-based home visiting is such an important part of the early childhood education strategy, and we greatly appreciate the hard work and dedication of our PAT educators, as they serve and support families and children in our Kansas communities.”
Implementation with quality and fidelity is vital in evidence-based home visiting programs as it determines a program’s effectiveness in accomplishing its original goals and intended outcomes. It also confirms that a program is being implemented as designed and supported by years of research.
Parents as Teachers is an important part of the early childhood education strategy to build strong communities, thriving families, and children that are healthy, safe, and ready to learn. The PAT evidence-based home visiting program is backed by more than 40 years of research-based outcomes for children and families.
There are 62 Parents as Teachers programs in Kansas that work diligently and intentionally every day to provide home visiting services with fidelity. A complete directory of those programs in the state is located here: 2023-2024 Parents as Teachers Kansas Directory.
Contact Lisa Williams, KSDE Parents as Teachers Program coordinator, lwilliams@ksde.org, or (785) 296-4964, if you have questions about how Parents as Teachers services can be offered in your community.
In this edition | Feature Story | Assessments and Accountability | Reporting and Operations Standards and Instruction | Student Health and Nutrition | Upcoming Events, Trainings and Recognition
Questions about this page contact:
Denise Kahler (785) 296-4876 dkahler@ksde.org
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The Kansas State Department of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities. (more information...)
To accommodate people with disabilities, on request, auxiliary aides and services will be provided and reasonable modifications to policies and programs will be made. To request accommodations or for more information please contact the Office of General Counsel at gc@ksde.org or by 785-296-3201.