Leaders in education have their sights set on the future. Kansas Association of School Board staff are touring the state to see how area educators view recent legislation.
Mark Tallman, associate executive director for advocacy for KASB, made a stop in Iola Monday.
“Our goal is to have Kansas be the first-ranked state in education,” he said. “We’re not at the top, but we do continue to improve.”
For 2012, 85 percent of students completed a high school diploma on time. Over the past decade, the Kansas graduation rate has increased nearly 10 percentage points and has slightly narrowed the lead of the top 10 states.
To make it to the top KASB has three targets: Support in raising standards, provide suitable finance to districts, and strengthen local leadership.
“We want to look at the results of education, not the process,” he said.
The 2014 Legislature passed and the governor signed House Bill 2506, which directs the Kansas State Board of Education to “design subjects and areas of instruction,” to provide students a comprehensive education.
“We ask ourselves how to make students college- and career-ready,” he said. “How do we go from subjects to skills kids need.”
Despite a high graduation rate, Tallman said only 40 percent of students are college- and career-ready. KASB has adjusted its views throughout the years on what a school’s role in education is.
“In the past it was to teach the content,” he said. “Jobs have changed and skills will change.”
“Every child has skills to be successful,” he continued. “We want them to be successful in everything.”
Currently no statewide assessments exist to measure a student’s learning in physical and mental health and arts and cultural heritage.
KASB’s goal is for a student to be grounded in the arts and to appreciate his or her cultural and historical heritage.
KASB is aware that each student is different and might need a different plan. This is when virtual and alternative learning comes in.
Funding for virtual online learning is no longer included in a district’s local options budget, Tallman said, reducing the state budget by $3.6 million.
