School readiness occurs within a broad context that includes the four components of community, educational environment, family and the individual child. These four components function as interdependent systems of support that have multidirectional influences. Early childhood experiences, from birth through age 8, are necessary for school success…

In October 2015, the Kansas State Board of Education announced a new vision for education in Kansas. The Kansans CAN Vision - "Kansas leads the world in the success of each student" - became the branded theme for Kansas education. This initiative motivated the creation of this document. Kindergarten Readiness is one of five Kansas State…

In October 2015, the Kansas State Board of Education announced a new vision for education in Kansas--the Kansans CAN vision. "Kansas leads the world in the success of each student" became the branded theme for Kansas education. The Kansans CAN vision for education calls for a more child-focused system providing support and resources for…

School readiness occurs within a broad context that includes the four components of community, educational environment, family and the individual child. These four components function as interdependent systems of support that have multidirectional influences. Early childhood experiences, from birth through age 8, are necessary for school success…

This guidance document was created to help support schools as they begin to formulate their plans for re-entry into the 2020-2021 school year. The purpose of this document is not to prescribe what schools should do, but rather what considerations and discussions should happen in schools as they plan to support their students and communities as…

One goal of the National Forum on Education Statistics is to improve the quality of education data gathered for use by policymakers and program decision-makers. One approach to furthering this goal has been to pool the collective experiences of Forum members to produce "best practice" guides in areas of high interest to those who…

This manual is intended to assist volunteer coordinators involved in the Kansas Volunteer Tutor Utilization (KV-TUTOR) project. The first section, which deals with planning, covers management by objectives and a clarification system to test objectives that is denoted by the acronym SMAC (specific, measurable, achievable, compatible). A section on…

Based on the premise that a school reading program must focus on the learner and the text, this guidebook is designed to serve as a resource for school districts, groups, or individuals involved in planning, implementing, and evaluating reading programs. The guidebook is divided into two phases. Phase 1, "Guidelines for Developing and…

This document presents a summary of the goals and activities suggested for external evaluation teams for Kansas high schools. The total evaluation process has three parts. First the school engages in a long and comprehensive self-study, which produces data reflecting the faculty's own perception of the school. This is followed by an intensive two-…

Consistent with educational reform efforts, the Quality Performance Assessment (QPA) Process Module was designed to disseminate information about the QPA Process, and to be a training vehicle so that members of the Kansas State Board of Education Outcomes Education Team and the Kansas education community might have the knowledge base necessary to…

The guidelines define procedures outlined by state (Kansas) and federal laws and regulations concerning the identification of students with specific learning disabilities. The first chapter gives the Kansas definition of a learning disability and then outlines the identification process. Chapter 2 provides guidelines for carrying out…

As Kansas schools have begun to work through the Quality Performance Accreditation (QPA) process, educators have asked for guidance and the establishment of some uniform parameters. This publication is one of the guides designed to lead schools through the school improvement process called for in the QPA. Creating a school profile is a way of…

This guide was developed as part of a 4-year federally funded project designed to provide services to infants, toddlers, children, and youth with deaf-blindness in Kansas. The project included a pilot project on student portfolio development that documents longitudinally student accomplishments, needed adaptations, modifications, and…

This guide was developed to assist families and professionals working with people having severe disabilities to improve the overall quality of life these individuals experience. An introduction contrasts new attitudes (such as emphasizing individual strengths and personal control and autonomy) with existing practices which often focus on students'…

This report is designed to provide educators who are embarking on the Quality Performance Accreditation (QPA) process with an overview of assessment options, a discussion about the alignment of assessment and curriculum, and a compendium of resources for further investigation into the concept of student assessment. The QPA process recognizes that…