Kansas Receives ESEA Waiver
Kansas received approval recently for flexibility in meeting certain provisions in the federal No Child Left Behind Act. The waiver, granted by the U.S. Department of Education, will substantially change how Kansas schools, educators and students are measured. Kansas is one of five states and the District of Columbia recently announced, and now joins almost three dozen other states in receiving a waiver from the current No Child Left Behind requirements.
The changes outlined in Kansas plan will move from simply measuring how many students score at the proficient level in reading and math to evaluating the improvement of all students and narrowing the gap between the highest and lowest-scoring students. It also requires the state adopt a teacher evaluation system with a greater emphasis on student learning.
The application addresses four core requirements: (1) College- and Career-Ready Expectations for All Students; (2) State-Developed Differentiated Recognition, Accountability, and Support; (3) Supporting Effective Instruction and Leadership; and (4) Reducing Duplication and Unnecessary Burden.
USD #343 is pleased with the announcement and will be in close communication with the Kansas State Department of Education in the coming months as waiver transition plans are established.
