Public education in Kansas

in Kansas

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K-12 education in Kansas

Education facts

State superintendent: Randy Watson

Number of students: 489,043

Number of teachers: 41,243

Teacher/pupil ratio: 1:12

Number of school districts: 309

Number of schools: 1,351

Graduation rate: 85.7%

Per-pupil spending: $9,828

See also

Kansas State Department of Education • List of school districts in Kansas • Kansas • School boards portal

Public education in the United States Public education in Kansas Glossary of education terms

Note: The statistics on this page are mainly from government sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics. Figures given are the most recent as of June 2015, with school years noted in the text or footnotes.

The Kansas public school system (prekindergarten through grade 12) operates within districts governed by locally elected school boards and superintendents. In 2013 Kansas had 489,043 students enrolled in a total of 1,351 schools in 321 school districts. There were 41,243 teachers in the public schools, or roughly one teacher for every 12 students, compared to the national average of 1:16. There was roughly one administrator for every 249 students, compared to the national average of one administrator for every 295 students. On average Kansas spent $9,828 per pupil in 2013, which ranked it 28th highest in the nation. The state's graduation rate was 85.7 percent in 2013.^[1][2][3]

Common Core[edit]

Common Core, or the Common Core State Standards Initiative, is an American education initiative that outlines quantifiable benchmarks in English and mathematics at each grade level from kindergarten through high school. The Kansas State Board of Education adopted the standards on October 12, 2010.^[4][5]

Although full implementation took place during the 2013-2014 academic year, a bill narrowly failed in 2013 that would have postponed implementation of portions of the Common Core standards: The Kansas State Senate passed the bill with a vote of 24-12, but the Kansas House of Representatives rejected the bill with a vote of 55-58.^[6]

In December 2013, the state's board of education voted to withdraw from the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (an organization that has developed Common Core-aligned standardized tests) and to replace its exams with different tests commissioned by the University of Kansas. The new exams are to be used beginning in the 2015-2016 school year.^[7][8]

In January 2015, state lawmakers introduced a Common Core repeal bill to the Kansas State Senate, but it died in committee in March 2015.^[9][10]

General information[edit]

See also: General comparison table for education statistics in the 50 states and Education spending per pupil in all 50 states

The following chart shows how Kansas compared to three neighboring states with respect to the number of students, schools, teachers per pupil and administrators per pupil for the 2012-2013 school year. The chart also displays that information at the national level. Compared to its neighboring states, Kansas had the highest number of teachers relative to students, for a ratio of about 1:12.

Further comparisons between these states with respect to performance and financial information are given in other sections of this page.

Schools by type[edit]

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School board elections portal Glossary of education terms School choice on the ballot Education on the ballot

See also: Number of schools by school type in the United States

Of the 98,454 schools in the United States, 89,031 were classified as regular schools. After regular schools, magnet schools and charter schools were the most prevalent non-traditional schools in the country, at 6,079 and 5,986, respectively.

The table below breaks down each of the different types of schools in Kansas and nearby states. Also listed are the numbers of schools in each state that are classified as "Title I" schools. These are public schools that have been specially targeted to correct achievement gaps in public schools.^[11]

In Kansas, there were 1,338 regular schools as of 2013. Magnet schools were the second most prevalent type of school in the state was, with 33 schools classified as such.

Demographics[edit]

See also: Demographic information for all students in all 50 states

The following table displays the ethnic distribution of students in Kansas as reported in the National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data for 2012-2013.^[12]

During the 2012-2013 school year, just over half of all students in K-12 public schools nationwide were white. About a quarter of the students in the country were Hispanic, with black students making up about 16 percent of the student population.

In Kansas, the majority of students were white. White students totaled 325,990, which was about 66.67 percent of the student population in the state. There were 86,998 Hispanic students in Kansas, accounting for 17.8 percent of the population.

Enrollments by region type[edit]

See also: Student distribution by region type in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 30 percent of all public school students in the country attended city schools during the 2012-2013 school year. About 40 percent attended suburban schools. Approximately 11.5 percent of all students attended schools in towns, while about 18.7 percent attended rural schools.^[13]

A plurality of students in Kansas attended rural schools during the 2012-2013 school year. However, students were nearly as likely to attend city or town schools. Approximately 45 percent of the state's students attended city or suburban schools, compared to the approximately 55.1 percent who attended rural or town schools.

Academic performance[edit]

Education terms
For more information on education policy terms, see this article.
School board elections portal Glossary of education terms School choice on the ballot Education on the ballot

NAEP scores[edit]

See also: NAEP scores by state

The National Center for Education Statistics provides state-by-state data on student achievement levels in mathematics and reading in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The chart below presents the percentage of fourth and eighth grade students that scored at or above proficient in reading and math during school year 2012-2013. Compared to three neighboring states (Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma), Kansas had the highest share of fourth and eighth grade students who scored at or above proficient in math.^[14]

Graduation, ACT and SAT scores[edit]

See also: Graduation rates by groups in state and ACT and SAT scores in the United States

The following table shows the graduation rates and average composite ACT and SAT scores for Kansas and surrounding states during the 2012-2013 school year. All statements made in this section refer to that school year.^[14][15][16]

In the United States, public schools reported graduation rates that averaged to about 81.4 percent. About 54 percent of all students in the country took the ACT, while 50 percent reported taking the SAT. The average national composite scores for those tests were 20.9 out of a possible 36 for the ACT, and 1498 out of a possible 2400 for the SAT.^[17]

Kansas schools reported a graduation rate of 85.7 percent during the 2012-2013 school year, tying with Missouri.

In Kansas, more students took the ACT than the SAT in 2013, earning an average ACT score of 21.8.

Dropout rate[edit]

See also: Public high school dropout rates by state for a full comparison of dropout rates by group in all states

The high school event dropout rate indicates the proportion of students who were enrolled at some time during the school year and were expected to be enrolled in grades nine through 12 in the following school year but were not enrolled by October 1 of the following school year. Students who have graduated, transferred to another school, died, moved to another country, or who are out of school due to illness are not considered dropouts. The average public high school event dropout rate for the United States remained constant at 3.3 percent for both school year 2010–2011 and school year 2011–2012. The event dropout rate for Kansas was lower than the national average at 2.3 percent in the 2010-2011 school year, and 2.1 percent in the 2011-2012 school year.^[18]

Educational choice options[edit]

See also: School choice in Kansas

School choice options in Kansas included charter schools, tax credits, online learning programs and an inter-district open enrollment policy. In addition, about 8.09 percent of school-age children in the state attended private schools in the 2011-2012 academic year, and an estimated 2.67 percent were homeschooled in 2012-2013.

Developments[edit]

Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (2020)[edit]

Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue
Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue
Media coverage and commentary
U.S. Supreme Court 2019-2020 term
Blaine Amendment (U.S. Constitution)
Blaine amendments in state constitutions
School choice on the ballot
Education on the ballot

See also: Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue

On June 30, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, which concerned whether the government can exclude religious institutions from student-aid programs. The case related to Article X, Section 6 of the Montana Constitution, also known as Montana’s Blaine Amendment.^[19]

In its 5-4 opinion, the court held that the application of Article X, Section 6 violated the free exercise clause of the U.S. Constitution. The majority held Article X, Section 6 barred religious schools and parents who wished to send their children to those schools from receiving public benefits because of the religious character of the school.^[20]

The case addressed the tension between the free exercise and Establishment clauses of the U.S. Constitution—where one guarantees the right of individuals' free exercise of religion and the other guarantees that the state won't establish a religion—and the intersections of state constitutions with state law and with the U.S. Constitution.

Kansas is one of the states with a Blaine Amendment.

Education funding and expenditures[edit]

See also: Kansas state budget and finances

Breakdown of expenditures by function in fiscal year 2013
Source: National Association of State Budget Officers

According to the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO), states spent an average of 19.8 percent of their total budgets on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. In addition, the United States Census Bureau found that approximately 45.6 percent of the country's school system revenue came from state sources, while about 45.3 percent came from local sources. The remaining portion of school system revenue came from federal sources.^[21][22]

Kansas spent approximately 26.8 percent of its budget on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. The state school systems' revenue came primarily from state funds. As a percentage of its total budget, Kansas spent more on public education than any of its neighboring states. It should be noted that this does not indicate Kansas spent more on its public school system than neighboring states.

Revenue breakdowns[edit]

See also: Public school system revenues in the U.S. to compare all states.

According to the United States Census Bureau, public school system revenues totaled approximately $598 billion in fiscal year 2013.^[22]

In Kansas, the primary source of school system revenue was state funding, at $3.2 billion. When compared to its neighboring states, Kansas reported the second lowest total revenue, nearly matching Oklahoma, the state with the second highest reported revenue in this comparison.

Expenditure breakdowns[edit]

See also: Public school system expenditures in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, public school system expenditures totaled approximately $602 billion in fiscal year 2012.^[23]

Public education expenditures in Kansas totaled approximately $5.8 billion in fiscal year 2012. Kansas and Oklahoma reported nearly the same total expenditures in fiscal year 2012. That said, Kansas reported greater capital outlay, which is money spent to benefit public assets.

Personnel salaries[edit]

See also: Public school teacher salaries in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average national salary for classroom teachers in public elementary and secondary schools declined by 1.3 percent from the 1999-2000 school year to the 2012-2013 school year. During the same period in Kansas, the average salary decreased by 0.7 percent.^[25]

Organizations[edit]

State agencies[edit]

See also: Kansas State Department of Education

The Kansas State Department of Education administers the state's K-12 education system. Specifically, the Department of Education is responsible for administering "the state’s governance of education, standards and assessments, special education services, child nutrition and wellness, title programs and services, career and technical education, and financial aid."^[26]

The chief executive of the Department of Education is the Commissioner of Education, who is appointed by the State Board of Education and serves at the board's pleasure. Randy Watson was appointed to the position in 2015.^[27][28]

The governing body of the Department of Education is the Kansas State Board of Education. The board is composed of 10 members elected by district who serve four-year terms. The mission statement of the Kansas State Board of Education reads:^[29][30]

Unions[edit]

In 2012 the Fordham Institute and Education Reform Now assessed the power and influence of state teacher unions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Their rankings were based on 37 different variables in five broad areas: resources and membership, involvement in politics, scope of bargaining, state policies and perceived influence. Kansas ranked 32nd overall for union power and influence, or "weak," which was in the fourth of five tiers.^[32]

Transparency[edit]

The Kansas State Department of Education maintains a website that contains extensive data and budget information on each of the state's school districts.

Studies and reports[edit]

Quality Counts 2014[edit]

See also: Education Week survey

Education Week, a publication that reports on many education issues throughout the country, began using an evaluation system in 1997 to grade each state on various elements of education performance. This system, called Quality Counts, uses official data on performance from each state to generate report cards for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The report card in 2014 uses six different categories:

1. Chance for success
2. K-12 achievement
3. Standards, assessments and accountability
4. The teaching profession
5. School finance
6. Transitions and alignment

Each of these six categories had a number of other elements that received individual scores. Those scores were then averaged and used to determine the final score in each category. Every state received two types of scores for each of the six major categories: A numerical score out of 100 and a letter grade based on that score. Education Week used the score for the first category, "chance for success," as the value for ranking each state and the District of Columbia. The average grade received in the entire country was 77.3, or a C+ average. The country's highest average score was in the category of "standards, assessments and accountability" at 85.3, or a B average. The lowest average score was in "K-12 achievement", at 70.2, or a C- average.

Kansas received a score of 81.9, or a B- average in the "chance for success" category. This was above the national average. After the "chance for success" category, the state's highest score was in "standards, assessments and accountability" at 81.2, or a B- average. The lowest score was in "the teaching profession" at 67.4, or a D+ average. With the exception of the "chance for success" category, Kansas had below-average scores in all of its categories. The chart below displays the scores of Kansas and its surrounding states.^[33]

Note: Click on a column heading to sort the data.

State Budget Solutions education study[edit]

See also: State spending on education v. academic performance (2012)

State Budget Solutions examined national trends in education from 2009 to 2011, including state-by-state analysis of education spending, graduation rates and average ACT scores. The study showed that the states that spent the most did not have the highest average ACT test scores, nor did they have the highest average graduation rates. A summary of the study is available here. The full report can be accessed here.

School districts[edit]

See also: School board elections portal

District types[edit]

Kansas is made up of unified school districts.^[34]

School board composition[edit]

School board members are elected by residents of the school district. The only exception is Fort Leavenworth School District, where the board is appointed by the commanding general of Fort Leavenworth. Although Kansas state law doesn't specify the number of members a board must have, generally they are made up of seven members elected to four-year terms. Vacancies on the board must be filled within 30 days from the date of the vacancy.^[34][35] Elections are normally held in the spring of odd-numbered election years.^[36]

Term limits[edit]

Kansas does not impose statewide term limits on school board members.^[37]

Elections[edit]

See also: Kansas school board elections, 2021

Editor's note: Some school districts choose to cancel the primary election, or both the primary and general election, if the number of candidates who filed does not meet a certain threshold. The table below does not reflect which primary or general elections were canceled. Please click through to each school district's page for more information.

Path to the ballot[edit]

Candidates for school board positions in Kansas file with their respective county. Candidates must pay a $40 filing fee and submit a petition with 4 percent of voters.^[36]

Campaign finance[edit]

Candidates for local offices file their reports with the county election officer. Candidates must file reports 30 days after the primary (if applicable) and 30 days after the general election. If they receive less than $500, they may file an affidavit of exemption no later than the ninth day before the primary election. They do not have to file finance reports unless their receipts or expenditures are $500 or over, at which time they are subject to the reporting requirements.^[36]

Recent legislation[edit]

The following is a list of recent education bills that have been introduced in or passed by the Kansas state legislature. To learn more about each of these bills, click the bill title. This information is provided by BillTrack50 and LegiScan.

Note: Due to the nature of the sorting process used to generate this list, some results may not be relevant to the topic. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation pertaining to this topic has been introduced in the legislature recently.

Education ballot measures[edit]

See also: Education on the ballot and List of Kansas ballot measures

Ballotpedia has tracked the following statewide ballot measures relating to education.

1. Kansas Board of Education, Amendment 4 (1974)
2. Kansas Public Education, Amendment 5 (1986)
3. Kansas Regarding Education, Amendment 1 (1990)

In the news[edit]

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Kansas education policy. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

See also[edit]

• Historical public education information in Kansas
• Kansas state budget and finances
• Kansas Department of Education
• List of school districts in Kansas
• School choice in Kansas
• Charter schools in Kansas
• Kansas
• Education Policy in the U.S.

External links[edit]

• Kansas State Department of Education

Footnotes[edit]

	v • e State of Kansas Topeka (capital)
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