[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6625451,"mediaKeyId","2756899-537cc48c485709a36a95911fa8e97871","parentId",2756899,"title","Board approves proclamations, contracts and capital projects in unanimous vote","audioSeconds",725,"startMs",8838000,"endMs",9563000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2756899-537cc48c485709a36a95911fa8e97871&start=8838&end=9563","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2756899-537cc48c485709a36a95911fa8e97871/thumbnail_8838000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6625451/Kansas/Board-approves-proclamations-contracts-and-capital-projects-in-unanimous-vote","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6625451-f300c0d514e3b4cc1389997bbc36299b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771089335&Signature=gn6FCz2JLMIayoRjbkJlxFPL-X4OivH4hHrHY93I7SlFFjsaUNLFXp-LzUFUAoDwjcha5GQUrllPNrFiOIGSwl4ZP0Pe5SoFDOuvjg~cU38jwRvUfdMUZsIxxPEEi9BxSu1xLf7L5bCzUrpaaGzhewSyhX8nnIKINLipGLLeRjNJNeJfGWI~4L0OxUwL-pl0WL61OGxLNNHEzKh0K-vsOALl75eFcIc2xUdkOSeGYRwGCmEWEim7MCBetKdtkAtLip2navyZ66UIYTk4M~9YWwB-o~oEjG-m7Xp0Tjpfc3pCnEMQGpcFmt5BGWmlA1~K9xgWVeRd~JHopZ0QGkt3-A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Shawnee Mission School District","date","2025-03-25T02:36:11.933Z","article","The Shawnee Mission Board of Education approved seven action items on March 24 by unanimous vote (7–0). The board moved the consent agenda, and then approved action items 7.1 through 7.7. The items included proclamations, a software/IT subscription renewal, transportation and energy contracts and several planned capital projects.

Votes at a glance (action items approved 7–0):

- Approval of proclamation for National School Library Month (item 7.1). The board adopted a proclamation designating April 2025 as School Library Month districtwide. Motion made and seconded; vote recorded as 7–0.

- Approval of arts-education resolution (item 7.2). The board adopted a district resolution committing to maintain and grow arts education for the 2024–25 school year and beyond. Motion moved by Vice President Westbrook and seconded; vote recorded 7–0.

- Microsoft subscription renewal (item 7.3). The board authorized a planned three‑year renewal of Microsoft subscriptions (Azure Active Directory Premium P1 and Office 365 licensing) through Dell, with an estimated annual cost of $133,353.60 (final cost contingent on license counts). The superintendent recommended the item; the board approved 7–0.

- Renewal of contract for alternate student transportation services (item 7.4). The board authorized renewal with Assisted Student Transportation to provide alternate transportation services for 2025–26 at an estimated annual cost of $2,349,713.61, with funding from general operations, Title funds and partial special-education reimbursement. Motion carried 7–0.

- LED lighting upgrade contract (item 7.5). The board authorized a phase‑one LED lighting upgrade at several high schools with vendor ROI Energy; estimated project cost $3,257,985 to be paid from capital funds. Motion carried 7–0.

- 2025 flooring and ceiling improvements (item 7.6). Civic Elite Construction was approved as low qualified bidder for flooring and ceiling upgrades, with a recommended project amount of $1,203,641.25 including a 5% contingency. Motion carried 7–0.

- 2025 paving improvements (item 7.7). The board approved Phillips Paving Co., Inc. for asphalt work and Byrne and Jones for concrete work, plus cooperative purchasing for seal coat; total recommended authorization $884,446.50 including 5% contingency. Motion carried 7–0.

Attribution and procedure notes: motions and seconds were recorded in the meeting transcript and the board recorded all seven votes as carried unanimously. When the board discussed funding, staff identified which items were capital expenditures (LED retrofit, surface/paving and flooring projects) and which would be paid from operating or grant funds (licensing, contracted transportation).

Ending: The district will proceed with vendor contracting and implementation steps identified in the approved items and carry forward project schedules and negotiated stipend/contract language where required.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","SMSD Board Meeting March 24, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At the March 24 meeting the Shawnee Mission Board approved seven action items by unanimous vote, including proclamations for School Library Month and arts education, a three-year Microsoft subscription renewal and several capital and service contracts.","taxTitle","Shawnee Mission Pub Sch, School Boards, Kansas","taxId",13093,"location","Kansas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6625456,"Superintendent highlights student honors, R&D forum and district response to federal education executive order",1658,475000,2133000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2756899-537cc48c485709a36a95911fa8e97871&start=475&end=2133","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2756899-537cc48c485709a36a95911fa8e97871/thumbnail_475000.jpg","/articles/6625456/Kansas/Superintendent-highlights-student-honors-RD-forum-and-district-response-to-federal-education-executive-order","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6625456-1bea7e48141f3f8c5e03aa0b119bb39e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771089335&Signature=T7CW3ALTaVRTMVzcJ2iEjZj6shzawZR5Asfq-RYW9RlFdD4dDWh~DI8urtZ-iN3~1gdajkl90o~D5r64V31MH5QUiK3I0eG-PEsdzM930bQewJb0IbW0BXlHX3C9xloA9c6k0BJw7IbOIIJFyKp12Fnm7YDuMufIwnTFn7f2p6KDSt9FCfGGNjT~8OuRFkh0WtNX0UCyZwnkIqzCQPlFuK-eIOOAen1gifXjsS~hMB85jbrsTZFguIuHpy6acwErX4Io9Fi~ziExD1j4Jg2QST7bucymLMIV27U-DYOnvCrhJvzVm7a-6VxO23MdYWFUQ4l06IgLtWjLBbYIT3n54g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Superintendent Jason Schumacher used the March 24 board meeting to highlight student achievements, upcoming district events and the district’s posture after a recent federal executive‑order announcement.

Schumacher reported that three students from the district’s Biotechnology Signature Program qualified for the National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium in Washington, D.C., and named the qualifiers and their prize placements: Elizabeth Barnes (Shawnee Mission West Junior, second place and a $1,500 scholarship), Cooper Gratzinger (Shawnee Mission South Senior, third place and a $1,000 scholarship), and Suhira Baktu (Shawnee Mission Northwest Senior, fourth place). He credited biotechnology instructors Dr. Kenneth Lee and Zoma Perez Estrella.

The superintendent also noted district recognitions: Anne Langdon received Kansas School Social Worker of the Year for service to Arrowhead and the Shawnee Mission School District, and the district’s winter athletics season produced several state placings across wrestling, swimming and basketball that he summarized for trustees.

Upcoming events: Schumacher reminded the board that the district Research & Development Forum student showcase and the “Great Idea” competition are scheduled in April and encouraged student participation and community attendance. He said the district will publicize deadlines and livestream links in recap materials.

Federal/state policy note: Schumacher told trustees that the president signed an executive order directing the secretary of education to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education and that the Kansas State Board of Education and the Kansas State Department of Education issued a statement in response. Schumacher said the district will “take guidance from our state leaders” and described education as “largely a state issue.” He added, in his prepared remarks: “As public school leaders, there's never been a more important time in our careers to fight for what we know is right and to do what we can for those who don't have a voice and depend so greatly on the services that we provide.”

Ending: Schumacher closed his report by thanking staff, highlighting the district podcast and partnerships such as the Shawnee Mission Education Foundation and the Regnier family, and concluding the superintendent’s report portion of the meeting.","Superintendent Jason Schumacher reported student awards, upcoming district events and said the district will follow state guidance after a recent federal executive-order announcement concerning the U.S. Department of Education.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6625459,"District athletic leaders propose adding middle-school cheer program; board hears budget and implementation details",644,3905000,4549000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2756899-537cc48c485709a36a95911fa8e97871&start=3905&end=4549","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2756899-537cc48c485709a36a95911fa8e97871/thumbnail_3905000.jpg","/articles/6625459/Kansas/District-athletic-leaders-propose-adding-middle-school-cheer-program-board-hears-budget-and-implementation-details","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6625459-067b6e129d28c1c00986334c041de637/orig.mp4?Expires=1771089335&Signature=YddsI3uwca7UGaTSP7HDdafemR-ZNGKCVrpk8ERHLkod4wiDI9UfnqgnMqijFJzGUCJ1Q~BClnVL8ERwlR7WYuqNMZcNjl~G5WgzTxWnYtEr3~oUn9GVikuKDQgeJOTiS~IIYAueJpAxVkmzTP19MvamQC2VABJPqLkNHGzKYpNdSIvO~zYESjNDE6c1k0CEcB3seeHVKJWddXnpPvENZ9wWfm05C3uUkB1Rzg~P51-0IQx-NQIdeAEiI6xJ~R4LYp4Jce0HtcwbOIM8GHaSYiewE0qh9G-y0Tjex1RjrY-uceHFUg6TesnN6tkrAVQnyyXpbibuw6RoO1aNWnqZRQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District athletic staff presented a proposal on March 24 to add organized cheer programs at middle schools for the 2025–26 school year covering three seasons: eighth-grade football, girls basketball and boys basketball. The proposal would create sideline spirit squads and stunt groups and is designed to align middle-school sport offerings with neighboring districts.

Clint Glaser, district athletic director, and Erica Waller, associate principal at Trail Ridge, described the proposal and estimated both one-time startup and recurring costs. Waller said, “Students that decide to participate in cheer could participate in 1 season or all 3 depending on what other athletic interests they have.” She described three squads per middle school (one per season) and an approach that would allow students to participate in seasons that do not conflict with other sports.

Estimated costs: the staff presented startup capital outlay items (uniforms, equipment, safety mats) and ongoing general-fund costs (coaching stipends and busing). District figures given in the presentation include an estimated one-time capital/equipment cost of roughly $125,000 for the program startup and recurring annual general-fund costs of roughly $37,000–$38,000 (staffing and transportation). The district also estimated a larger total startup planning number on the slides (approximately $100–125K) and a recurring personnel cost of about $30,000 (roughly $6,000 per school) plus $8,500 for additional bus trips; staff said those estimates would be refined.

Board discussion focused on access, fairness and timing. Trustees asked whether tryouts would occur in spring (some sixth graders could find out over the summer they had not made a squad), how split feeder patterns would be handled, and whether students with club experience would have an advantage. Staff noted that the activity could include cuts, as occurs with some existing middle‑school sports, and emphasized ways to rotate squads or expand numbers if interest exceeded initial projections.

Next steps: staff said the proposal would appear as a consent item for board consideration following any required collective-bargaining negotiations (coaching stipend language is a negotiated item). The board did not take action at the March 24 meeting; trustees asked staff to monitor interest, coach availability and uniform/equipment planning and to return with a final recommendation.

Ending: Staff said they would refine costs and implementation procedures, coordinate with feeder patterns so students are not lost in transitions, and bring a consent/approval item forward after necessary negotiations.","District staff proposed a three-season middle-school cheer program covering football and boys/girls basketball, outlined startup and annual costs, and described tryout timing; the board discussed access, cuts and equity but did not vote.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6625465,"District presents winter assessment overview: Acadience, NWEA MAP and i‑Ready show incremental gains",3831,3525000,7356000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2756899-537cc48c485709a36a95911fa8e97871&start=3525&end=7356","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2756899-537cc48c485709a36a95911fa8e97871/thumbnail_3525000.jpg","/articles/6625465/Kansas/District-presents-winter-assessment-overview-Acadience-NWEA-MAP-and-iReady-show-incremental-gains","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6625465-f85af3e88ba9352529eff428a90d823e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771089335&Signature=A34uWeCfKrvNWyI-XP6-yEkbVwv1vffyHw2ypv~AzUqXrdOnlNgt0BJ5mq5HRuhq5p4z3E5itblnavaEDIZgR-xtWcyx0s9GIuHNd1uV~iJbfa2AAKd8atCsEQQ4VFlgmkRjY0oQFc-hsZBSZEI6MyQvqAHMEUjdiYb5CfkXea3P0YkMNzCNCJjLQYZZXtDXFgTBAwzUWxZhGL~N8rvIhA4mZWC4raVQim8ewhgiALPEgXoHz3l42HL6lxxRkcicHjkHHti~nmqQB9zPbelkZ5JmpcLuhpqFfAwOZWUy8LQtXL~fDAHxBXz8KLLU-VPaJw0oQUdFpMvHfTrKOxBxCQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a March 24 board meeting, the Shawnee Mission School District’s assessment leaders gave a high-level summary of midyear results from Acadience (early-literacy probes), NWEA MAP (adaptive growth assessments) and the new i‑Ready math diagnostic used this year in grades 6–8.

“Low and slow,” Director of Assessment and Research Dr. David Grama said, stressing that the district’s strategy favors incremental, sustainable gains rather than year-to-year spikes. He summarized midyear Acadience and MAP distributions and showed two years of improvement in Acadience numeracy benchmarks and modest, steady movement in MAP RIT averages.

Pam Lewis, associate superintendent of leadership and learning, described how the district uses “lag” measures (end-of-year results) and “lead” measures (frequent progress monitoring) to guide interventions and instruction. “We assess students at the beginning of the year, the middle of the year and the end of the year,” Lewis said, adding that students receiving supplemental instruction are monitored more frequently.

The presentation compared winter NWEA MAP math results with the i‑Ready diagnostic for grades 6–8. Grama reported correlation coefficients between the two assessments of roughly 0.80–0.86 — a strong statistical relationship — and showed scatterplots that clustered closely along regression lines. The district administered both tests this year so it could compare the new i‑Ready diagnostic to its historical MAP data.

Why it matters: Acadience numeracy showed measurable gains year‑to‑year in early grades (an increase in students meeting benchmark), and MAP results indicate the district’s students continue to score above national norms on average. The i‑Ready data’s strong correlation with MAP suggests i‑Ready can provide a usable diagnostic tied directly to the adopted math curriculum, but the district is still weighing whether to keep both instruments in its assessment footprint.

Implementation questions remain. The i‑Ready diagnostic connects directly to instructional resources and provides near‑real‑time personalization; MAP is resource-agnostic and supports long-term longitudinal comparisons. District leaders told trustees they are still evaluating whether to continue using both tools once contract timelines and instructional priorities are aligned.

Ending: District leaders said they will continue to expand i‑Ready professional learning, monitor student progress with lead and lag measures, and return to the board with follow-up recommendations about the assessment footprint and how the district will balance diagnostic precision with comparability to historical and statewide measures.","District assessment leaders reported small, steady improvements in early numeracy/literacy benchmarks and showed a high statistical correlation between NWEA MAP and i‑Ready math diagnostics for grades 6–8.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6625470,"District government-relations director warns major state tax and education bills unlikely before session end",702,2508000,3210000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2756899-537cc48c485709a36a95911fa8e97871&start=2508&end=3210","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2756899-537cc48c485709a36a95911fa8e97871/thumbnail_2508000.jpg","/articles/6625470/Kansas/District-government-relations-director-warns-major-state-tax-and-education-bills-unlikely-before-session-end","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6625470-bd08a48125d23e2681ce125aaead5f97/orig.mp4?Expires=1771089335&Signature=GTWnYZtym3IO4dnEye8BDCeMMm~yxse-5AjaMcDFp2N6qOywP0XK3aOY4nNZcsNhoFtiSmRS5KxlMLMgNfALBTjpNLxyYNn5zM9z9hrs5rpTHq6EHI6CL-BCCE1K3gZm04oqFqUvcWfXNkagSQ3lpmABXrsmIVQDWPPOh5azQxb3YDKedoFcZZ-RZPQShdRIxlRVA6ruSqCzrMNeTuVQLrlnADjNqxEmIpzNiUQ5BlgoQ7tlicHww5pBrxkwevZUbSEchNU4bj~hl~6AarfK9Z-pJW83tMK-T~g2UPf2Wqc~-UeTtT~AF7zRR3EH9kHvM4KZ-xRiIIsfiTAX7yh3ww__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Stuart Little, the Shawnee Mission School District’s government relations director, told the Board of Education on March 24 that the Kansas Legislature was in the conference-committee phase with days remaining in the regular session and that several proposals affecting school funding and local taxes were unresolved.

“Friday is the end of the regular session. They will, be done by the end of that day,” Little said, describing the schedule and the start of conference committee negotiations. He told the board the major items with direct implications for districts were property-tax growth limits, a series of income-tax proposals and negotiations over special-education funding.

The board heard that several competing proposals to limit assessed-valuation growth or cap property-tax increases were alive but unlikely to all pass both chambers. Little said one bill currently before legislators — referenced in the board briefing as “23 96” — applies to cities and counties but not to school districts as written today. He cautioned the board leadership not to assume the package of proposals could clear both chambers this week.

Why it matters: changes to property-tax law or to how revenue growth is limited would affect the amount of local revenue available to districts and the legislature’s ability to backfill revenue losses elsewhere in the state budget. Board members pressed Little on how limits on local taxation might interact with special-education funding and federal changes being discussed at the U.S. Department of Education.

Little said the governor’s budget recommendation had included $72 million in new special-education funding, but House committee action cut that to $10 million and the Senate committee added no new funding. He also described a Senate package that would remove roughly $11 million in current-year funding for programs such as professional development, teacher mentoring and CTE transportation and said that could require either returning funds or reduced allocations in future years if enacted.

On vouchers and scholarship expansions, Little summarized recent developments: a high-profile refundable tax-credit bill often described in debate as an $8,000-per-child refundable credit (identified in the briefing as Senate Bill 75) was not advancing this year; efforts to expand the nonpublic-school scholarship program and raise its cap (described as an attempted expansion from $10 million to $25 million) were struck from the House calendar and, in Little’s words, “killed” for this session.

Little also flagged other education-related bills that remained in play or could move in conference committee, including:
- Senate Bill 47 (measures affecting meeting procedures and agenda control) — passed the Senate narrowly and is unlikely to advance this session, Little said.
- Senate Bill 45 (changes to how graduation rates are calculated for students who transfer) — described as lower controversy and likely to be negotiated.
- Senate Bill 288 (a bill limiting access to school property by certain offenders) — expected to be heard in a judiciary/education conference committee.
- A late-filed measure associated with Senate Bill 275 that would require fetal development video presentations in health instruction — likely to be discussed in education conference committee.

Discussion vs. decision: the board’s hearing of Little was informational; no board action or formal position was taken at the meeting. The superintendent and board members discussed potential downstream impacts, with one trustee noting that limiting local property-tax authority while special-education funding remains uncertain could place districts in a difficult financial position.

Board context: Little told the Board he and district leaders continued to monitor negotiations, and he encouraged trustees to follow conference committee activity closely during the final days of the regular session.

Ending: The district will continue to track final conference committee and budget action, and district staff said they will update the board if changes that affect revenue or program funding move forward before the legislature reconvenes or finalizes the budget.","Government relations director Stuart Little told the Shawnee Mission Board that several high-profile education bills and property-tax proposals remain unresolved as the Kansas Legislature approaches the end of its regular session, and that proposed special-education funding has been reduced substantially in committee.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves proclamations, contracts and capital projects in unanimous vote

Superintendent highlights student honors, R&D forum and district response to federal education executive order

District athletic leaders propose adding middle-school cheer program; board hears budget and implementation details

District presents winter assessment overview: Acadience, NWEA MAP and i‑Ready show incremental gains

District government-relations director warns major state tax and education bills unlikely before session end