[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-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",[32,76,87,99,111],{"_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",6208038,"mediaKeyId","3750105-70cf01f0ccf4b11d7fd85748ffa0d08b","parentId",3750105,"title","Wichita Public Schools announces more than $20 million in grants, including $15 million DOE award for energy upgrades","audioSeconds",1094,"startMs",498000,"endMs",1592000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3750105-70cf01f0ccf4b11d7fd85748ffa0d08b&start=498&end=1592","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3750105-70cf01f0ccf4b11d7fd85748ffa0d08b/thumbnail_498000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6208038/Kansas/Wichita-Public-Schools-announces-more-than-20-million-in-grants-including-15-million-DOE-award-for-energy-upgrades","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6208038-3a131802c82e3993553a25427e410a24/orig.mp4?Expires=1775991109&Signature=PNQboRirFhrgP6Ro95uEVAXzrKz~GM~wQDBa~moLLJbtDv-VpJ05mCUCeZtJLaLyqf53-aTsbPF6-XUQzao8LbuNbsXT-CrrwF5oVDctcUdFVr9Jkh-uc0x0m2CjI2nE6z8wTEfEC9xEcrdIFQVq~hgtgkS1dfbceFaE6bi7n4TkBzrvlDP2sCkkDqVVc4SsCckO~dRZDh~Eb8pHTYEHw9WeHOGujhUQWvTFZabvrG7jzcq6EcRJzF3WbEYoT~LZbUxZSwXrK1aHZU~OUhcCwIh-q3p7T~bWFkTLVnk2rjpw3V5cgC~2NdQxIX0o4qLMTsybRP7kBKZwG4F5khpKmg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Wichita School District","date","2025-06-11T00:51:52.12Z","article","Wichita Public Schools told the Board of Education on June 9 that its grants office has secured more than $20 million in competitive funding this year, including a U.S. Department of Energy award the district described as a $15,000,000 DOE grant with an additional district match.

“We have secured over $20,000,000 in competitive grant funding,” said Holly Wilson, a district grants presenter, at the meeting. She said the dollars will “improve facilities, save utilities, enhance school safety, and expand after school programs” across the district.

District presenters outlined the largest awards and how officials plan to use them. District staff described the DOE award as funding “energy efficient upgrades at 30 schools” and said the project is expected to reduce annual utility spending and energy use; the district reported an anticipated annual savings of roughly $650,000 and estimated energy savings of 15–30 percent at participating schools once work is complete.

Denise Fuco described competitive school-improvement grants the district wrote and won: she said the district applied for 53 grants and was awarded 51 totaling about $2,700,000 affecting roughly 30 schools, funding items such as behavior interventionists, CSI/ISI coaches, mentors and night school programs.

Lauren Gokin said the district has 21st Century Community Learning Center grant recommendations pending at the state board that would cover two after-school programs with about $1,250,000 each over five years and that they would begin in August if funded.

Rob Dixon presented technology awards including a roughly $250,000 award for a “Code to the Future” immersive elementary coding program at Spate Elementary, a Verizon Innovative Learning STEM lab for another school (described as about $450,000), and a $25,000 Education First AI cohort grant for Coleman Middle School to support sensors and classroom vertical farms tied to AI curricula.

Chris Sneson described a $40,000 grant from the Susan Crown Exchange’s Million Coach Challenge to train coaches using evidence-based modules from The Ohio State University; the district said the award runs 18 months with potential renewal and will pilot in the fall with the Greater Wichita Athletic League.

Holly Wilson and staff said many grants are cross-department collaborations and that more documentation (grant lists, community survey results and projected school-level work) will be posted on the district website and in an upcoming annual report.

Board members asked for details about the DOE project; Tadonna Neal, who the district identified as leading community and student engagement for the DOE grant, said the district circulated a survey to staff, parents and the community and that the highest priorities were building envelope work, lighting and controls — projects officials said will deliver the fastest return on investment.

No formal board action on the grants was taken at the meeting; staff said some grant awards are still awaiting official announcement and that the district will return with implementation details and dashboards to track energy savings.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Education Meeting - June 9th, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Wichita Public Schools told the board it had secured more than $20 million in competitive grants for 2024–25, highlighted by a $15 million U.S. Department of Energy award to fund energy-efficiency projects at 30 schools.","taxTitle","Wichita, School Boards, Kansas","taxId",14489,"location","Kansas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6208020,"Board hears concerns about graduation integrity; superintendent says district will investigate and uphold diploma standards",0,7512000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3750105-70cf01f0ccf4b11d7fd85748ffa0d08b&start=7512&end=7512","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3750105-70cf01f0ccf4b11d7fd85748ffa0d08b/thumbnail_7512000.jpg","/articles/6208020/Kansas/Board-hears-concerns-about-graduation-integrity-superintendent-says-district-will-investigate-and-uphold-diploma-standards","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6208020-5bca8100531d589dd63b1c514f3e555b/orig.mp4?Expires=1775991109&Signature=YoCIoACu~BYuF40YWO3lKBzlrsuuupXsnsRpwOrEbOj~WhXtCWwyz~bvgUMWea8Q3hYac-hPWG1R-npVYYp41~Bl8jv8xwNFLGMebJRCSuM1bxseceqg1G4a6tC812~W1EHfPdEcGpInflDMP4ACAT0f9lj~GYJFTopfpWQVsyLH2-R9FTGXaRR3foT0-2WSB8c0QsjoYGOBpBNBzYr5wvCXWags9BiLIDVpt66EgiCFCe08Zu4Da3X1pA7mCbfbpy5hNXDhhSB6vNRZJ7d2ZwzX480nr4b1t9~UiTvRZPfLNOH-DKD4uJ6XXAQ6jVNa~qh6mLPdusZB-eqZbkjPlQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Board discussion on June 9 included public and board comments about reports alleging unethical behavior tied to graduation practices. Board member Kathy raised the concerns publicly and urged decisive action and transparency before the district advances any bond proposals.

Kathy said the allegations — including reports that grades were manipulated to secure diplomas — had prompted calls and emails from retired educators and community members and that the issue must be addressed to restore trust.

Superintendent Kelly Bielefeld told the board the district is investigating reported anomalies and said district leaders have taken steps to review procedures. “The integrity for which we give diplomas is of utmost importance,” Bielefeld said. “We will deal with these things if they come up.”

The board held executive sessions for legal consultation earlier in the meeting; the board moved into executive session for attorney‑client consultation and then extended it. At the meeting’s close a motion to adjourn followed standard procedure. District leaders said actions have been or will be taken when investigations identify problems and that they will maintain standards for awarding diplomas.

No punitive personnel actions or disciplinary outcomes were announced in open session at the meeting. Board members who spoke urged swift and transparent follow‑up and encouraged staff and the public to report concerns so they can be investigated.","Board members discussed recent allegations about unethical grade practices and other misconduct related to the class of 2025; the superintendent said the district is investigating, reaffirmed a commitment to diploma integrity and noted the district has taken steps to address issues.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6208024,"United Teachers of Wichita urges guaranteed teacher voice on financial oversight committee",585,1751000,2336000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3750105-70cf01f0ccf4b11d7fd85748ffa0d08b&start=1751&end=2336","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3750105-70cf01f0ccf4b11d7fd85748ffa0d08b/thumbnail_1751000.jpg","/articles/6208024/Kansas/United-Teachers-of-Wichita-urges-guaranteed-teacher-voice-on-financial-oversight-committee","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6208024-d9b051db5908f80012e7a2482afa2a59/orig.mp4?Expires=1775991109&Signature=eRYRWiRmjD9r6UgVUTPeLIuOnKYxYju-VyPDnWn3MB~4wrrZT7NBufkaUN4U924R41pr3R0qvuMEUtxuS8MqYzYj81cpaqk9~TgQSwZ-WOD3sgmS6FyApW2sxtVImGgjMS2m5DAawYZQRJQmg0JpWpzPrxTcuNOOESNgail~f9x6E3xoBgrCR~MLcawAXg-pVgsGeu-8j91roAKCep1MAlrLq2V7y1X4PmcH49wxlJ9VbBslXJ5MTh3krnamG6J2Jikn~QZmIaOHTsWkkaezgkMqcUiJ0EwgYhjY2xqYPlhaN7Q2WM25G4pbnE2kYuUWyPoygbXbtj25oH0DpjgvgQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mike Harris, vice president of United Teachers of Wichita, addressed the board on June 9 urging formal inclusion of classroom educators in fiscal decision‑making, particularly on the district’s financial oversight committee.

“Public education succeeds when every voice — classroom teachers, parents, students, and civic partners — have a genuine seat at the table,” Harris said in public comment. He praised progress in early literacy, community schools planning and the district’s AI task force, and said those successes show the value of bottom‑up collaboration.

Harris said the financial oversight committee (FOC) had no certified teachers seated despite multiple educator applications and that the committee’s schedule and charter limit meaningful participation by working educators and parents. He said the committee’s current scope risks favoring high‑visibility capital projects over instructional investments such as bilingual ESOL teachers or reading and mental‑health supports.

Harris urged four steps: codify educator voice on future district committees (especially fiscal and strategic committees); hold an open budget workshop before any bond advances; draft a community schools framework that expands partnerships; and replicate the AI task‑force’s teacher‑led, student‑centered model for other innovations.

He said teachers are ready to participate and requested that the board guarantee teacher seats on committees and convene an open budget review to bolster transparency and community trust.

Board members acknowledged the concerns and discussed ways to increase school‑level involvement (principal PLCs, site councils and ambassadors) and the district reiterated its intention to expand community engagement around budget and bond proposals. No formal board action was taken at the meeting on committee composition or bond timing.","United Teachers of Wichita president called on the district and board to ensure educator representation on the financial oversight committee and proposed greater transparency and community engagement before bond decisions.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6208029,"Wichita reports modest gains in attendance; district to continue daily notifications and community partnerships",142,3156000,3298000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3750105-70cf01f0ccf4b11d7fd85748ffa0d08b&start=3156&end=3298","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3750105-70cf01f0ccf4b11d7fd85748ffa0d08b/thumbnail_3156000.jpg","/articles/6208029/Kansas/Wichita-reports-modest-gains-in-attendance-district-to-continue-daily-notifications-and-community-partnerships","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6208029-7dfb5a30fbb3efa5406a2c607d6ebeab/orig.mp4?Expires=1775991109&Signature=SXqSD8fYgeTmGk2ZEqM~c3ItrbYKBN0peMEy~MkYNEog8W~O2xsg5tGXaDsF9dDqDIwKY5XYiMOhR20~cqWHdCPMIwfZvgbGOj3UGpdrzBYdZZWAwu1AZtHhNDIFWUg-1UwFskSjlxOwfJdM1xafG90GtM6ZCePtKMb4lxFxhIGPGBG9hWpz34WYPp8QErM6kuhd64vqjbR0KSUIv0i~6gf7KFDEB6ZQYNx5IYOZc91ZA4lKsHoGoK78SiYlhUq3uS6BOHrCPvRfyyIvE3iiwKQNuq55Dk2YcEHATMznGpXG7gLEcSF5XJt4SBojmi-F~7zjmFyNw1nlQiyV8anZpA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District officials told the board on June 9 that average daily attendance (ADA) rose this school year across levels and that the district will continue new strategies aimed at reducing chronic absenteeism.

“Forty‑six of our schools showed improvement in attendance this year,” said Dr. Frazee (elementary office), reporting an elementary ADA of 92.2 percent. District presenters said middle schools rose from 89.5 percent to 90.3 percent and high schools from 86.7 to 87.9 percent.

Staff said these figures come from the district’s Synergy attendance system and that the state’s building report cards — which KSDE finalizes in the fall — will provide the official numbers used on state reports.

The district described practical steps that helped: it started everydaylabs notifications this year to families (a combination of letters and text messages) that flag attendance concerns; staff said the system is designed to increase awareness and connect families to resources. Presenters also cited community partners — such as Pando, Love Schools and the WPS Foundation — that help identify family needs and remove attendance barriers.

“We started that this year and we would like to continue that next year,” a district presenter said of the daily notification system.

Board members asked for clarification about chronic absenteeism and ADA: district staff said chronic absenteeism counts students who miss at least 10 percent of the school year (including excused and unexcused absences) and that ADA is the percent of enrolled students present on an average day.

District staff said next steps include monthly professional development on attendance for school staff, continued partnership work to address barriers and sustained use of the notification system. Presenters emphasized that improving attendance requires both school‑level practices and community coordination.

No formal board action was taken; staff said they will return with continued monitoring and referenced materials explaining everydaylabs and attendance strategies on the district website.","District officials reported improvements in average daily attendance across levels, crediting new daily notifications, community partnerships and school‑level interventions; elementary ADT reached 92.2%, middle school 90.3% and high school 87.9% as reported from district data.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6208033,"Wichita interim academic results: elementary literacy goal missed; middle school math nearly met",560,2775000,3335000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3750105-70cf01f0ccf4b11d7fd85748ffa0d08b&start=2775&end=3335","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3750105-70cf01f0ccf4b11d7fd85748ffa0d08b/thumbnail_2775000.jpg","/articles/6208033/Kansas/Wichita-interim-academic-results-elementary-literacy-goal-missed-middle-school-math-nearly-met","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6208033-8e8c8c5f5ff16f75ea7612166f9411bd/orig.mp4?Expires=1775991109&Signature=l3mZYoGuroZeIaaZj9Fqv9x43TMqAor5m5GMJG0fl~nVDOKgezPVpDiwXYsGk9hpWMAG1fJWo0U94mbldzpGiKbmy-uTFes~yrJs9PZXn-BZhNHX1zgNkkS-Kf1AIWXoekLTfU8Wfzhs-mAug8jHzxb3yfwbTCPxZnrg4kiitUJmN8W9N6IQ8U2E3DbbrM7cbHajL-1dMO3AnvEAje9PalIZI-CNF6JPTj2o2Kb-Z7Iz~ukgl0rorb23bmtYTrUQbqNMvA3wEeO5WIwfYJxW-n2yoBDBy58LOgE0EMjotu-9AbAC9IW0bF1~uuyTYD0eMWDb8EwdyjkbX~ie0XahPQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District staff told the board on June 9 that interim measures under strategic Goal 1 showed mixed results: elementary comprehension did not meet the district’s interim target this year, while middle school math moved substantially and came within about one percentage point of its goal.

“Because the state changed the assessment this year, we pivoted to FastBridge screeners,” said Holly Wilson, who presented the goal updates. She said the district shifted to screeners while state assessment cut scores are set and that final state comparisons may be available in September or October.

Elementary: The district reported that the share of elementary students scoring in the district’s below‑benchmark bands rose from 56.6% (fall) to 61.9% (winter) and then 60.2% in spring; the district said the benchmark thresholds move over the year and that they did not meet the interim comprehension goal. Staff highlighted early literacy progress and credited foundational decoding work (LETRS professional learning) as groundwork that they expect to improve comprehension over time. The district named 16 elementary schools that met the interim target: Bostick Traditional Magnet, Riverside Leadership Magnet, Black Traditional Magnet, Kinzer, Hyde Leadership International Explorations Magnet, Benton, Earhart Environmental Magnet, College Hill, Minnehaha Core Knowledge Magnet, Seltzer, Price‑Harris Communications Magnet, Christa McAuliffe, Gammon, Peterson, McLean Science & Technology Magnet, and Horace Mann.

Middle school math: The district set an interim math goal for middle grades and reported progress from 68.1% non‑proficient at the start of the year to 60.4% in spring — a 7.7 percentage‑point improvement that left the district about 0.9 points shy of its stated interim target. Staff said 10 middle schools made progress and that nine of those met or exceeded the goal; the presentation named Truesdell (Truesdell/Truesdell spelled in transcript as Truesdell/Truesdell/Truesdell) and others as examples of progress.

Board members and staff discussed possible causes and next steps: staff emphasized quality core instruction (MTSS framework), diagnostic screening, tiered interventions, vocabulary instruction for math and reading comprehension, and teacher professional learning communities (PLCs) and principals’ PLCs that allow school leaders to see and replicate promising practice across buildings.

“No, we want quality core instruction,” Kelly Bielefeld, superintendent, said when asked about the district’s approach to interventions. Staff described a mix of scripted tier‑3 intervention programs for decoding and ongoing monitoring tools to check progress.

Staff said they will continue to track cohorts, refine diagnostic and instructional alignment, and report state assessment results once state cut scores are finalized.","District staff reported interim results on Goal 1 (academic achievement): elementary comprehension targets were not met using FastBridge screeners; 16 elementary schools met the interim target. Middle school math improved and missed its interim target by about 0.9 percentage points, with several schools exceeding their year-end goals.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Wichita Public Schools announces more than $20 million in grants, including $15 million DOE award for energy upgrades

Board hears concerns about graduation integrity; superintendent says district will investigate and uphold diploma standards

United Teachers of Wichita urges guaranteed teacher voice on financial oversight committee

Wichita reports modest gains in attendance; district to continue daily notifications and community partnerships

Wichita interim academic results: elementary literacy goal missed; middle school math nearly met