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Kansas Teacher of the Year nominees urge investments in early childhood, literacy, career training and school supports
Summary
Kansas Teacher of the Year nominees briefed the Legislature’s Committee on Education, describing classroom work on early childhood, structured literacy, social-emotional learning, career-and-technical education and mentorship as priorities for recruitment, retention and student outcomes.
Members of the Kansas Teacher of the Year team and eight nominated teachers spoke to the Committee on Education on [date not specified], urging lawmakers to invest in early childhood programs, structured literacy training, social-emotional supports and career-and-technical education.
The presentations, led by Frank Harwood of the Kansas Department of Education, brought teachers from across the state to the committee to describe classroom practices and policy needs. The speakers represented schools in McPherson, Bonner Springs, Derby, Hutchinson, Tecumseh, Wichita, Shawnee Mission and Leavenworth.
The presentations offered examples of classroom practice and policy recommendations. Amber Pagan, a pre-K teacher in the Shawnee Mission School District, said early education can “break the cycle of poverty” and urged lawmakers to consider early-intervention supports and budget choices that expand access. "This is not just an investment in our child's future. This is an investment in the future of our state and our nation," Pagan said.
Benjamin Echovery, a first-grade teacher at Tecumseh North Elementary in the Shawnee Heights District, described…
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