Kansas State Board of Education adopts two‑year goals focusing on school improvement, leadership and regulatory review

The Kansas State Board of Education voted 8–2 on Aug. 12 to adopt a compact set of board goals that will guide the agency and the board’s agenda through December 2026.

The goals — centered on quality school improvement (KESA/KISA processes and structured literacy), development of quality leadership pipelines (principals, superintendents and teacher leaders) and a targeted review of policy, regulation and statutory drivers that add burdens to districts — were presented by Commissioner Randy Watson and approved after public and board discussion.

Why it matters: Board goals shape what the department and local districts will prioritize during the school year and set the lens for staff reports, board agendas and accountability work. Adopting a small set of shared priorities is intended to concentrate state and local efforts on proven levers for improving student outcomes, board members said.

Commissioner Randy Watson said the goals are meant as a “starting place” rather than an exclusive agenda. “If you adopt these today, this would be our focus, not an exclusive focus,” Watson told the board as he summarized months of small‑group and full‑board discussions that led to the draft goals. He described the aims as a way to reduce duplicative reporting for districts and to accelerate work on literacy and school leadership through targeted supports and professional learning.

Board members broadly praised the narrower focus after months of drafting. Several members said they wanted the board to ensure measurable targets and a reporting cadence so the board can track progress; the commissioner said staff will return with draft measures and timelines for board review if the goals were approved.

The formal motion to approve the goals was made during the afternoon session and carried on a recorded tally of 8 yes, 2 no. Board materials note the board will ask staff to provide quarterly updates tied to the goals in the commissioner’s monthly report and in Friday briefing notes for the board.

What the board approved - Quality school improvement: sustain and support the KISA/KESA improvement cycle, emphasize structured literacy and mathematics instruction aligned to state standards, and reduce unnecessary reporting where possible so districts can focus on instruction. - Quality leadership development: accelerate principal, superintendent and teacher‑leader pipelines and professional learning to address turnover and vacancies in leadership across the state. - Policy/regulatory review and alignment: examine statutes, regulations and state requirements that pull time from instruction, and propose adjustments or consolidation that reduce burden without reducing oversight.

Board reaction and next steps Board members emphasized measurable progress and asked for specifics on how the goals will be tracked. Several asked the agency to propose a short list of measures and timelines and to return with a draft dashboard or reporting format. Watson said he will present recommended measures and a cadence of reporting at an upcoming meeting and that staff will also solicit educator and district input on what should be removed or combined to reduce burdens.

The board’s vote and next steps will be reflected in monthly commissioner reports and in the agency’s regular engagement with districts. The board will revisit implementation details and measures as the goals are operationalized.

Speakers quoted in this article are drawn from statements recorded during the board meeting.