Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Kansas School For The Deaf topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Parents, KSDE and board members begin Kansas School for the Deaf task force meetings; teacher recruitment and licensure flagged as priorities
Summary
A newly convened task force on the Kansas School for the Deaf met in person to discuss sensitive topics and prioritized teacher recruitment, concerns about licensure requirements and meeting accessibility. Parents requested in‑person meetings and asked KSDE and the board to examine hiring language and licensure barriers.
Board Member Michelle reported on the first meeting of a task force convened to review issues at the Kansas School for the Deaf (KSD). The meeting occurred in person at KSD and parents asked that sessions not be recorded and preferred in‑person participation for accessibility.
Main concerns raised: Parents and task‑force members highlighted teacher recruitment problems; they said job postings that labeled positions “temporary” risk discouraging applicants and suggested more neutral language. Members raised concerns that Kansas licensure requirements for deaf education teachers are onerous; participants said that some graduates of institutions such as Gallaudet do not return to teach in Kansas because of licensing barriers specific to deaf‑education roles at KSD.
Meeting logistics and representation: The task force chose an in‑person format for accessibility reasons; some parent‑members asked that the group include more parents who are D/deaf and not only parents of deaf children. The group compiled a list of topics for future meetings including accessibility, communication with parents, teacher recruitment and professional development. The task force will meet every two weeks; the next meeting was scheduled for July 17 and a final convening was planned for November 20.
Ending: No formal board actions were taken. Board members said they will continue to receive minutes and updates; KSDE staff indicated summaries of the meetings will be circulated to board members.
