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KSDE proposes easing mentor-teacher reporting now that state mentor funds are gone
Summary
KSDE staff proposed removing the district reporting requirement tied to Article 41 mentor-teacher program regs because state grant funding no longer exists; board members pressed for clarity on where accountability would reside and noted existing licensure regulations still require mentors.
Kansas State Department of Education staff told the State Board on Nov. 13 they intend to ask the board to drop district-level reporting requirements in Article 41 (mentor teacher program regulations) because the state grant that previously triggered those reporting duties no longer exists.
"There are no more state funds," a KSDE presenter said, explaining that the regulation required application and annual evaluation tied to receipt of state grant funds. "Because the funding isn't tied to it, just affect the reports that the district has to do."
Board members asked where the accountability would come from if districts were no longer required to submit reports. KSDE and professional-licensure staff answered that licensure regulations continue to require mentorship as part of the professional licensure process and that those licensure rules would remain an accountability mechanism.
Board member Debbie located the cited regulation in the record (91-41-2(b)) and noted the language tied the annual evaluation-report requirement to the receipt of funds, which undercut the case for an immediate regulatory change. Several members urged caution and asked KSDE to bring a proposed amendment back for clearer framing, while noting the department would include the regulation in future meeting materials.
KSDE said it will return to the board with a follow-up article and additional discussion next month; no vote was taken at this meeting to change the regulation.
