Geary County Schools outlines LETRS training plan as state 'Seal of Literacy' approaches; district may seek local funds if ESSER money remains frozen
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Summary
Jennifer Hansen explained LETRS training, the state's Seal of Literacy requirement and how the district has trained more than 250 teachers; the district said it may request local funding if state ESSER funds are not released.
Jennifer Hansen, the district's reading specialist in the Teaching & Learning department, presented the district's LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading & Spelling) training plan and explained the state's forthcoming "Seal of Literacy." Hansen told the board the district has run LETRS training since 2013 and "we have actually trained over 250 teachers in our district through LETRS since 2019," adding that the course is extensive and includes in‑person and Zoom instruction plus classroom application.
Hansen said Kansas requires certain educators to hold the Seal of Literacy beginning July 1, 2028, accomplished either through state‑approved training or a state literacy exam. She warned the board that state ESSER funds that previously covered training are frozen at the federal level and that the Kansas State Department of Education is pursuing litigation to secure the funds. The district "has been reassured by Dr. Randy Watson, our state commissioner at KSDE, that they will find a way to fund this moving forward," Hansen said, but she stressed that if federal/state funds do not materialize the district will return to the board to request local funding to complete the cohort.
Hansen described course components, teacher credentialing thresholds (a district example noted teachers must reach 80% on a required volume test), and the potential for participants to earn college credit (she cited examples of teachers gaining six college credits). Board members asked whether existing teachers could pass the exam without the course; staff said passing the new exams without the training is unlikely and that in‑district training is intended to avoid out‑of‑pocket costs for teachers.
What happens next: The district will continue its LETRS cohorts and notify the board if local appropriations are needed to complete training for staff required to hold the Seal of Literacy.