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District outlines KEYS accreditation plan, will seek board approval in January
Summary
District staff told the board it has chosen 'quality instruction' as its initial focus under the Kansas KEYS accreditation process, convened leadership teams and stakeholder groups, and will present an action plan for board approval in January to meet a Feb. 1 submission deadline.
District administrators updated the Hiawatha School Board on the Kansas Educational Systems Accreditation (KEYS) process and the district’s timeline for submitting an action plan. Staff said the KSDE-mandated accreditation framework now centers on three core areas — compliance, school improvement (structures and professional learning), and outcomes — and that outcomes evaluation does not begin for the district until school-year 2026–27.
Administration reported it has chosen quality instruction as the primary fundamental to address in year one. A district leadership team and building-level leadership teams (BLTs) were formed; staff and teacher representatives attended a regional school-improvement day and have gathered stakeholder feedback to shape lead indicators and an action plan that will be presented to the board in January. Staff said the plan must be submitted by Feb. 1 and that the district has already completed essential-question screenings with state executive reviewers.
Board members asked clarifying questions about the timeline, the difference between prior accreditation cycles and the new outcomes focus, and how the district will measure postsecondary effectiveness, graduation rates and state assessments. Staff said the district will include professional development, mentoring plans, walkthroughs aligned to high-impact instructional practices (HIPS), and measures for fidelity and alignment to instructional materials in the action plan.
Next steps: administration will bring a draft action plan to the January board meeting for approval and will submit the final plan to KSDE by the Feb. 1 deadline.
