Kansas State Board approves Kansas School for the Deaf task-force recommendations
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Summary
The State Board voted unanimously to adopt six recommendations aimed at improving academics and staffing at the Kansas School for the Deaf, including a standing parent advisory council and teacher pipeline work, and asked KSDE staff to return with a fast 30‑day set of next steps.
The Kansas State Board of Education on Jan. 13 approved recommendations from the Kansas School for the Deaf task force intended to sharpen academic priorities and address chronic staffing shortages.
The board voted 10–0 to adopt six recommendations presented by KSDE staff and task-force members, calling for renewed emphasis on reading and math, alignment with the KSDE strategic plan, clearer transition goals, a teacher pipeline and retention strategy, a role for the Kansas Statewide Technical Education (KSTE) office, and creation of a standing parent advisory council. Commissioner Randy Watson told the board many of the items could begin within 30 days if the board directed staff to act.
Parents and task-force members had urged the board to prioritize teacher licensure, recruitment and tuition supports for teachers of the deaf. Dr. Kylie Stewart, a Pittsburg State University professor and parent, recommended creating a teacher-of-the-deaf licensure option and using state tuition grants to support candidates seeking that credential. "We need a teacher pipeline and tuition funding for those who want to come back and receive licensure," Stewart said during public comment.
Board members pressed staff on implementation timing and the mechanics for naming parent advisory members. Member Melanie asked that a date be added to the motion; Watson and other board members said staff would return with a timeline and that some actions — for example, establishing a standing parent advisory council — could be in place before the board's next monthly meeting. The motion passed on a recorded roll call.
KSDE staff said they will bring a timeline and monthly updates to the board as the work proceeds, and they emphasized community engagement in the superintendent-search and transition process at the school for the deaf as the agency recruits for leadership openings.
The vote sends the recommendations to KSDE for immediate follow-up; board members said they expect monthly progress reports and additional detail on staffing and licensure supports.
