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LATEST NEWS
Who should be the next superintendent of Wichita schools? You get a say.
Dr. Alicia Thompson will officially retire at the end of the 2022-23 school year as superintendent of Wichita Public Schools. The search for her replacement is in its early stages and there is still time to provide input.
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MORE STORIES
Historic change comes to Wichita school board representation, and more may be coming still
After decades of push, USD 259 is changing their school board elections after two-thirds of voters voted to do so. Now, each of six districts will vote on their own representative. A seventh board member will still be elected at-large. However, more change may be on the way.
How did we get here? School board ballot initiative has roots in century-old fight
On Nov. 8, Wichita voters will get another pass at an issue they last voted on 28 years ago – how Wichita school board members are elected in USD 259. The central issue, however, goes back a century. The concern is the same now as then: Does allowing the entire city to elect school board members…
Wichita NAACP, teachers union and other leaders team up to support ballot initiative
A coalition calling itself Vote Local USD259 has organized in support of the school board election reform ballot initiative coming before Wichita voters on Nov. 8. The coalition is urging the public to vote “yes” on the proposed change to how school board members are elected.
Want to read a banned book? Here are books that have been recently challenged in the Wichita area
Banned Books Week is coming back to Wichita Sept. 18-24 thanks to the Wichita Public Library, which is highlighting books that get challenged in schools. One event the library is having centers around the book “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.” On Friday, Sept. 23, the library will host a special live version…
After decades of court battles, is Kansas school funding functional?
Kansas’ K-12 school funding strategy has been shaped by lengthy court battles over whether the state provides enough money to adequately educate all students. The result is a system that takes into account school size and numbers of bilingual and “at-risk” students, among other factors, when distributing funds to schools. As a new school year…
What you need to know about the school board ballot measure on the November ballot
The Beacon has created a guide to prepare you for the ballot measure so that you can be ready to vote.
Wichita school board elections might violate Voting Rights Act, federal ruling in Georgia suggests
“It is an example of a court finding that the type of procedure that Wichita uses to be a violation of the Voting Rights Act,” Jackson said. “It has some value, some authority, that these types of arrangements might be suspect … it shows that they might be diluting minority voting rights.”
Pandemic learning: Federal money allows Wichita Public Schools to invest in summer programs
More than 2,800 students participated in the daylong summer programs that ran through June. Participating students in kindergarten through eighth grade regained knowledge they had lost, according to pre- and post-summer school assessments of their math and language skills. And nearly all parents of participating children felt teachers were well-prepared and made the experience fun…
Wichita Black community presses school board member to back change in how members are elected
“Holistically and intrinsically, I like Black people representing me, but that’s not always the case… So, I look for, as Dr. [Martin Luther] King said, I look for the content of a person’s character. I look for someone who is African American but if that is not the case I look for someone who can…
Retaining early-career teachers key to addressing shortage in Wichita
Teacher shortages fueled by retirements and teacher burnout continue to plague school districts across the country. Wichita Public Schools began the 2022-23 school year on Aug. 15 short 100 teachers. That represents about 2.5% of all positions, better than the statewide vacancy rate of 4%. The causes of the shortage are baby-boomer retirement, increased stress…
Black activists in Wichita lead the way in USD 259 school board voting reform
Currently, five of seven school board members want to put school board election reform before voters. Diane Albert of District 1 and Hazel Stabler of District 6 currently do not believe the question is worth putting on the ballot.
August means back-to-school in Wichita. Here are local events to get you ready.
School is just about to begin in Wichita, and there are many things to get done: school meal forms, supplies shopping, vaccinations and more must be completed before the 2022-2023 school year begins. Here is a list of events that parents and students might enjoy or find helpful as the final days of summer bring…
Latest school board redistricting would split historically Black neighborhoods in Wichita
“I think we are at a place now where each district needs to select its own representation,” Jackson said. “And then, if we become smarter, we can get better on how to share the power.”
“I’ve spent $5,000 on my classroom in a year”: Wichita group steps up to fight out-of-pocket costs for teachers
“Teachers have been expected to give and give and give to our students,” Fortier said. “And we are told we should do it for the kids because we love the kids. We shouldn’t worry about the paycheck or the overtime or the time spent away from our own families and kids.”
How Wichita school safety plans address intruders
“Not too long ago we had the local police come in and train teachers,” said Nathan Washer, head of Wichita Collegiate School. “They were shown how to use whatever they could find to keep someone away from their students.”
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