Education

Kansas legislative Democrats launched their own online survey on schools Monday, to counter a new website created by Governor Sam Brownback's administration.

Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley and House Minority Leader Paul Davis said their site will gather suggestions for finding school spending inefficiencies - like the governor's - but it will also collect success stories of how schools are operating.

Three school districts in Kansas have stopped using the official state assessment tests for student performance. The districts have switched to tests prepared by ACT, which is known for college entrance exams.

The Kansas Board of Education Wednesday voted not to include the ACT test scores in the state’s official report card provided to the federal government. Including the ACT scores would lower the state’s overall grade.

“When we’re discussing assessment results, we can’t compare oranges and apples,” says board member Jana Shaver from Independence.

State Board of Education members are reviewing the progress of Kansas and other states in drafting common science standards.

The board plans to hear Tuesday afternoon from the state official overseeing work on the standards and from a member of the state’s standards-writing committee.

Kansas is working with 25 other states and the National Research Council on common standards for possible adoption in their public schools.

After more than three months on the job, Dr. John Bardo was formally inaugurated Friday as the 13th president of Wichita State University.

Bardo gave his inaugural address to a crowd of faculty, staff, students, state officials and community members– including former WSU President Don Beggs and Gov. Sam Brownback.

He said it is more clear to him than ever that the fortunes of Wichita State and those of the greater Wichita area are linked.

Despite a strong hand in the development of the practice, Kansas does not offer a license to art therapists. But the art therapy faculty at Emporia State University are trying to change that.

In 2001 attempt by the Kansas Art Therapy Association to get support for a licensure bill failed.

Legislators told the Kansas Art Therapy Association they needed 100 board certified art therapists practicing in the state for them to consider licensure.

But, says Emporia State University faculty member Libby Schmanke, they just can’t seem to get close to that number.