Patricia Levesque, Executive Director of ExcelinEd in Action, issued the following statement praising the Kansas Legislature for passing a major package of student-centered legislation (HB 2567):
“This legislation is transformational. It will help more students reach their full potential by modernizing the state’s early literacy program and by providing families with more flexibility to customize their child’s education.
Kansas educators and parents are fortunate to have such strong leaders, and I commend Speaker Ron Ryckman, President Ty Masterson and Education Committee leaders Rep. Kristey Williams and Sen. Molly Baumgardner for championing these student-centered policies.”
The bill is now headed to Gov. Laura Kelly’s desk. Key provisions would:
• Create the Every Child Can Read Act, which requires every school district in Kansas to implement a literacy program based on the science of reading, designed to ensure every student learns to read by third grade.
• Provide an open enrollment policy that ensures families can enroll their children in any public school that has space available, even if they do not live in the district, starting in the 2024-25 school year.
• Give families flexibility to enroll their children in school part-time, allowing them to participate in individualized learning opportunities while remaining part of their districts.
• Allow students to earn course credits for outside-the-classroom learning opportunities approved by school districts. These can include community programs, as well as internship and apprenticeship programs that prepare students for future careers.
