News and Notes:  News Release
November 6, 2003

Topeka: NCLB response posted on KLFA Web site; available for public
engagement opportunities

“The Kansas Learning First Alliance is providing great leadership for other state Learning First affiliates,” according to Patty Mitchell, senior manager for the Learning First Alliance and director of the State Alliances initiative. The comment was made at the Nov. 6 KLFA meeting after she participated in a 75-minute review of recent activities, including the Sept. 23 “Moving From Good to Great Conference.” The conference, which attracted 750 educators and community members to Wichita, gave participants an opportunity to hear from Governor Kathleen Sebelius, Commissioner of Education Andy Tompkins and Assistant Commissioner Alexa Pochowski about Kansas educational performance, now and in the future. It also offered an opportunity for all participants to discuss in small groups the impact of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act on Kansas schools.

Two “Kansans Respond to NCLB” reports that summarize the essential comments drawn from the “conversation”; summaries of the conference evaluations and participating moderators/recorders evaluations; and the tentative draft of the conference comments summary, and the comments themselves, can all be viewed at the KLFA Web site, www.kansaslearningfirst.org. KLFA encourages the “Kansans Respond” flyers to be used extensively in discussions with policy makers and community members, as they reflect beliefs and opinions drawn from a large population sample in an authentic and representative manner.

Mitchell also reviewed activities of Learning First, which is composed of 12 national educational organizations. Learning First is in the formative stage of developing resources to help districts place and maintain high-quality teachers in the most challenging assignments. A second thrust will be aimed at addressing the lack of common norms of quality and professionalism in teaching and leadership. KLFA, since its inception in 1999, has used Learning First materials to help promote KLFA’s mission of making Kansas first in the nation in teaching and learning.

The Professional Development workgroup, one of three embedded in KLFA to address a particular goal, reported on an Oct. 24 conference in Topeka. One result of the four-session program was the creation of regional groups, composed of districts, service centers and higher-education institutions, that will continue to work to improve professional development that makes sense in terms of regional needs yet meets state and national standards.

Another statewide conference was held Nov. 14 in Salina that delved into the results of the math audit undertaken last year. Almost 200 teachers and principals reviewed the study’s findings and started to develop ways to move quality instruction to more and more classrooms.

KLFA’s next meeting will be Jan. 23 at the KNEA building in Topeka.