News and Notes:  News Release
March 30, 2004

Topeka:  KLFA plans to co-host national conference

The Kansas Learning First Alliance (KLFA) met March 30 with the possibility of stepping onto the national stage as a co-host of the annual Learning First conference that brings together the six state alliances and representatives from the national organizations that comprise it. The conference, held in Washington, D.C. the last four years, is tentatively scheduled for May 24 and 25 at the Kauffman Foundation in Kansas City. It would allow KLFA to share its accomplishments, operational procedures and future projects with the alliances currently in existence, along with a couple of states that are considering creating their own initiatives. The conference would use extensively the “community conversation” model KLFA has promoted and supported the last several years, both within member organizations and as a public engagement tool with broader audiences. The model allows for the discussion of controversial and complex issues in a way that creates an authentic and broad-based response rather than the “squeaky wheel” input often gained at public forums. Conference planners shared with the group a preliminary agenda, discussed possible revisions and collected 23 names of members who would like to participate at the conference.

The group also received reports during the general session about groups interested in joining KLFA, possible KLFA involvement in a “distributed leadership” initiative the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is planning, and an upcoming “professional learning community” conference.

The majority of the meeting, however, was spent with each of the three standing work groups developing a PowerPoint presentation that will be used to document workgroup accomplishments and serve as the springboard for planning next year’s projects. A major KLFA goal this year has been to encourage each workgroup to use completed initiatives in a way that will make them useful and accessible. That focus, with its emphasis on productivity and outcomes, is expected to be even more important as KLFA strives to help schools and districts meet the ever-increasing student achievement targets mandated by the revised Quality Performance Accreditation process slated to go into effect in not much over a year.

The mission of KLFA is to make Kansas first in the nation in teaching and learning. The three goals it has established, along with supporting workgroups, to achieve the mission are improving student achievement; strengthening the professional development of educators; and engaging the public in school improvement and student achievement efforts.

Thirty people from 17 member organizations attended the meeting. The last meeting of the year will be at KASB, Monday, June 7, a switch from the originally planned June 4 date. Visit the KLFA Web site at www.kansaslearningfirst.org for more information on KLFA activities and resources.