Topeka ? Gov. Kathleen Sebelius named members of her Education Policy Team and charged them to take a comprehensive look at education from pre-school to graduate school.

“It’s a relatively novel approach, at least for this state, to talk about education as a continuum,” Sebelius said. “Often you hear the people focused on K-through-12, and they see some of the advocates for higher education as almost adversaries, not allies.”

During her recent campaign, Sebelius, a Democrat, vowed to protect public-school funding and even called for increases despite a record budget shortfall. Her proposed budget would keep both public schools and higher education at the same level — levels which have been cut in the past year.

A task force by her predecessor, Gov. Bill Graves, called for an increase in school funding. But Sebelius said, “There is no pre-set conclusion that I’m asking this team to reach.”

Some others sounded less confident of Sebelius’ education team. Senate President Dave Kerr, R-Hutchinson, noted that none of Sebelius’ budget review teams had offered any solid recommendations.

“So far, those top-to-bottom review teams haven’t come up with beans,” Kerr said.

The education task force will be led by Sylvia Robinson, who is Sebelius’ director of education policy, and the first meeting will be Wednesday in Topeka.

Robinson said the task force would conduct meetings across the state to receive comment from the public. The task force will focus on student performance, costs and efficiencies, and leadership development.

Sebelius praised the current public school and higher education system, but said she wanted Kansas to be known nationally as an education leader.

“Education is so intimately tied to our economic recovery and growth, we can’t afford to set our sights any lower,” Sebelius said.

Craig Grant is the only Lawrence resident on the task force. He retired Friday after 32 years with the Kansas National Education Assn.

Grant said the emphasis of the task force would be to develop a plan for the future. “We’re going to study what direction the state needs to go,” he said.