Topeka ? State education leaders Tuesday endorsed creation of a group to align all Kansas education levels – from preschool through post-secondary and even career training beyond that.

“This has some great potential to create something positive for the kids of Kansas,” said Kansas Board of Regents Chairwoman Christine Downey-Schmidt.

In a joint meeting, the regents and State Board of Education urged Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to establish a preschool-through-career education council.

The council would work to ensure that all facets of education in Kansas are part of a coordinated system. That would include preschool, kindergarten through 12th grade, all forms of post-secondary education and further training.

The idea behind the effort is that success in higher education starts before kindergarten, officials said.

Education Board Chairman Bill Wagnon, of Topeka, said the proposal made sense to him.

“We have a common interest, it seems to me, in a lot of areas,” Wagnon said.

Sebelius’ office said the governor “is happy this council is being seriously considered in Kansas as it will benefit students today and our economy tomorrow.” Sebelius had asked officials last year to look into the possibility of setting up a council.

Both the education board and regents have been wrestling with how to make sure that students who went through kindergarten through 12th grade and the post-secondary level were prepared for the workplace.

Education Commissioner Alexa Posny and Reginald Robinson, president and chief executive officer of the regents, proposed the council, saying similar panels have been started in 30 states to try to increase collaboration from preschool through higher education.

They originally wanted to call it the P-20 Education Council, signifying pre-school through a doctorate. But several members of the education board and regents said they wanted the council to also focus on technical and career training.

“Learning is a lifelong process,” said education board member Sally Cauble, R-Liberal.

Under the proposal, the council would have 16 members, including the governor, key education committee legislators, and representatives of the regents, education board, businesses, local school boards, independent colleges and early childhood education.