Council could streamline kids' education / LJWorld.com

Archive for Wednesday, November 14, 2007

November 14, 2007

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.

Discussion

LJWorld.com doesn't necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post.
Read our full policy. Also, read about banned accounts and harassing comments.

14 November 2007
at 9 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

sunshine_noise (Anonymous) says…

During the time I went to school you were trained for the future. They've changed education so much and dumbed it down that most kids are only able to read and understand elementary level. In High School there were 4 catogories of learning according to your grade score and your interest. Academics for the scientists, doctors and other brainiacs, Industrial for engineers and such, Commerical for business tycos and administrative types and General studies for those either barely making it or don't care about school and their future (which there isnt' much you can do about those kids anyway - if they don't want to learn you can't force it in them, but at least they have a chance of getting some kind of skilled employment if they even want to try and attempt that.). I liked this system it worked it must have because most of the people I went to school with are professionals and many who received just a General education worked their way up the corporate ladder to middle and top positions. So I hope they aren't considering more dumbing down.
14 November 2007
at 11:03 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

Made_in_China (Paul R. Getto) says…

As much as possible, and within the limits of a student's ability, we should seriously prepare everyone to a level that makes it possible for them to pursue higher education. If they don't want to, that's the student's problem. Many people decide to go back to school after they get a taste of the generally low wages and lack of benefits in a job that looked pretty good when one was 18, single and childless.