K-12 schools and education

With state funding uncertain, school district leaders share tentative outline of next year’s budget plan
By Joanna Hlavacek
June 28, 2017
With the state of school funding relatively up in the air, Lawrence school district leaders are delaying action to approve a budget plan for the upcoming school year. Earlier this week, however, the district’s finance director, Kathy Johnson, shared a few details of what that budget might look like, pending a decision from the Kansas Supreme Court.
Candidate meet-and-greet for Lawrence City Commission and school board scheduled for Friday
By Rochelle Valverde
June 28, 2017
Lawrence voters can meet candidates in the running for open City Commission and school board seats on Friday.
Scale measures how students identify with school mascots; Jayhawk especially meaningful to KU students
By Joanna Hlavacek
June 28, 2017
New research out of the University of Kansas is expanding on the idea of what it means to be a Jayhawk — and what it means to belong at KU and other universities. In 2015, a few years after the launch of the KU School of Education’s online master’s degree program, researchers at the School of Education set out to evaluate the experiences of students enrolled in online-only graduate courses at the school.
Group renews push for peer-based conflict resolution vs. traditional discipline in schools
By Joanna Hlavacek
11:03 p.m., June 26, 2017 Updated 09:52 a.m.
Renewing their earlier calls for transparency and accountability, members of Justice Matters are again urging the school board to consider implementing restorative justice in Lawrence schools.
School board to hear report on district’s mental health support services
By Joanna Hlavacek
June 25, 2017
The Lawrence school board on Monday will hear a report on the district’s mental health support services, including the district’s progress with implementing the board’s goals for the 2016-2017 school year.
Workers taken to hospital after exposure to carbon monoxide at Schwegler Elementary; building since cleared for use
By Joanna Hlavacek
June 22, 2017
Two people were taken to Lawrence Memorial Hospital after being exposed to unhealthy carbon monoxide levels Thursday morning at Schwegler Elementary School, 2201 Ousdahl Road.
Lawrence school district receives grant to develop ‘Farm 2 School’ programs in Baldwin City, Eudora schools
By Joanna Hlavacek
June 22, 2017
The Lawrence school district has received a $44,976 planning grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help with the development of Farm 2 School programs in Baldwin City and Eudora schools. Lawrence Public Schools is one of 65 projects, spanning 42 states as well as Puerto Rico, to receive support this year through the USDA’s Farm 2 School Grant Program, according to a news release from the district.
Lawrence school board selects Anna Stubblefield as interim superintendent
By Joanna Hlavacek
05:17 p.m., June 20, 2017 Updated 06:28 p.m.
The Lawrence school board on Tuesday appointed Anna Stubblefield as interim superintendent of the Lawrence district.
Lawrence teachers union holding off on salary proposals in negotiations, awaiting court decision on school funding
By Joanna Hlavacek
June 19, 2017
With the state’s new school funding plan under review by the Kansas Supreme Court, Lawrence teachers’ union representatives are holding off on proposing salary changes for the upcoming school year.
School finance law to take effect July 1, even though it will still be under court review
By Peter Hancock
June 19, 2017
The Kansas Supreme Court had initially given the state until June 30 to pass a constitutional school funding system. The court said Monday that it will take more time than that to review the new legislation, so the law will take effect on July 1, even though the court may strike it down later.
Kansas Supreme Court takes up review of school funding law
By Peter Hancock
June 18, 2017
The Kansas Supreme Court will conduct a telephone conference with lawyers in the school finance case at 8:30 a.m. Monday to set out a schedule for the next phase of proceedings. Attorney General Derek Schmidt is asking the court to move swiftly and approve the new funding plan that lawmakers passed this session. But an attorney for the plaintiffs in the lawsuit say the new funding plan is still inadequate.
At sites across Lawrence, kids are ‘fueling up’ with free summer meal program
By Joanna Hlavacek
June 16, 2017
Lawrence’s Fuel Up 4 Summer program, which kicked off earlier this month, will serve an estimated 45,000 meals to kids this summer.
Interim superintendent search: Assistant superintendent hopes to strengthen district initiatives, relationships
By Joanna Hlavacek
June 14, 2017
Anna Stubblefield sees public education as the great equalizer — at least, when “it’s done in the right fashion,” she says. The potential for education to empower and inspire students, even the most disadvantaged, is what led Stubblefield to pursue a career in special education 20 years ago, she says.
Kansas education officials renew student testing contract with KU
Associated Press
June 14, 2017
Kansas is renewing a contract with the state’s student assessment provider despite technical problems that caused delays.
Interim superintendent search: Former education commissioner drawn to Lawrence’s ‘progressive’ district
By Joanna Hlavacek
June 14, 2017
After 30 years of admiring the Lawrence district from afar, Diane DeBacker says she’s excited at the prospect of working more closely with the “progressive” school system.
Lawrence school board hears report on equity work, diversity training
By Joanna Hlavacek
June 13, 2017
The Lawrence school board on Monday received a progress report on equity work in the district, including developments with Beyond Diversity training and workshops on culturally relevant teaching.
Lawrence school district looking to restart conversation about school start times
Survey could be first step in yearslong process
By Joanna Hlavacek
June 12, 2017
The Lawrence school board on Monday will hear a report on a potential survey meant to generate feedback on school start times.
How do teachers stay busy over the summer? It’s all in a day’s work
By Joanna Hlavacek
June 12, 2017
How do teachers keep busy over the summer? We checked in with three Lawrence educators, two active and one retired, to find out.
Lawrence students reflect on appearances at Scripps National Spelling Bee
By Joanna Hlavacek
June 7, 2017
Ask Peter Westbrook what it was like watching hundreds of fellow brainy kids compete for the Scripps National Spelling Bee title, and he’ll offer up a fittingly precocious description.
Lawrence High students design, build Harry Potter-inspired playhouse for CASA fundraiser
By Joanna Hlavacek
June 6, 2017
Those driving past or visiting the Hillcrest Shopping Center near the intersection of Ninth and Iowa streets may have noticed an unusual addition to the strip mall’s parking lot lately. In recent days, a miniature Hogwarts-style castle — complete with quidditch towers, a second-story library and a fireplace that doubles as a door — has found a temporary home outside The Merc. It’s the first tour stop of many this summer for the Harry Potter-inspired playhouse, designed and built especially for Douglas County Court Appointed Special Advocates, or CASA for short, by Lawrence High School students.
District announces interim superintendent candidates; interviews to take place next week
By Joanna Hlavacek
June 6, 2017
The Lawrence school board will interview two candidates — one internal and one external — next week for the position of interim superintendent, board president Marcel Harmon announced late Monday. Diane DeBacker, a director of education research for the nonprofit research organization RTI International, will be interviewed at 6 p.m. June 13. Anna Stubblefield, who was appointed as the district’s new deputy superintendent last month, will be interviewed at 6 p.m. June 14.
Lawmakers pass school funding and tax package
Brownback says he will veto tax bill
By Peter Hancock
02:38 p.m., June 5, 2017 Updated 12:39 a.m.
Kansas lawmakers late Monday passed and sent to Gov. Sam Brownback a school finance bill that phases in a $293 million increase in annual K-12 school spending over the next two years and a tax bill that reverses course on many of the tax cuts that Brownback championed in 2012.
Kansas lawmakers to debate combined school funding and tax overhaul bill
By Peter Hancock
05:23 p.m., June 4, 2017 Updated 10:09 p.m.
House and Senate negotiators agreed Sunday to debate a bill that includes both a new school funding formula and an overhaul of the state’s income tax code that would generate more than $500 million a year in new revenue.
Former Lawrence Public Schools transition specialist, mother of two files for Lawrence school board
By Joanna Hlavacek
June 4, 2017
Gretchen Lister wants to be a voice for underserved students and families in her run for the Lawrence school board.
Kansas lawmakers nearing deal on school funding
By Peter Hancock
June 3, 2017
Senate negotiators said Saturday that they would accept the House’s proposal for base per-pupil funding for the next two years. But they also said they want to put more limits on local school districts’ ability to issue new bonds.
Slate of Baldwin City Council candidates expands on date of filing deadline
By Elvyn Jones
June 3, 2017
On Thursday’s filing deadline, two more candidates joined the race for the two Baldwin City Council, bringing to six the slate vying to the two open seats to be contested on the November general election.
Kansas lawmakers open talks on schools amid work on tax plan
John Hanna, Associated Press
June 1, 2017
Kansas legislators began working Thursday on the final version of a plan to boost spending on public schools and reopened talks that are supposed to result in a plan to raise the revenue to pay for it while also fixing the state budget.
Hallmark staffer pushes for fiscal responsibility as school board candidate
By Joanna Hlavacek
June 1, 2017
After spending the last 16 years working in the business sector, Jill Hayhurst feels she’s well-suited for a spot on the Lawrence school board. Fiscal responsibility, the Lawrence resident says, is the main issue she hopes to tackle as a school board candidate.
Lawrence school board member and board president not seeking re-election
By Joanna Hlavacek
June 1, 2017
Longtime school board member Vanessa Sanburn and board president Marcel Harmon will not be seeking re-election this year, the two separately confirmed to the Journal-World Thursday. Sanburn, who was first elected to the Lawrence school board in 2009, will serve the remainder of her term through January. In an interview with the Journal-World Thursday, Sanburn said several factors were behind her decision, including simply wanting to take a break from the demands of political life.
Celebrating the achievements of this year’s adult-education graduates
By Joanna Hlavacek
June 1, 2017
On Thursday, Lawrence Public Schools will graduate 77 adults from its Adult Education Program and Diploma Completion Program. The ceremony, slated for 7 p.m. at South Middle School, will celebrate their achievements, which have at times been hard-fought and hindered by adversity. Here are the stories of two graduates who returned to school, earning their high school diploma or GED, after hitting pause on education more than 15 years ago.

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