Peter Hancock / LJWorld.com

Staff

Peter Hancock (Education reporter)

I cover K-12 education. That includes Lawrence USD 497 as well as state policy issues from the legislature and State Board of Education. I am a graduate of the Kansas University with bachelor's degrees in political science and education. Before joining the Journal-World, I published an online news service called the Kansas Education Policy Report. I also spent nine years as the statehouse reporter for Kansas Public Radio and worked a couple of years as the spokesman for the (former) Kansas Health Policy Authority. You can follow me on Twitter (@pqhancock) or join our conversation about public schools on the First Bell blog.

Recent stories

First all-21st-century class to receive high school diplomas: By Peter Hancock; May 19, 2013; Most students in the Class of 2013 began kindergarten in the year 2000, and their educational experience has all occurred in the 21st century. Their lives, their experiences and their outlook on life are all vastly different from those of most of their parents. By Peter Hancock
Blue Valley administrator named assistant principal at Free State High School: By Peter Hancock; May 17, 2013; Keith Jones has been named the new assistant principal at Free State High School, effective July 1, and pending school board approval. By Peter Hancock
County agrees to save Lone Star Lake Marina: By Peter Hancock; May 16, 2013; Douglas County commissioners agreed Wednesday to spend $186,035 to refurbish the marina at Lone Star Lake and install modern restrooms. The marina has been closed for several years because of deteriorating conditions. By Peter Hancock
County commissioners serve as ‘fence viewers’ to solve rural property dispute: By Peter Hancock; May 15, 2013; Under an 1860s-era law, county commissioners in Kansas can be called upon to settle property line disputes in rural areas by conducting what’s called a “fence viewing.” Douglas County commissioners were required to perform that job Wednesday. By Peter Hancock
Road work on K-10 bypass begins Friday; downtown and 23rd Street bridges reopen: By Peter Hancock; May 15, 2013; Resurfacing work on the K-10 bypass around west Lawrence will begin Friday, causing major delays for motorists. The downtown bridges over the Kansas River will reopen to full traffic Thursday evening. And the 23rd Street overpass between Haskell and Barker Avenues is fully open. By Peter Hancock
State Board hears opposition to Common Core Standards: By Peter Hancock; May 14, 2013; Dozens of people spoke out against the Common Core standards for reading and math at a meeting of the Kansas State Board of Education Tuesday. But board members say they’re not inclined to repeal the standards, which were formally adopted in October 2010. By Peter Hancock
State Board of Education member defends N-word comments: By Peter Hancock; May 14, 2013; Black leaders criticized State Board of Education member Steve Roberts Tuesday for comments he made about the use of a racially derogatory word. Roberts was commenting during the April meeting about proposed new history, government and social studies standards. By Peter Hancock
School board moves forward on sex ed curriculum: By Peter Hancock; May 13, 2013; The Lawrence school board hopes to have a new human sexuality curriculum in place by this summer that will incorporate new national guidelines. The new curriculum would add more information about contraception and sexual orientation. By Peter Hancock
State education board may seek attorney general’s opinion on ‘innovative districts’ law: By Peter Hancock; May 13, 2013; A new law enacted this year allows up to 10 percent of school districts to exempt themselves from many state laws and regulations. But state education officials say parts of the law may go too far. By Peter Hancock
School board to review human sexuality curriculum: By Peter Hancock; May 13, 2013; Lawrence school officials are recommending a complete review of the district’s human sexuality curriculum to align with new national standards. Changes could include adding information about sexual orientation and forms of contraception other than abstinence. By Peter Hancock

Full story list

Recent photos

The graduating class of 2013 is the first class of students whose entire school experience has been in the 21st century. London Koehn, center, a senior at Lawrence High School, is a reflection of how changes in technology and society have affected education. Also pictured are her parents, Sheena and Jim Koehn.

London Koehn, center, with her parents Sheena and Jim Koehn, is a graduating senior at Lawrence High School. She and her classmates have spent their entire educational career in the 21st century, starting kindergarten in the fall of 2000.

London Koehn, center, a graduating senior from Lawrence High School, embodies many of the unique aspects of the Class of 2013, who began their education at the dawn of the 21st century. Also pictured are her mother Sheena Koehn, and her father Jim Koehn.