KLFA Focuses on New Kansas Accreditation Model, Looks Toward Partnerships With KSDE, P12, and KLFA/LFA During May Meeting
On May 10, 2012, Kansas Learning First Alliance (KLFA) met to continue collaborating and supporting KSDE initiatives that support quality Kansas schools, including the new accreditation system that will be piloted this fall. During the general session, KLFA Chair Dr. Nancy Bolz, (Director of AdvancED Kansas), welcomed the following guests:
Cheryl Williams, Executive Director, Learning First Alliance
Tim Magner, Executive Director, Partnership for 21st Century Skills, P21
Lillian Kellog, Chair of P21, VP of Client Services, Education Networks of America,
Carmi Paris, SVP Policy, Government Affairs & Partner Alliance, Global Scholar
Barb Reinke, Crayola, P21
Helen Soule, Director State Initiatives, P21
Barbara Stein, Director of Strategic Partnerships, P21
Tom Foster, KSDE
Melinda Stanley, KSDE
Both P21 and LFA are hoping to create a partnership with KLFA as we collaborate with KSDE in the development of the new Kansas accreditation process. Each organization presented an overview of both their purpose and possible “connections” for Kansas. Tom Foster and Melinda Stanley presented the latest information regarding the new accreditation process, followed by updates for P21 initiatives by Tim Magner and for LFA by Cheryl Williams.
The Work Groups then discussed three partnering ideas to consider for the coming school year:
Work with KSDE to develop and/or review the new accreditation model rubrics or checklists that will identify whether schools are implementing, transitioning, modeling.
Work with KASB’s College/Career Ready Committee that is being chaired by Tom Krebs. While it includes board members, superintendents, and key representatives, P21 representatives would help their work to inform the accreditation rubric as well as the incorporation of P21 skills development in our schools.
Work together to leverage P21 and Corporate Partners, LFA/KLFA, EdLeader21, KSDE and possibly KASB, KNEA Kansas Learning Forward, etc. to secure funding to support the collaborative effort of creating the 21st Century Accreditation Model in Kansas.
The Community Engagement group, working with Cheryl Williams from the Learning First Alliance and Tim Magner, Lil Kellogg, and Barb Stein from P21, developed early steps necessary to help bring a louder business voice to the discussion of preparing Kansas graduates for post-secondary success. P21 has robust business participation and will share its expertise and resources to help KLFA collaborate more effectively with the Kansas business community. The envisioned project, a workshop with statewide business leaders, can help both develop more effective statewide policies, but also help local educators develop more productive relationships with regional and local employers.
The Student Learning group discussed working with KSDE with the accreditation rubric, especially the areas of results and relevance and perhaps rigor. A discussion was held on how: a) assessment will fit in, b) performance assessments might be designed, and c) our vision of effective assessment should have an emphasis on project based learning (probably assessed by rubrics).
The Professional Learning group explored possibilities of working with LFA and P21 around educating both Kansas educators and Kansas business learners of the following new KSDE initiatives: accreditation, KEEP, CCSS, professional learning standards, 21st skills, and character education standards.
Visit the KLFA Website for more information, including agendas for upcoming meetings as they are developed.
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