UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT 444
Little River & Windom
Brent Garrison, Superintendent
455 Prairie, P. O. Box 218
Little River, Kansas 67457
bgarrison@usd444.com
620-897-6325
FAX 620-897-6788
September 18, 2017
To: Parents
From: Brent Garrison
Subject: KESA Information/Parent Survey
School districts around the state of Kansas have been learning all about a new acronym, KESA, which stands for Kansas Education Systems Accreditation. This is the new model in which school districts around the state will be accredited, and that process begins this year. In the past, our accreditation was tied mostly to standardized test scores and school districts were judged primarily on student results in math and reading. This new model is intended to ensure school districts have a plan to help all students become successful high school graduates. The definition of success includes academic preparation, cognitive preparation, technical skill development, employability skill development, and civic engagement.
USD 444 started and prepared for KESA beginning last school year and is excited for this new accreditation model. We believe our board goals, vision, and mission statement communicate the vision and will serve us well in the accreditation model. KESA is a plan for continuous improvement that addresses all aspects of the Kansan Can Vision. This new Kansan Can Vision for education calls for a more student-focused system that provides support and resources for individual success and will require everyone to work together to make it a reality. The vision states that Kansas will lead the world in the success of each student. Below are the list of the outcomes that are to be measured. I am pleased to say USD 444 is working hard in all five of these outcomes and has made significant progress already.
• Social/emotional growth measured locally
• Kindergarten readiness
• Individual Plan of Study based on career interest
• Graduation rates
• Postsecondary attendance/attainment
An exciting new measure the state of Kansas has developed over the past few months is a post-secondary measure through data provided by the National Clearinghouse. Research shows that by the year 2020, 70-75% of jobs in our country will need some type of post-secondary degree or industry recognized certification. In connecting how schools can better prepare for our changing world, we are now being measured on how many of our graduates go on and pursue a degree or certification after high school. This includes not only the enrollment of our students in a post-secondary institution, but also their retention after their first full year of graduation. USD 444 has examined this data and is currently evaluating our programs and success of all of our students.
One of the key components of the accreditation model is gathering feedback from parents and assessing our current practices. USD 444 is committed to continuous improvement, therefore, we ask that you fill out the google survey that will be sent via text message to your phone. This survey will give us feedback from you as parents as we start to evaluate and assess our district. The survey will also allow us to know what we are doing well, which is always exciting, and possible areas we can improve. Please remember the survey is not an evaluation of staff, but rather a tool to give us input from you as key stakeholders. If you would like the survey directly e-mailed to you or you would like a hard copy of the survey, please feel free to contact your building principal. Please take the time to fill out the survey. Thanks in advance for your participation.