Board approves $1.73 million for high school track replacements

Track construction may delay Free State graduation

State poised to underfund special education again, liaison warns

State-mandated cell phone ban forces district policy overhaul

Legislature strips state board of private school accreditation power

District to standardize curriculum with "high-quality" materials

New assessment framework to replace intermittent benchmark testing

Career and technical education pathways consolidated

Board approves $1.73 million for high school track replacements

LAWRENCE, Kan. - The Lawrence Board of Education unanimously approved a project not to exceed $1.73 million to replace the 400-meter running tracks at Free State and Lawrence high schools. The board awarded the contract to McConnell and Associates Corp., which includes a $1.57 million base bid and a 10 percent project contingency. Up to $60,000 of the contingency funds may be used for potential javelin runway and landing area renovations. The project will be paid for using facilities and operations capital outlay funds, which are legally restricted from being used for classroom salaries.

Track construction may delay Free State graduation

LAWRENCE, Kan. - Superintendent Jeanice Kerr Swift addressed community concerns that the newly approved track replacement project at Free State High School could interfere with graduation exercises. Swift said district officials will meet with the contractor this week to address scheduling concerns before making any official announcements regarding a date change. Swift said the district is working closely with building administrators to coordinate the work while prioritizing families and staff.

State poised to underfund special education again, liaison warns

LAWRENCE, Kan. - Board member Shannon Kimball, the district's legislative liaison, warned the Lawrence Board of Education that state lawmakers are poised to underfund special education despite previous court rulings and statutory requirements. A state budget conference committee agreed to only $6 million in new special education funding — the lower of the House and Senate proposals. Kimball said the figure would drop the state's funding level to roughly 65 percent of excess costs for the 2026-27 school year, which Kansas Commissioner of Education Randy Watson has previously categorized as a crisis.

State-mandated cell phone ban forces district policy overhaul

LAWRENCE, Kan. - A newly enacted state law banning cell phones in schools will force Lawrence Public Schools to revise its technology policies. The legislation prohibits students from accessing personal electronic devices — including phones, smartwatches, AirPods and tablets — from bell to bell, eliminating leeway older students currently have during lunch and passing periods. The law also limits how educators can use social media for two-way communication and prohibits teachers from requiring social media use as part of digital citizenship instruction.

Legislature strips state board of private school accreditation power

LAWRENCE, Kan. - The Lawrence Board of Education was briefed on a newly signed state bill that strips the Kansas State Board of Education of its authority to accredit non-public schools, transferring that oversight to the legislature. District officials said they believe the change, combined with a recently passed voucher bill, removes academic accountability and testing requirements for private institutions receiving public funds.

District to standardize curriculum with "high-quality" materials

LAWRENCE, Kan. - In a major shift for Lawrence Public Schools' teaching and learning framework, officials announced the upcoming implementation of high-quality instructional materials across all schools. The standardized, evidence-based instructional systems are designed to reduce the "educational lottery" between classrooms and reduce the burden on teachers, who currently spend an average of seven hours a week developing their own standards-aligned curriculum. District leaders said the move will provide a more equitable and vertically aligned education for students.

New assessment framework to replace intermittent benchmark testing

LAWRENCE, Kan. - Lawrence Public Schools will roll out a new balanced assessment framework designed to track student mastery of grade-level standards without relying on intermittent benchmark testing days. The system will use curriculum-embedded unit assessments roughly four times a year, providing teachers with immediate, comparable data to monitor student progress and adjust instruction. The platform, currently being piloted at the elementary level, will also allow the district to measure the academic return on investment for its programs.

Career and technical education pathways consolidated

LAWRENCE, Kan. - To improve program quality and funding stability, Lawrence Public Schools is restructuring its Career and Technical Education offerings by pausing under-enrolled pathways and focusing on 13 viable options. As part of the transition, the district will introduce two introductory CTE courses — Business Essentials and Introduction to Skilled Trades — at the middle school level to better prepare eighth graders for high school career pathways.

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