When it comes to school board policies such as tuition fees and course curriculum, some may be surprised to learn that legal priorities are included in the school board’s responsibilities. Legislative priorities are specific issues that the board plans to focus on during the state-level legislative session, which begins in early January and runs through early May each year.
The last meeting in December approved several legislative priorities for the district. These authorized priorities were discussed at a Board workshop prior to action. All directors participated in the workshop and provided their insights and feedback. Board members are not scheduled to attend the 2025 legislative session, but will follow the process.
Legislative priorities approved include chronic absenteeism, the development of artificial intelligence (AI) policies, the KPERS waiting period for retirees, at-risk funding, special provisions for foster care, and non-resident registration policies. is included.
Developing an AI policy was a priority proposed by board member Cathy Boote as a way to support efforts to prevent potential misuse of AI with respect to students. This law promotes significant repercussions for those who use AI to exploit or manipulate others using AI-generated videos.
“We have heard that AI deepfakes are impacting schools in other states. To protect our students and faculty, we need to be proactive and legislatively address this issue before it becomes an issue in Kansas.” I think we need to work on it,” Boot said.
At-risk funding focuses on “increasing flexibility in the use of funding to better meet student needs.” This priority allows the district to allocate funds at risk to additional areas of the district budget. This diversification allows us to support more students on a broader level, creating a more equitable educational and mental health environment across the district.
One of the other top priorities of interest was the nonresident registration policy, which requires those considered nonresidents of the district to apply for registration. After a nonresident application is received, an annual review is conducted to ensure that the student is in good standing and that there are no enrollment issues within the district.
“Our district has seen high interest in non-resident students and a large number of applications, which speaks to the excellent academic programs, staffing and opportunities available in Derby,” said Katie, Director of Communications.・Carlson stated.
Although the six legislative priorities do not directly align with the Strategic Plan’s six strategies, they support the Strategic Plan’s implementation and goals.
With the priorities approved, the Board will move on to present the priorities at a legislative luncheon on Tuesday, Jan. 7, clarifying the Board’s interest in state influence over the public education system.
