The Kansas State Board of Education is an elected executive agency of the Kansas state government, responsible for managing the state's public K-12 education. The Board's stated mission is "to prepare Kansas students for lifelong success through rigorous, quality academic instruction, career training and character development according to each student's gifts and talents."[1]
The board is composed of ten voting members, who are each elected to four-year terms from districts composed of four contiguous state senatorial districts. Elections to the board are staggered, with even-numbered districts holding elections in presidential election years and odd-numbered districts holding elections in midterm election years. Every two years, the board elects a chair and vice-chair from among its members.[1]
The legislature shall provide for a state board of education which shall have general supervision of public schools, educational institutions and all the educational interests of the state, except educational functions delegated by law to the state board of regents. The state board of education shall perform such other duties as may be provided by law.
Qualifications
Section 72-245 of the Kansas Statutes requires that members of the board be residents of the district they represent.[2]
Elections
Kansas elects members to four-year terms on the State Board of Education in all even-numbered years. Members take office on the Tuesday following the second Monday in the January following their election, which is the meeting in which officers of the board are elected under Section 72-250 of the Kansas Statutes.[3]
Term limits
There are no term limits to the Kansas State Board of Education.
On November 8, 2016, Steve Roberts won re-election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 2. He defeated Chris Cindric in the general election.
On November 8, 2016, Ann E. Mah won election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 4. She defeated Sue E. Mollenkamp in the general election.
On November 8, 2016, Deena L. Horst won re-election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 6. She defeated Aaron Estabrook in the general election.
On November 8, 2016, Kathy Busch won re-election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 8. She ran unopposed in the general election.
On November 8, 2016, Jim McNiece won re-election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 10. He ran unopposed in the general election.
Kansas State Board of Education, District 10, 2016
On November 4, 2014, Janet Waugh won re-election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 1. She defeated Nancy Klemp in the general election.
On November 4, 2014, John W. Bacon won re-election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 3. He ran unopposed in the general election.
On November 4, 2014, Sally Cauble won re-election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 5. She ran unopposed in the general election.
On November 4, 2014, Kenneth R. Willard won re-election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 7. He ran unopposed in the general election.
On November 6, 2012, Steve Roberts won election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 2. He defeated Cindy Neighbor in the general election.
On November 6, 2012, Carolyn L. Campbell won re-election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 4. She defeated Jack Wu in the general election.
On November 6, 2012, Deena L. Horst won election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 6. She defeated Carol Viar in the general election.
On November 2, 2010, Janet Waugh won re-election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 1. She defeated Willie Dove in the general election.
On November 2, 2010, John W. Bacon won re-election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 3. He ran unopposed in the general election.
On November 2, 2010, Sally Cauble won re-election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 5. She ran unopposed in the general election.
On November 2, 2010, Kenneth R. Willard won re-election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 7. He ran unopposed in the general election.
On November 2, 2010, Jana Shaver won re-election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 9. She defeated Robert E. Medford in the general election.
On November 4, 2008, Sue Storm won election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 2. She defeated Mary C. Ralstin and Steve E. Roberts in the general election.
On November 4, 2008, Carolyn L. Campbell won election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 4. She defeated Robert Meissner in the general election.
On November 4, 2008, Kathy Martin won re-election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 6. She defeated Christopher E. Renner in the general election.
On November 4, 2008, Walt Chappell won election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 8. He defeated Dennis E. Hedke in the general election.
On November 4, 2008, David Dennis won election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 10. He defeated Paul Casanova in the general election.
Kansas State Board of Education, District 10, 2008
On November 7, 2006, Janet Waugh won re-election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 1. She ran unopposed in the general election.
On November 7, 2006, John W. Bacon won re-election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 3. He defeated Don Weiss in the general election.
On November 7, 2006, Sally Cauble won election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 5. She defeated Tim Cruz in the general election.
On November 7, 2006, Ken R. Willard won re-election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 7. He defeated Jack Wempe in the general election.
On November 7, 2006, Jana Shaver won election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 9. She defeated Charles Kent Runyan in the general election.
On November 2, 2004, Sue Gamble won re-election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 2. She ran unopposed in the general election.
On November 2, 2004, Bill Wagnon won re-election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 4. He defeated Robert Meissner in the general election.
On November 2, 2004, Kathy Martin won election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 6. She ran unopposed in the general election.
On November 2, 2004, Carol Rupe won re-election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 8. She ran unopposed in the general election.
On November 2, 2004, Steve E. Abrams won re-election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 10. He ran unopposed in the general election.
Kansas State Board of Education, District 10, 2004
On November 5, 2002, Janet Waugh won re-election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 1. She ran unopposed in the general election.
On November 5, 2002, John W. Bacon won re-election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 3. He ran unopposed in the general election.
On November 5, 2002, Connie Morris won election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 5. She defeated I.B. Sonny Rundell in the general election.
On November 5, 2002, Kenneth R. Willard won election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 7. He defeated L. Duane Anstine in the general election.
On November 5, 2002, Iris M. Van Meter won election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 9. She defeated Val DeFever in the general election.
On November 7, 2000, Sue Gamble won election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 2. She defeated Ron Patton in the general election.
On November 7, 2000, Bill Wagnon won election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 4. He defeated Patrick H. Hill in the general election.
On November 7, 2000, Bruce H. Wyatt won election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 6. He defeated Eloise Lynch in the general election.
On November 7, 2000, Carol Rupe won election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 8. She defeated Dick Williams in the general election.
On November 7, 2000, Steve E. Abrams won election to the office of Kansas State Board of Education, District 10. He defeated Wayne Holt in the general election.
Kansas State Board of Education, District 10, 2000
The procedure for filling vacancies on the board is defined in Section 25-3902a of the Kansas Statutes. Within 21 days of a vacancy opening, a meeting must be held to nominate a successor who is a resident of the former board member's education district and is registered with the same political party as the former board member. The composition of the meeting depends on the number of counties in the education district represented by the former board member.[4]
Kansas State Board of Education Vacancy Procedure
Number of counties in district
Official calling meeting
Officials invited to meeting
One
County chairperson of the former board member's political party
All precinct chairs of the former board member's political party in the district
Two - four
County chairperson of the former board member's political party for the county with the most registered voters in the district
All precinct chairs of the former board member's political party in the district
Five or more
County chairperson of the former board member's political party for the county with the most registered voters in the district
All county chairs and vice county chairs of the former board member's political party in the district
The convention called must select a replacement to fill the vacancy by majority vote. After the vacancy has been open for 35 days, if a replacement has not been nominated, the governor is given the power to select a successor, who must be from the former board member's district and registered under the same party as the former board member.[4]
Duties
The duties of the board are laid out in Section 72-255 of the Kansas Statutes.[5]
Section 72-255:
In general, but not by way of limitation, consonant with other applicable statutory provisions, the state board of education shall:
(a) Adopt and maintain standards, criteria, guidelines or rules and regulations for the following:
(1) School libraries and other educational materials with the exception of textbooks;
(2) courses of study and curriculum;
(3) accreditation of schools including elementary and secondary, public and nonpublic;
(4) certification of administrators, teachers, counselors, school nurses and supervisors of school districts and of the state department of education and of teachers and administrators of nonpublic schools; and
(b) administer the laws of this state concerning the matters named in this section and all other matters relating to general supervision of the public schools and institutions under supervision of the state board of education.
Compensation
Compensation for board members is laid out in Section 72-253 of the Kansas Statutes and is limited to authorized travel expenses.[6]
Section 72-7511a:
The state board of education may authorize members thereof to attend in-state meetings for participation in matters of educational interest to the state of Kansas, and when attending a meeting so authorized, members shall receive compensation and travel expenses and subsistence expenses or allowances as provided in K.S.A. 75-3212 for members of the legislature. Whenever under any provision of law, a member of the state board of education is authorized to attend an out-of-state meeting, or whenever the state board of education authorizes one of its members to attend an out-of-state meeting for participation in matters of educational interest to the state of Kansas such members, when attending a meeting so authorized, shall receive compensation and travel expenses and subsistence expenses as provided in K.S.A. 75-3212 for members of the legislature.
On July 22, 2020, the Kansas State Board of Education voted 5-5 on whether to approve an executive order by Gov. Laura Kelly (D) that would have delayed the start of the K-12 2020-2021 public school year until September 9, 2020 (after the Labor Day holiday).[7] The executive order needed approval from the board in order to take effect.[8] Since the board did not approve the order with a simple majority, the decision of when to begin the school year was left up to the state's individual school districts.[9]
Former officeholders
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the Kansas State Board of Education has not yet been added because the information was unavailable on the relevant state official websites, or we are currently in the process of formatting the list for this office. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
Contact information
Kansas State Department of Education
900 SW Jackson Street
Topeka, KS 66612
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