Kansas State Board of Education candidates for Topeka | Topeka Voters Guide

Two seats on the Kansas State Board of Education run through Shawnee County this election, with candidates filed on either side of Districts 4 and 6.

District 4 extends from Johnson and Leavenworth counties in the east and snakes through Franklin, Douglas and Shawnee counties, and includes all of Osage County. There, Republican Connie O'Brien and Democrat Kris Meyer will compete for the seat being vacated by Democrat Ann Mah.

District 6 includes northern Douglas county, southwest Shawnee County and all of Wabaunsee, Geary, Morris and Lyon counties. Democrat Beryl Ann New is facing Republican Bruce Schultz to represent the region that was previously held by Republican Deena Horst.

The Capital-Journal posed the same questions to each candidate in both districts. Answers were not edited for spelling, grammar or content.

O'Brien and Schultz did not respond to the questionnaire via email, and did not return phone calls left by The Capital-Journal.

Kansas State Board of Education District 4

What background information would you like voters to know about you and the perspective you would bring to the board?

Kris Meyer: I bring nearly two decades of hands-on experience in public education, having served as an elementary teacher, school improvement specialist, principal, and executive director of the USD 232 Education Foundation. My deep connection to public schools also stems from being a parent—my husband and I are raising our two daughters, adopted from foster care, in Kansas public schools. I’ve spent 13 years working in Title I schools, advocating relentlessly for equitable education for disadvantaged students. I understand firsthand the challenges schools, educators, and families face, and I’m committed to ensuring that every child, regardless of their background, has access to quality education. My priorities reflect this: equitable funding, attracting and retaining world-class teachers, and supporting inclusive policies that allow all Kansas students to succeed.

What should a Kansas high school diploma confer upon graduates of the state's accredited K-12 schools?

Meyer: A Kansas high school diploma should represent more than just academic achievement—it should demonstrate that a student is prepared for success in college, career, and civic life. Graduates should possess not only core knowledge in subjects like math, science, and English, but also critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills. We must prioritize a well-rounded approach that values social-emotional learning (SEL), critical thinking, and creativity—skills that will serve graduates well in the workforce.

In a meta-analysis of 213 school-based SEL programs found that students who participated in SEL programs had an 11-percentile point gain in academic achievement. Students should be ready to enter the workforce or pursue higher education with the confidence and tools needed to thrive. A diploma should reflect students' readiness to engage as responsible, informed citizens and the skills needed for lifelong success in an ever-changing world.

How should the board balance its authority to regulate and execute education policy with that of the Legislature and local boards of education?

Meyer: Collaboration is essential, but local school boards should lead decisions impacting their communities, as they are closest to students, parents, and educators. Decisions about curriculum, policies, and day-to-day operations are best left to local educational professionals who understand the unique needs of their local districts. The State Board must set clear standards, ensure equity across all districts, and advocate for policies that guarantee all students receive a quality education. This includes pushing back on legislative overreach that could hinder the State Board’s constitutional duty. The State Board must maintain a focus on student outcomes. The Legislature has an essential role in funding public education and ensuring resources are available. While the Legislature determines funding and enacts laws, the courts ensure those laws are constitutional, as seen in school finance cases. It’s important to maintain this balance of power to safeguard the integrity of public education.

While a task force is currently studying cell phone and tech use in schools, what should the board do after the task force finishes its work.

Meyer: Yes, The State Board of Education recently formed the Screen Time Task Force in an effort to create a balance between students’ technology usage and healthy development. As a parent of two high school-aged daughters, I know firsthand how important it is for their mental health to carefully monitor their social media usage and screen time.

After the task force completes its study, the State Board should carefully review its recommendations and provide districts with evidence-based guidelines on cell phone and technology use. These guidelines should focus on balancing the educational benefits of technology with the need to minimize distractions and protect students’ mental health. Importantly, the State Board should allow districts the flexibility to adapt policies based on their specific student populations and needs. Ongoing evaluation and adjustments based on real-world outcomes will also be necessary as technology continues to evolve in education.

What steps should the board take to increase safety of students and staff at school, at activites and on the bus?

Meyer: The State Board should work with local school districts and their local boards to prioritize comprehensive safety measures, including secure building designs, threat assessment training, and mental health support. Partnering with local law enforcement and first responders for safety drills and protocols is essential. School buses and extracurricular activities should also be included in safety planning, ensuring consistent policies across all environments. Mental health resources and social-emotional learning programs are equally important in creating safe, supportive schools There’s a growing need to address mental health for students and staff, particularly in the wake of the pandemic. The board must ensure schools have access to mental health resources while fostering environments where both students and teachers can thrive. Finally, it’s crucial to invest in proactive measures like anonymous reporting systems and training staff to recognize early signs of behavioral concerns.

What should the board do to address teacher and staff shortages?

Meyer: Kansas is currently second in the nation in teacher attrition. The State Board must address this by improving salaries, KPERS retirement, and working conditions to make the profession more attractive. This includes advocating for smaller class sizes and increased support for mental health. Listening to educators is essential. To understand their challenges firsthand, the Board should include teachers from reputable organizations like KNEA on their committees. Providing relevant professional development, mentoring programs, and career advancement opportunities is key to retaining educators. The Board should also streamline teacher licensure while maintaining high standards and promote alternative pathways to teaching, particularly in high-need areas such as Special Education, STEM, and Career and Technical Education. Kansas public schools, led by dedicated Kansas educators, are doing an excellent job! We must uplift our educators and ensure we attract future educators to the profession.

What role should the board have in determining how public schools teach sensitive topics and issues like civil rights, race and gender?

Meyer: The board should ensure that public schools provide a fact-based, inclusive curriculum that reflects the diversity of our society and history. Education on civil rights, race, and gender is essential for fostering understanding, empathy, and critical thinking in students. While the State Board should set broad educational standards, local districts should have flexibility in how they implement these topics, allowing for age-appropriate instruction. It’s important that the curriculum supports open dialogue and prepares students to engage in a diverse and interconnected world. The board’s role is to ensure these sensitive issues are taught with accuracy, respect, and inclusivity.

What more needs to be done to address learning loss from the pandemic?

Meyer: I served a majority of my career in economically disadvantaged schools. Addressing pandemic-related learning loss requires targeted interventions. The State Board should advocate for additional resources to support these efforts. Schools should implement data-driven strategies to identify students most affected and provide tailored supports. Mental health services and social-emotional learning are also key to helping students recover. It’s crucial to continue supporting instructional practices grounded in the Science of Reading (SOR). Many KS districts have undergone 3-4 years of LETRS training. LETRS is a program that equips teachers with the best methods for phonics-based instruction. This training is vital in improving literacy instruction. Rather than “returning to the basics,” the focus should be on continuing to expand teacher understanding of SOR. Teachers have greater confidence in their ability to meet students' literacy needs, and data proves this has reduced learning loss.

What is your view on potential consolidation of rural districts with declining populations?

Meyer: Consolidation of rural districts should be approached with caution and in close collaboration with affected communities. While it can sometimes be a solution to declining enrollment and resource constraints, consolidation often leads to longer commutes for students and a loss of local identity. The board should work to find creative solutions that maintain local control, such as shared services between districts, while ensuring rural students still receive equitable access to quality education. Any decision should prioritize student outcomes and consider the impact on the community, including economic factors and the availability of extracurricular opportunities.

Kansas State Board of Education District 6

What background information would you like voters to know about you and the perspective you would bring to the board?

Beryl Ann New : I am a lifelong professional educator with 36 years of experience in public education. I have been a teacher, a principal, and a central office human resources leader. Also, as a parent of eight children who attended public schools, I understand the issues from both sides.

What should a Kansas high school diploma confer upon graduates of the state's accredited K-12 schools?

New : A high school diploma should indicate that the recipient is adequately and appropriately prepared for productive citizenship, gainful employment, and success in a post-high school academic setting due to receiving a free and appropriate education from accredited public schools in grades 9 through 12.

How should the board balance its authority to regulate and execute education policy with that of the Legislature and local boards of education?

New : Collaboration among the three entities is a critical component in ensuring that the youth in our state are fully represented. The state school board operates under the auspices of the legislature, which sets the law, statutes, policies, and regulations for the state's education requirements. State boards communicate these to the local districts and set policies for enacting the state rules related to licensure, funding, curriculum, assessments, and oversight of district leadership. Local boards carry out these directives and set their own policies to oversee the delivery of high quality education. The state board must support both the local and legislative bodies to appropriately educate all children. The state board must also be available to listen to all constituents -- youth, parents, teachers, support personnel, stakeholders, and taxpayers -- in order to adequately understand all perspectives on public education and share what they learn with local and legislative leaders.

While a task force is currently studying cell phone and tech use in schools, what should the board do after the task force finishes its work.

New : I believe that listening sessions and community reports will be very helpful in gathering diverse perspectives from school leaders, parents, and students. Examining current research on the impact of these devices on student life will provide data that could be beneficial as we examine recommended next steps for Kansas schools.

What steps should the board take to increase safety of students and staff at school, at activites and on the bus?

New : Student safety is the number one priority, in my opinion. Providing professional, diligent, on-site supervision for students is a critical assignment for state leaders, state school board members, and local educational agencies. Whether this is done through uniformed officers or support staff who have built trusting relationships with students may come down to individual school districts, but adequate funding should be appropriated at the state level so that school districts will not be forced to make budget choices which do not consider student safety first. Surveillance cameras can be highly effective in monitoring campuses, hallways, and buses; however, the funding for these resources should not be dependent on independently awarded grant-funded resources. The state should uniformly and equitably fund adequate safety measures for every Kansas public school.

What should the board do to address teacher and staff shortages?

New : The board should continue to explore nontraditional routes to become a public education professional. Hiring international credentialed teachers, growing our own through programs in our local colleges and universities, transition to teaching programs for degreed individuals who are serving in fields other than education are some of the current programs utilized in the state. The board should look more deeply into expanding these options into more higher education institutions, both inside and outside of the state. Incentives could be provided to high school students who are participants in the exploratory teacher education programs and wish to make a commitment to a school district post-college graduation.

What role should the board have in determining how public schools teach sensitive topics and issues like civil rights, race and gender?

New : A strong civic understanding is a critical component of a high school education program, and the demonstration of this level of learning and cultural competence is a meaningful outcome. The board sets the learning objectives and targets which a district should ensure that every learner gains throughout their public school journey. These topics reflect American history, sociology, cultural understanding, world literature, science, and other areas of importance to achieve appropriate academic achievement. The board should ensure that these topics are taught and assessed as key curricular areas in a recommended course of study. However, individual districts should determine how they are taught.

What more needs to be done to address learning loss from the pandemic?

New : I personally believe that it will take at least five years for the academic system to recover from the learning trauma that students and institutions experienced due to the widespread impact of the pandemic. Plans for reintegrating hesitant students back into the full-day attendance habit, for rehiring/hiring more support personnel and substitute personnel, and redesigning lesson preparation and delivery will need to be prioritized in order to regroup and restart. Underlying issues yet persist and are evidenced by the lingering concerns of students, parents, and staff persons. Anxiety, mental fatigue, disengagement, negative behaviors, and other factors will need to be acknowledged and appropriately addressed through hiring more mental health professionals and remedial support persons within districts. However, additional staffing requires budget increases. Therefore, the state board would need to be prepared to examine and enact best practices to achieve these goals.

What is your view on potential consolidation of rural districts with declining populations?

New : Public schools, from elementary through high school, are often the hub of every community. I do understand that there are provisional funding resources available for the smaller districts which need to transition when per pupil funds are lost as their students are moved to neighboring districts. However, this does not maintain the pride and often the health of the community that loses the schools and it certainly is not often very beneficial to students who must ride a school bus for nearly an hour (or more) to and from school. This can directly impact parent involvement, a student's participation in extracurricular sports and performance activities, and family attendance at after-school programs and events. I believe that a critical question for the board moving forward will be how we can support small school districts as they wait to grow again.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas State Board of Education candidates for Topeka | Topeka Voters Guide