The Lawrence school board on Monday will hear an update on equity data from this fall and also consider approving a contract for a consultant to help complete high school boundary analyses.
Administrators who lead the district’s equity work will present to the board. Their presentation slides say test scores have been mostly stable over the past three years but identify areas for improvement.
Math state assessment scores in the top levels, which are 3 and 4, have increased by 2.5% across the district. English Language Arts scores have been consistent, and science scores have slightly declined.
According to the presentation, a focal point for closing racial disparities will be to move more Native American students out of scoring in levels 1 and 2 in math and ELA assessments.
All students being able to maintain or improve regular school attendance is one of the district’s goals for 2025-26, according to the presentation. Chronic absenteeism has slightly decreased from this time last year, and daily attendance rates are on a slow incline.
Updates on student behavior and discipline are also included in the equity report. The presentation says staff reported restorative practices were used in four out of five behavior incidents.
The board is not set to take any action following the presentation.
See the presentation and full report attached to the meeting agenda item on BoardDocs.
Tentative contract with RSP & Associates
The board will also consider approving up to $45,000 to be paid to RSP & Associates to assist the district’s committee working on high school boundaries.
The Boundary Advisory Committee is charged this fall with making a recommendation with the goal of balancing enrollment more evenly between the two high schools. Projections show with current boundaries that Free State will continue having more students enrolled than Lawrence High, and the difference has the potential to eventually move Lawrence High to a 5A classification.
During their meeting Wednesday, BAC members decided they’d need more data from RSP & Associates before presenting their ideas to the community. The committee is currently considering three map concepts that move students around.
RSP over recent years has provided information to assist the district and the BAC, including five-year projections. Previously, RSP staff have facilitated BAC meetings, but feedback led the board to decide the company would have a smaller role this fall — still providing data, but not facilitating meetings.
A report Deputy Superintendent Larry Englebrick is set to give board members Monday says RSP will not facilitate meetings but will help better develop one of the options the BAC is considering.
If the board approves, RSP would project the impact each option would have on population growth, the capacity demand at each high school, and enrollment if potential new boundaries are phased in. The company would also provide an analysis of two upcoming public input meetings, according to the report.
Up to $45,000 would be pulled from the district’s general fund.
See the report attached to the meeting agenda item on BoardDocs.
In other business:
• Board policy on workers compensation: The board will consider approving an update to one of its policies to reflect a new state law.
The Kansas State Legislature in July passed Senate Bill 430, which increases the period for employees to submit injury notices to their districts by 10 days. For accidental injury or repetitive trauma while still working for their employer, employees can now submit notices within 30 days instead of the previous 20. The period is now within 10 instead of 20 days when a person is no longer working for the employer.
Additionally, the new law increases unauthorized medical expenses for examination, diagnosis and treatment from $500 to $800.
The item is part of the board’s consent agenda — a list of items routinely approved in one motion unless a board member or the superintendent requests to pull an item for further discussion. See the tentative board policy revision attached to the item on BoardDocs.
• Executive session: Monday’s meeting will conclude with a 15-minute executive session, or closed-door meeting.
Board members are set to discuss personnel matters of nonelected personnel, with no action to be taken as a result.
The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 28 at district offices, 110 McDonald Drive.
Meetings are open to the public, livestreamed on the district’s YouTube channel, youtube.com/@USD497, and broadcast on Midco channel 26. Full meeting agendas are available on BoardDocs, via go.boarddocs.com.
To give public comment during the board meeting, sign up before the meeting starts either in person or by emailing PublicComment@usd497.org. Commenters may request to participate by Webex video/phone conferencing.
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Maya Hodison (she/her), equity reporter, can be reached at mhodison@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
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