Imagine you’re a parent and your child goes to Northwest High School in Wichita. The Maize public school district sits nearby, a wealthier community where graduation rates and ACT scores run higher. If you’d wanted to enroll your children in Maize in fall 2023, the school district would have said no. Starting next fall, Maize’s […]
Stan Reeser
Posted inDIY Democracy, Education, Elections
Wichita’s first school board election under new system draws more voters
In the first election under USD 259’s new district-based school board election system on Tuesday in Wichita, results show voter turnout went up and moderates won over conservatives. Last year, Wichita voters changed the way school board members are elected in the state’s largest school district. Previously, all school board members were elected citywide. Now, […]
Posted inDIY Democracy, Education, Elections
Wichita USD 259 school board candidates talk book bans, LGBTQ safety and teacher shortages
Mail-in and in-person voting begin this month. To help voters make their decisions, The Wichita Beacon asked all USD 259 school board candidates to respond to questions submitted by readers. Questions focused on the teacher shortage, classroom content and student and teacher safety. The three school board seats up for election are for the 3rd […]
Posted inEducation
Schools get first aid kits to treat gunshots, but teachers have a more immediate safety worry
The Wichita Metro Crime Commission in September presented 11 area schools with Stop the Bleed first aid kits — small red bags filled with emergency medical supplies used to treat deep wounds. Although the kits are not new to area schools, their appearance is one sign of escalating concerns about student safety and conduct. With […]
Posted inEducation
Cutting through ‘the chaos’: What happened at Wichita’s school board meeting on Monday
The Wichita Board of Education is off to a rough start for the new year. The board had been set to ceremonially swear in three new board members and one incumbent at its first meeting of 2022 on Monday at Wichita North High School. But that meeting never happened after the three new board members […]