Volume 45 - Issue 18- April 30, 2026
State of Kansas
Secretary of State
Certification of New State Laws
I, Scott Schwab, Secretary of State of the State of Kansas, do hereby certify that the following bill is a correct copy of the original enrolled bill now on file in my office.
Scott Schwab
Secretary of State
(Published in the Kansas Register April 30, 2026.)
House Bill No. 2485
An Act concerning education; providing requirements for agreements between postsecondary educational institutions and school districts for the provision of postsecondary courses taught in secondary schools; directing the governor to approve short-term workforce training programs for Pell grant eligibility; requiring the state workforce development board to establish an internal process for such eligibility; providing for the transferability of credentials earned through career readiness assessments toward a degree; relating to the Kansas blueprint for literacy; expanding reporting requirements in the every child can read act; requiring members of the literacy advisory committee to have certain expertise; aligning literacy fluency goals with the state board of education’s assessment cut scores; requiring school districts to employ reading specialists and develop individual student literacy plans for certain high-risk students; requiring the state board of education to designate best literacy practices and include a literacy practicum in the requirements for teacher licensure; requiring the development of a comprehensive literacy implementation plan; providing requirements for educator preparation programs; prohibiting Kansas promise scholarship awards from being used to fund remedial hours offered as part of corequisite courses; authorizing the chief executive officer of the state board of regents to negotiate and settle repayment obligations arising under certain state financial aid programs; prohibiting the payment of additional funds to any student who is subject to repayment obligations under such financial aid programs; amending K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 72-3262, 72-5179, 74-32,274, 74-32,290, 74-32,291, 74-32,292, 74-32,293, 74-32,294, 74-32,295 and 74-32,313 and repealing the existing sections; also repealing K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 74-32,296.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
New Section 1. (a) (1) Postsecondary educational institutions may enter into agreements with school districts for the provision of postsecondary courses that are held at a secondary school of the school district and taught by a teacher employed by the school district. Such agreements shall adhere to the state board of regents service area and concurrent enrollment policies.
(2) On and after July 1, 2026, each such agreement shall require the postsecondary educational institution to:
(A) Directly purchase any instructional materials and supplies required for instruction of the course if such materials and supplies are not available or provided by the school district;
(B) pay the standard amount for teaching services to the school district. Any such amount received by the school district shall be paid to the teacher employed by the school district who is teaching such course as a supplement to such teacher’s regular salary; and
(C) if a school district employee serves as a paid site coordinator for a postsecondary educational institution, such employee shall be considered a contractor of such institution. Payment for any such site coordinator services shall be made directly to the school district employee and shall not exceed the standard amount for non-teaching site coordinator services per semester.
(3) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the postsecondary educational institution may not provide any other financial or other compensation for the provision of such courses to the school district or any employee of the school district for any postsecondary educational service provided in the school district during the normal school day.
(b) As used in this section:
(1) “Course” means any tiered or non-tiered course offered by a postsecondary educational institution that meets the requirements of subsection (a)(1), including, but not limited to, career and technical education courses.
(2) “Postsecondary educational institution” means a community college or technical college as such terms are defined in K.S.A. 74-3201b, and amendments thereto.
(3) (A) “Standard amount” means, for academic year 2026-2027, an amount:
(i) Equal to $600 per credit hour not to exceed 10 credit hours per semester for teaching services. If the number of students enrolled in and attending a course is fewer than eight students, the payment for teaching services may be prorated based on the number of students enrolled; or
(ii) not to exceed $1,500 per semester for non-teaching site coordination services.
(B) For academic year 2027-2028 and each academic year thereafter, the “standard amount” shall be the standard amount for the immediately preceding year plus an amount equal to the average percentage increase in the consumer price index for all urban consumers in the midwest region as published by the bureau of labor statistics of the United States department of labor during the three immediately preceding academic years rounded to the nearest whole dollar.
(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit, preempt or otherwise restrict any negotiated agreement or term or condition of any negotiated agreement between a school district and such school district’s faculty or any negotiated agreement or term or condition of any negotiated agreement between a postsecondary educational institution and such institution’s faculty that was in effect before July 1, 2026. Any negotiated agreement entered into or renegotiated on or after July 1, 2026, shall conform with the requirements of this section.
(d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to include any accredited independent institution as defined in K.S.A. 72-3222, and amendments thereto.
(e) This section shall take effect and be in force on and after July 1, 2026.
New Sec. 2. (a) As used in this section:
(1) “Eligible workforce training program” means any program that meets the requirements of section 83002 of public law 119-21.
(2) “State workforce development board” means the board established pursuant to the federal workforce innovation and opportunity act, 29 U.S.C. § 3111.
(b) Pursuant to section 83002 of public law 119-21, the governor, in consultation with the state workforce development board, shall approve workforce training programs for federal workforce Pell grants if such programs meet the requirements to be eligible workforce training programs as provided in such law.
(c) The state workforce development board shall:
(1) Establish an internal process for postsecondary educational institutions and programs to apply for approval for eligibility for workforce Pell grants and appeal any denial of such eligibility;
(2) coordinate approval of eligible workforce training programs with other state and federal workforce programs to prevent duplicative funding for programs that have the same purpose; and
(3) align and leverage available state and federal moneys to support the implementation and expansion of eligible workforce training programs.
(d) The requirements of this section shall be consistent with applicable federal rules that govern the workforce Pell grant program. If any provision of this section is in conflict or inconsistent with federal law, the federal law shall govern.
(e) This section shall take effect and be in force on and after July 1, 2026.
Sec. 3. On and after July 1, 2026, K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 72-5179 is hereby amended to read as follows: 72-5179. (a) The state board of education shall provide the ACT college entrance exam and the three ACT workkeys assessments that are required to earn a national career readiness certificate to each student enrolled in grades 11 and 12, and the pre-ACT college entrance exam to each student enrolled in grade nine. No student shall be required to pay any fees or costs to take any such exam or assessments. The state board shall not be required to provide more than one exam and three assessments for each student. The state board of education may enter into any contracts that are necessary to promote statewide cost savings to administer such exams and assessments.
(b) The Kansas department of education and each school district shall annually publish on their websites the times, dates and locations of the pre-ACT college entrance exam, the ACT college entrance exam and the ACT workkeys assessments that are offered in Kansas and information for students on how to register for such exams or assessments.
(c) Participation in the pre-ACT college entrance exam, the ACT college entrance exam or the ACT workkeys assessment shall be optional. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require any student to participate in such exams or assessments.
(d) Each postsecondary educational institution shall adopt and implement a policy to use a platinum, gold or silver credential earned through the ACT workkeys assessments, or other similar credential earned through a similar career readiness assessment, as transferable credit toward the attainment of a postsecondary technical degree. Such transferability shall be based on the recommendations of the American council on education national guide.
(e) On or before the first day of each regular legislative session, the state board of education shall prepare and submit a report to the senate standing committee on education and the house standing committee or any successor committees on education that includes the aggregate exam and assessment data for all students who were provided the exams and assessments pursuant to this section.
(e)(f) As used in this section,:
(1) “Postsecondary educational institution” means the same as defined in K.S.A. 74-3201b, and amendments thereto; and
(2) “student” means any person who is regularly enrolled in any public school or accredited nonpublic school located in Kansas.
Sec. 4. K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 72-3262 is hereby amended to read as follows: 72-3262. (a) This section shall be known and may be cited as the every child can read act.
(b) The legislature hereby affirms that third grade marks a pivotal grade level in which students must attain proficiency in reading or risk continued learning losses throughout their academic career. To ensure that all students move toward grade-level proficiency in literacy, especially by the third grade level, the board of education of each school district shall provide opportunities for students to participate in targeted educational interventions to promote proficiency in literacy. Reading literacy shall be attained through the science of reading and evidence-based reading instruction and shall include such competencies as may be necessary to attain reading proficiency. The necessary competencies, best practices and screening tools used by school districts shall follow the framework of the dyslexia handbook developed by the state department of education. To ensure that such competencies are achieved, the board of education of each school district shall include as part of instruction in literacy:
(1) Phonics, phonological and phonemic awareness;
(2) vocabulary development;
(3) silent and oral reading fluency; and
(4) reading comprehension.
(c) To promote the goals of the every child can read act, the board of education of each school district shall:
(1) Measure student achievement by participation in the state assessment program, use of a single statewide universal screening tool recommended in the comprehensive literacy implementation plan submitted to the state board of education that is due on June 1, 2026, and implemented for the 2027-2028 school year and through other universal screening and assessment tools that are approved by a board of education of a school district or by the state department of education;
(2) provide targeted and tiered interventions that are designed to match a student’s individual deficiencies through additional contact hours with such student, including, but not limited to, one-on-one instruction, small group instruction, tutoring and summer school programs for all students and especially for those students who are at and below the third grade level who are identified as having a literacy deficit; and
(3) ensure that the teacher of each third grade student communicates with the parent or guardian of each such student to provide information on the student’s literacy proficiency or deficiencies and any recommended interventions for such student to achieve proficiency. Such communication shall occur at least once during the fall semester and once during the spring semester. When a teacher provides the communications required pursuant to this paragraph, each such communication shall provide the parent or guardian with:
(A) A summary of the every child can read act and the literacy goals of the act;
(B) any assessment data relating to literacy that pertains to the student;
(C) any recommended interventions for the student; and
(D) how the school district tracks the outcomes of any such interventions.
(d) (1) On or before June 30 of each school year, each school district shall report to the state department of education on the school district’s implementation of the every child can read act, the interventions that the school district is using to attain the goals of such act and the resulting outcomes of such interventions. Such report shall include:
(A) The number of third grade students in such school district;
(B) the screening and assessment data from at least the preceding two school years that the school district is using as a baseline to evaluate student progress in literacy; and
(C) the percentage of students that are proficient, moving toward proficiency or deficient, with percentages provided for all students and student subgroups;
(D) the number of students in prekindergarten through grade eight who performed in the high-risk category on the fall screening measure;
(E) the number of students in kindergarten through grade three with an individual student literacy plan beginning in school year 2027-2028; and
(F) the number of students in kindergarten through grade three who exited the high-risk category or such student’s individual student literacy plan by the end of the school year beginning in school year 2027-2028.
(2) The state department of education shall compile such reports and shall submit a summary report to the governor and, the legislature, literacy advisory committee and the state board of education on or before January 15 October 1 of each year.
(e) This section shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2023.
Sec. 5. K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 74-32,290 is hereby amended to read as follows: 74-32,290. (a) K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 74-32,290 through 74-32,296 74-32,295, and amendments thereto, shall be known and may be cited as the Kansas blueprint for literacy.
(b) Each provision of K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 74-32,290 through 74-32,296 74-32,295, and amendments thereto, that requires the expenditure of moneys shall be subject to legislative appropriations therefor.
(c) As used in K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 74-32,290 through 74-32,296, and amendments thereto the Kansas blueprint for literacy:
(1) “Field experience” means structured, supervised learning opportunities where pre-service educators observe, interact with students and apply evidence-aligned reading practices in authentic and diverse classroom settings.
(2) “In-service” means a licensed individual who is employed by a school district or accredited nonpublic school as a teacher.
(3) “Literacy practicum” means field experience that provides explicit, guided, hands-on practice delivering evidence-based instructional practices in one-on-one or small group instruction, administering literacy assessments, designing and implementing diagnostic and prescriptive instructional plans with joint supervision and mentorship by literacy faculty and an experienced mentor teacher.
(4) “Mentor teacher” means a licensed teacher who has earned the Kansas seal of literacy and models evidence-aligned literacy instruction to ensure pre-service educators gain meaningful, high-impact teaching experience that bridges theory and practice.
(2)(5) “Postsecondary educational institution” means:
(A) A state educational institution as defined in K.S.A. 76-711, and amendments thereto;
(B) a municipal university; and
(C) any not-for-profit institution of postsecondary education that has its main campus or principal place of operation in Kansas, is operated independently and not controlled or administered by a state agency or subdivision of this state, maintains open enrollment and is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency for higher education in the United States.
(3)(6) “Ongoing professional learning” means continuous, job-embedded process to improve teaching effectiveness and student achievement, including active collaborative learning that integrates new knowledge and skills into daily practice.
(7) “Pre-service” means an individual who is receiving the education and training to become a licensed teacher but is not yet licensed.
(4)(8) “Science of reading” means the teaching of reading using evidence-based research that an interdisciplinary body of evidence that informs how students learn to read and write proficiently. “Science of reading” informs evidence-based practices and includes phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.
(5)(9) “Structured literacy” means the application of knowledge from the science of reading that teaches reading in an evidence-based and systematic way a comprehensive instructional approach that guides how reading and writing are taught by providing direct, explicit, sequential, data-driven and systematic instruction leading to mastery of reading and writing.
Sec. 6. K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 74-32,291 is hereby amended to read as follows: 74-32,291. (a) There is hereby established a literacy advisory committee. The committee shall be composed of:
(1) 15 voting members as follows:
(A) The director of literacy education, appointed pursuant to K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 74-32,292, and amendments thereto, who shall serve as chairperson of the committee;
(B) one member appointed by the governor;
(C) one member of the house of representatives or a literacy expert appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;
(D) one member of the house of representatives or a literacy expert appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives;
(E) one member of the senate or a literacy expert appointed by the president of the senate;
(F) one member of the senate or a literacy expert appointed by the minority leader of the senate;
(G) one member appointed by and representing the Kansas national education association;
(H) one member appointed by and representing a school of education from Emporia state university, Fort Hays state university or Pittsburg state university;
(I) one member appointed by and representing a school of education from the university of Kansas, Kansas state university or Wichita state university;
(J) one member appointed by and representing Washburn university school of education;
(K) one member appointed by the Kansas association of community colleges to represent community colleges;
(L) one member appointed by the Kansas independent colleges association to represent a not-for-profit institution of postsecondary education school or college of education;
(M) one member appointed by the state board of education;
(N) one member of the state board of regents appointed by the state board of regents; and
(O) one member who is an English for speakers of other languages literacy expert appointed by the united school administrators of Kansas; and
(2) nonvoting members as follows:
(A) The commissioner of education or the commissioner’s designee; and
(B) any number of members appointed by the director of literacy education pursuant to K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 74-32,292, and amendments thereto.
(b) (1) Members appointed to the committee pursuant to subsection (a)(1) shall be appointed on or before July 1, 2024 have expertise in evidence-based literacy practices, educator preparation, science of reading research and evaluation, dyslexia research, literacy intervention, implementation science or literacy policy development.
(2) Except for the director of literacy education, voting members shall serve for a term of four years.
(3) Any vacancy in the membership of the committee shall be filled by appointment in the same manner prescribed by this section for the original appointment.
(4) A quorum of the committee shall be a majority of the voting members. All actions of the committee may be taken by a majority of the voting members present when there is a quorum.
(5) The committee may meet at any time and at any place within the state upon the call of the chairperson.
(6) If any member of the committee fails to attend three meetings of the committee within any 12-month period, such member’s appointment shall terminate and a new member shall be appointed in the same manner prescribed by this section for the original appointment.
(c) The literacy advisory committee shall:
(1) Monitor progress of literacy training for in-service and pre-service teachers and literacy education of elementary and secondary students;
(2) designate best practices for literacy training for in-service and pre-service teachers and literacy education of elementary and secondary students;
(3) be responsible for the attainment of the transformational goal to have 100% of the Kansas special education, English for speakers of other languages and elementary teacher workforce achieve a micro-credential in the science of reading and structured literacy by 2030, leading to at least 50% of students in each of the grades three through eight achieving level 3 or above and at least 90% of students in each of the grades three through eight achieving level 2 or above on the English language arts state assessment by 2033;
(4) make recommendations to the director of literacy education;
(5)(4) make recommendations to the state board of education, the state board of regents and the postsecondary educational institution presidents or chancellors on:
(A) Literacy training for in-service and pre-service teachers and literacy education of elementary and secondary students; and
(B) reading instruction methods based on the science of reading;
(6)(5) make recommendations to the house of representatives standing committee on education and the senate standing committee on education on the implementation of the goals of the Kansas blueprint for literacy and any changes necessary to achieve such goals; and
(7)(6) (A) submit a an annual progress report to the legislature on:
(i) English language arts state assessment scores for each grade level and all defined subgroups, including, but not limited to, English language learners, students receiving free meals pursuant to the national school lunch act, students in the custody of the secretary for children and families and race and ethnicity subgroups;
(ii) literacy training for in-service and pre-service teachers; and
(iii) the literacy advisory committee’s goals and requirements provided in the Kansas blueprint for literacy;
(B) Such progress report shall be provided at the following times each calendar year:
(i) Once on or before February 1 to the senate committee on education and the house of representatives committee on education;
(ii) once on or before May 1 to the senate committee on education and the house of representatives committee on education; and
(iii) once on or before December 1 to any interim, special, or select committee, task force or commission that has membership that includes legislators, is related to education, has been approved by the legislative coordinating council and requests such report; and
(8) submit a plan to the state board of regents education and the legislature, including the house of representatives standing committee on education and the senate standing committee on education, on the establishment of centers of excellence in reading pursuant to K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 74-32,296, and amendments thereto, on or before January 1, 2025 on or before January 31 of each year.
(d) The committee shall be subject to the Kansas open records act, K.S.A. 45-419 et seq., and amendments thereto, and the Kansas open meetings act, K.S.A. 75-4317 et seq., and amendments thereto. The committee shall publish each meeting agenda and any available meeting documents online prior to each scheduled meeting of the committee.
(e) (1) Legislative members of the committee and members appointed by a member of the legislature who attend meetings of the committee shall be paid for expenses, mileage and subsistence as provided in K.S.A. 75-3223(e), and amendments thereto.
(2) Members of the committee who are not members of the legislature may be paid for expenses, mileage and subsistence by the entity each such member was appointed by and represents.
(f) (1) The director of literacy education shall provide executive support to the committee.
(2) The staff of the state board of regents, office of revisor of statutes, the legislative research department and the division of legislative administrative services shall provide such assistance as may be requested by the committee.
Sec. 7. K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 74-32,292 is hereby amended to read as follows: 74-32,292. (a) On or before July 1, 2024, the executive officer of the state board of regents shall appoint a director of literacy education.
(b) The director of literacy education shall be an employee of the state board of regents in the unclassified service who serves at the pleasure of the state board of regents. The compensation of the director shall be determined by the executive officer of the state board of regents.
(c) The director of literacy education shall:
(1) Serve as chairperson of the literacy advisory committee established in K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 74-32,291, and amendments thereto;
(2) implement and administer the Kansas blueprint for literacy;
(3) provide executive support to the literacy advisory committee;
(4) appoint nonvoting members of the literacy advisory committee as the director deems necessary;
(5) work with the state board of education and the state board of regents to ensure:
(A) Progress on the initiatives, objectives and desired outcomes in the Kansas blueprint for literacy;
(B) the development and utilization of the comprehensive assessment system; and
(C) that state educational institutions and elementary and secondary schools are using tier I literacy methodologies structured literacy and evidence-based practices;
(6) encourage independent institutions referred to in K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 74-32,290(c)(2)(C) (c)(5)(C), and amendments thereto, to use such tier I methodologies;
(7) establish a program to track the science of reading and structured literacy training progression of in-service and pre-service early childhood and elementary teachers, special education teachers and paraprofessionals, reading specialists and early childhood and elementary administrators for all school districts in the state; and
(8) on or before January 15 of each year, prepare and present a report to the senate standing committee on education and the house of representatives standing committee on education, or any successor committees, on the implementation and administration of the Kansas blueprint for literacy, including, but not limited to, an implementation timeline, progress of initiatives, development and utilization of the comprehensive assessment system, progress toward the goal established in K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 74-32,291(c) 74-32,294(c)(4), and amendments thereto, use of tier I methodologies, outcomes and any proposed changes; and
(9) report to the house of representatives standing committee on education and the senate standing committee on education on or before January 31, 2025, on the progress of the state board of regents on utilization of the science of reading, elimination of discredited methodologies, use of universal screening measures and assessments in elementary and secondary schools in the state.
Sec. 8. K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 74-32,293 is hereby amended to read as follows: 74-32,293. (a) Postsecondary educational institutions shall designate practices based on the science of reading through structured literacy as the official tier I literacy methodology and shall prohibit the use or teaching of any discredited methodologies, such as the three-cueing system.
(b) (1) The state board of regents, in collaboration with postsecondary educational institutions and research experts, shall establish a comprehensive reading and literacy assessment system with universal screening measures, diagnostic, formative and summative assessments to be used in teacher preparation programs in the state. Such assessment system shall allow teachers to adjust instruction to meet the specific needs of students, including with regard to reading difficulties and the remediation of reading and literacy skill gaps. The state board of regents shall make recommendations to the state board of education on such assessment system and ensure that such assessment system is available on or before May 1, 2025. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to include the English language arts statewide assessment.
(2) The state board of regents shall:
(A) Develop training modules for the assessments on or before July 1, 2025;
(B) support state board of education action to officially designate the science of reading as the official tier I literacy methodology;
(C) support elementary and secondary schools as necessary to eliminate any discredited methodologies;
(D) recommend literacy-specific universal screening measures and diagnostic, formative and summative assessments to the state board of education; and
(E) approve reading instruction methodologies recommended by the literacy advisory committee for state educational institutions.
(3) On and after July 1, 2025,Beginning in school year 2029-2030, each school district shall employ, either through direct employment, shared cooperative agreement or by contract, a licensed reading specialist for each elementary school of the school district.
(b) (1) Beginning in school year 2027-2028, each school district shall develop individual student literacy plans for all students in kindergarten through grade three who perform at a high-risk level on fall literacy screening measures. Such plans shall be developed in partnership with the student’s parent or person acting as parent. Each such plan shall include:
(A) A minimum of 90 minutes of targeted and tiered interventions designed to address the student’s individual deficiencies per week in one-on-one instruction, small group instruction, tutoring or a summer school program; and
(B) a diagnostic assessment, progress monitoring and interventions until the student achieves grade level performance.
(2) The teacher of any student requiring an individual student literacy plan shall communicate with such student’s parent or person acting as parent and provide the information required by the every child can read act, K.S.A. 72-3262, and amendments thereto, to such parent or person acting as parent.
(c) No school district shall use any textbooks or instructional materials that utilize:
(A)(1) The three-cueing system model of reading as the primary basis for teaching word recognition;
(B)(2) visual memory as the primary basis for teaching word recognition; or
(C)(3) the three-cueing system model of reading based on meaning, structure and syntax and visual cues, commonly known as MVS.
(c) The director of literacy education shall report to the house of representatives standing committee on education and the senate standing committee on education on or before January 31, 2025, on the progress of the state board of regents on utilization of the science of reading, elimination of discredited methodologies, use of universal screening measures and assessments in elementary and secondary schools in the state.
(d) No retired or substitute teacher shall be required to complete approved training in the science of reading and structured literacy or other training to achieve a seal of literacy.
Sec. 9. K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 74-32,294 is hereby amended to read as follows: 74-32,294 (a) The state board of education shall:
(1) Designate best practices based on the science of reading through structured literacy as the literacy methodology and prohibit the use or teaching of any discredited methodologies, including the three-cueing system;
(2) require applicants for licensure as a prekindergarten through grade eight general education teacher or special education teacher to complete a minimum of 45 clock hours in a literacy practicum that is designed to increase skills and expertise in screening, diagnostic and formative assessments, developing instructional plans and applying evidence-based practices in an elementary and secondary school setting;
(3) require reading specialists to complete a minimum of 45 clock hours in a literacy practicum that utilizes assessment tools and data interpretation and applies evidence-based practices in small or whole group instruction under the supervision of a literacy expert with a minimum certification that demonstrates expertise in structured literacy;
(4) ensure that school districts develop individual student literacy plans as required in K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 74-32,293, and amendments thereto. School districts shall use a literacy plan template developed by the state department of education;
(5) ensure that educator preparation programs provide evidence that teacher candidates can demonstrate competency to:
(A) Literacy assessment tools and data interpretation;
(B) utilization of literacy screening;
(C) diagnostic, progress monitoring and formative assessment tools recommended by the state department of education;
(D) skills to administer and interpret a variety of assessments to effectively instruct students in small groups and individually in authentic school settings; and
(E) develop plans to guide instruction based on the needs of diverse learners; and
(6) submit an annual report to the literacy advisory committee on or before November 1 of each year. Such report shall be published on the state department of education website and include:
(A) Literacy screening measures and English language arts state assessment scores for each grade level and all defined subgroups, including, but not limited to, English language learners, students receiving free meals pursuant to the national school lunch act, students in the custody of the secretary for children and families and race and ethnicity subgroups; and
(B) literacy training for in-service and pre-service teachers.
(b) The state board of regents shall:
(1) Support state board of education action to officially designate best practices based on the science of reading through structured literacy as the official literacy methodology;
(2) support elementary and secondary schools as necessary to eliminate any discredited methodologies;
(3) recommend literacy-specific universal screening measures and diagnostic, formative and summative assessments to the state board of education; and
(4) approve reading instruction methodologies recommended by the literacy advisory committee for state educational institutions.
(c) The state board of regents and the state board of education shall collaborate have joint oversight of and responsibility to:
(a)(1) Jointly Approve micro-credential credential requirements for in-service teachers or certification requirements for pre-service teachers at state educational institutions in the science of reading and structured literacy;
(b)(2) develop or make accessible professional development programs and micro-credential credential courses for all in-service early childhood teachers, general education teachers and special education Kansas licensed and practicing teachers at low or no cost to such teachers. Such programs and courses shall be delivered by national online learning programs or accredited Kansas postsecondary educational institutions;
(c)(3) ensure that all pre-service teacher preparation programs at state educational institutions are based on the science of reading and structured literacy in accordance with the state board of education accreditation of undergraduate elementary licensure programs, reading specialists, special education, school psychologists, curriculum and instruction specialists and education leadership graduate programs. State educational institutions shall provide evidence that such programs are exclusively utilizing science of reading and evidence-based practices;
(d)(4) be responsible for the attainment of the transformational goal to have 100% of the Kansas special education, English for speakers of other languages and elementary teacher workforce achieve a credential in the science of reading and structured literacy by 2030, leading to at least 90% of students in each of the grades three through eight achieving a level 3 or above on the English language arts assessment by 2033. Scores and other data on such assessment shall be disaggregated for each grade level and all defined subgroups, including, but not limited to, English language learners, students receiving free meals under the national school lunch act, students in the custody of the secretary for children and families and race and ethnicity subgroups;
(5) publish standards and course progressions to achieve transparency of Kansas reading education programs; and
(e)(6) provide data for the program to the director of literacy education that tracks the science of reading and structured literacy training progression, course materials and rigor of application of in-service and pre-service early childhood and elementary teachers, special education teachers and paraprofessionals, reading specialists and early childhood and elementary administrators for all school districts in the state all Kansas licensed and practicing teachers and administrators;
(7) make recommendations to the state board of education on vetted high quality instructional materials that include tier 1 curriculum resources and intervention curriculum. A list of such instructional materials and resources shall be available to school district boards of education;
(8) at least once every three years, review undergraduate literacy courses, materials and resources and make recommendations for improvements to such courses, materials and resources;
(9) implement ongoing professional learning in evidence-based practices in literacy, at low or no cost for reading specialists, special education teachers, paraeducators, school psychologists and school and school district leaders;
(10) accept certifications from the international multisensory structured language council, international dyslexia association and academic language therapy association-accredited programs;
(11) seek reciprocity for advanced degrees in literacy from international dyslexia accreditation programs within accredited institutions recognized by one of the six regional United States department of education accrediting organizations until such a program is established in Kansas; and
(12) (A) in partnership with the legislature, develop a comprehensive literacy implementation plan for prekindergarten through grade 12 and postsecondary education. In developing such plan, input from educators, families, research and evidence-based practices shall be considered. Such plan shall:
(i) Address all policy requirements of the Kansas blueprint for literacy, including timelines and resources; and
(ii) include educator preparation, high-impact ongoing professional learning and high quality instructional materials, assessment intervention, multi-tiered systems of support and family resources and support.
(B) The annual report on the comprehensive literacy implementation plan shall be presented to the state board of education, the state board of regents and the senate education committee and the education and higher education budget committees of the house of representatives. The initial report on such plan shall be submitted to such legislative committees on or before May 1, 2026. A full comprehensive literacy plan shall be submitted to such boards and committees on or before January 15, 2027.
Sec. 10. K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 74-32,295 is hereby amended to read as follows: 74-32,295. The president or chancellor, provost and, dean of the college or school of education of each postsecondary educational institution and the state board of regents shall jointly have oversight and supervision of undergraduate and graduate level reading and literacy courses at their respective institution and shall:
(a) EnsureIntegrate explicit courses and ensure candidate competency in the science of learning, science of reading and structured literacy, including the five pillars of reading, for all undergraduate early childhood and elementary teacher preparation programs at state educational institutions;
(b) appoint one representative from each postsecondary educational institution to conduct an annual a systemwide analysis of the curriculum maps across all literacy courses at least once every three years as part of the accreditation process. Such analysis shall include identifying clear evidence of instructional approaches and the core components of reading development. Such evidence shall include, but not be limited to:
(1) Curriculum maps demonstrating:
(A) Literacy coursework addresses phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and reading comprehension; and
(B) where screening, diagnostic assessment, progress monitoring and intervention are addressed;
(2) documentation showing that language structures related to reading development, including phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics are addressed;
(3) data demonstrating pre-service teacher competency regarding evidence-based literacy instruction through course assessments and clinical evaluations;
(4) pre-service teacher performance on literacy-related licensure assessments or competency measures;
(5) observation or evaluation data demonstrating a pre-service teacher’s ability to deliver explicit and systematic reading instruction;
(6) documentation of ongoing faculty professional learning related to current research on reading development and literacy instruction; and
(7) documentation of program revisions or instructional changes made in response to pre-service teacher performance data, licensure outcomes or workforce feedback;
(c) provide evidence that at least 80% of pre-service teachers pass the licensure exam in literacy instruction approved by the state board of education and practicum supervisors demonstrate expertise in structured literacy, evidence-based practices and supervision;
(d) present a report on such systemwide analysis and any results from such analysis to the literacy advisory committee, state board of education and state board of regents; and
(d)(e) design and implement two three-credit hour applied application courses that shall be included within the approved graduation requirements to earn a degree in elementary education on or before August 2024;
(e) implement a common performance-based assessment for such courses to be used by all postsecondary educational institutions on or before August 2024;
(f) assist in the development of a science of reading and structured literacy micro-credential for early childhood teachers, elementary education teachers, English for speakers of other languages teachers, reading specialists, special education teachers and paraprofessionals, early childhood and elementary administrators that focuses on research-based fundamentals of reading instruction; and
(g) provide information, advice and recommendations to the literacy advisory committee.
Sec. 11. On and after July 1, 2026, K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 74-32,274 is hereby amended to read as follows: 74-32,274. (a) Subject to appropriations, the amount of a Kansas promise scholarship for a student for each academic year shall be determined as follows:
(1) For a student enrolled in a promise eligible program offered by an eligible public postsecondary educational institution described in K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 74-32,271(b)(1)(A) or (B), and amendments thereto, the scholarship amount shall be the aggregate amount of tuition, required fees and the cost of books and required materials for the promise eligible program at the eligible postsecondary educational institution for the academic year in which the student is enrolled and receiving the scholarship minus the aggregate amount of all other aid awarded to such student for such academic year.
(2) For a student enrolled in a promise eligible program offered by an eligible private postsecondary educational institution described in K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 74-32,271(b)(1)(C), and amendments thereto, the scholarship amount shall be the aggregate amount of tuition, required fees and the cost of books and materials for such program for the academic year in which the student is enrolled and receiving the scholarship minus the aggregate amount of all other aid awarded to such student for such academic year, except that a scholarship awarded pursuant to this paragraph shall not exceed the average cost of tuition, required fees and the cost of books and required materials for such promise eligible program when offered by an eligible public postsecondary educational institution described in K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 74-32,271(b)(1)(A) or (B), and amendments thereto.
(b) Kansas promise scholarships shall only be awarded to an eligible student whose family household income equals $100,000 or less for a family of one or two, $150,000 or less for a family of three and, for household sizes above three, a household income that is equal to or less than the family of three amount plus $4,800 for each additional family member.
(c) (1) Kansas promise scholarship awards shall be used only to pay for up to a total of 68 promise scholarship funded credit hours or a total of $20,000 in Kansas promise scholarship awards, whichever occurs first, over the lifetime of the student who received the Kansas promise scholarship award regardless of the eligible postsecondary educational institution such student attended.
(2) Kansas promise scholarship awards shall not be used to fund:
(A) Prerequisite classes required for a promise eligible program unless such classes are a designated course within the eligible program; or
(B) any remedial course, as defined in K.S.A. 76-7,151, and amendments thereto, unless such including any course is remedial hours offered in as part of a corequisite format course.
(d) For each fiscal year, the appropriation made for the Kansas promise scholarship program shall not exceed $10,000,000.
(e) The state board of regents shall disburse funds based on reimbursement requests from eligible postsecondary educational institutions. Reimbursement requests shall be based on the actual amount of Kansas promise scholarship amounts awarded by an eligible postsecondary educational institution for the appropriate academic period. Any eligible postsecondary educational institution seeking reimbursement shall submit a reimbursement request to the state board of regents on or before September 1, December 1, March 1 and June 1 of each year. The state board of regents shall disburse the appropriate amount of funds to eligible postsecondary educational institutions on September 15, December 15, March 15 and June 15 each year.
(f) As used in this section, “aid” includes any grant, scholarship or financial assistance awards that do not require repayment. “Aid” does not include any military financial educational benefits or any family postsecondary savings account or other qualified tuition program established pursuant to section 529 of the internal revenue code of 1986, as amended.
Sec. 12. On and after July 1, 2026, K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 74-32,313 is hereby amended to read as follows: 74-32,313. (a) The state board of regents may recover the reasonable costs of collection, including, but not limited to, court costs, attorney fees and collection agency fees, from any individual who is subject to a repayment obligation arising under any scholarship, grant or other student financial aid program established in article 32 of chapter 74 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, and amendments thereto, or under any agreement entered into pursuant thereto.
(b) The chief executive officer of the state board of regents may negotiate and settle any repayment obligation arising under any scholarship, grant or other student financial aid program established in article 32 of chapter 74 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, and amendments thereto, or under any agreement entered into pursuant thereto.
(c) Any individual who is subject to a repayment obligation arising under any scholarship, grant or other student financial aid program established in article 32 of chapter 74 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, and amendments thereto, or under any agreement entered into pursuant thereto, shall be ineligible to receive any additional funds under any scholarship, grant or other student financial aid program established in article 32 of chapter 74 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, and amendments thereto.
Sec. 13. K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 72-3262, 74-32,290, 74-32,291, 74-32,292, 74-32,293, 74-32,294, 74-32,295 and 74-32,296 are hereby repealed.
Sec. 14. On and after July 1, 2026, K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 72-5179, 74-32,274 and 74-32,313 are hereby repealed.
Sec. 15. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its publication in the Kansas register.
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