Understanding the Kansas State Systemic Improvement Plan: Key Insights for Educators and Families

The Kansas State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP) is a comprehensive strategy aimed at enhancing educational outcomes for students with disabilities. By utilizing principles of implementation science, the SSIP focuses on improving results for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities, while building local capacity by training educators and families on evidence-based practices.

Key Components of the SSIP

• Utilizes the principles of implementation science
• Focuses on improving results for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities
• Builds local capacity by training educators and families on evidence-based practices
• Aligns with the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) commitment to student success
• Incorporates input from multiple stakeholder groups to develop a comprehensive SSIP

Evidence-Based Practices

The SSIP employs a range of evidence-based practices to address educational needs, including:

• Use of evidenced-based core curriculum and interventions
• Universal screening
• Progress monitoring
• Data-based decision making
• Family engagement

These practices are monitored using data-based decision making and results-driven accountability. Gains in student achievement are achieved when students are provided with quality instruction informed by data.

Coherent Improvement Strategies

The SSIP implements Coherent Improvement Strategies over a five-year period in three phases:

1. Aligns the State Education Agency (SEA) policies, organization, and infrastructure
2. Designs, implements, and evaluates integrated school improvement planning framework
3. Evaluates the degree to which state infrastructure supports district implementation of evidence-based practices

State Identified Measurable Result (SIMR)

The Kansas SIMR aims to increase the percentage of students with disabilities in grades K-5 in targeted buildings who achieve a rate of improvement in reading at or higher than the expected growth for their grade-level peers to 56.00% by FFY 2025. Here are the target percentages for the upcoming years:

*Baseline Established

The Kansas SIMR focus and measurement remained the same, but the calculation has been adjusted based on stakeholder input. To close the achievement gap, students with disabilities need to progress at the same or higher rates of learning as compared to their grade-level peers. The rate of improvement calculation is a metric that drives decision-making for schools and is the new calculation for the Kansas SIMR.

Partnerships

The SSIP is supported by the following KSDE Technical Assistance System Network (TASN) partners:

• Kansas Multi-Tier Systems of Support (MTSS) and Alignment
• Kansas Technical Assistance Network Coordination Team
• Kansas Technical Assistance Network Evaluation Team
• Kansas Families Together, Inc.
• Kansas Parent Information Resource Center

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