Kansas School Climate Policy

 

 

There are 309 school districts with 1,351 K-12 schools in Kansas. There were 476,435 students enrolled in K-12 schools during the 2020-2021 school year. About 45% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches. Kansas has no policies that directly include school climate, but their other policies that address the aspects of school climate include bullying prevention, emergency planning, Jason Flatt Act (suicide prevention and awareness), counseling services, skill development training courses for teachers, and character development programs. Kansas’s social media policies include the Kansas children’s internet protection act where institutions that have public access to computers must have measures to prevent children from being exposed to pornographic or explicit content. Kansas also has a Disability history and awareness curriculum policy for all grade levels.

Safety

There is currently no policy surrounding School Climate in Kansas. For more information on school climate, please visit us at Services – National School Climate Center

Kansas Statutes 72-6147. Bullying school district policies.

  • The board of education of each school district shall adopt and implement a plan to address bullying either by any student, staff member, or parent towards a student or by a student, staff member, or parent towards a staff member. Such a plan shall include provisions for the training and education of staff members and students.
  • Defines bullying and cyberbullying, and describes behaviors or actions that count as bullying and cyberbullying.
  • Scope of policy covers school property, school vehicle, or school-sponsored activity or event.

http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/statute/072_000_0000_chapter/072_061_0000_article/072_061_0047_section/072_061_0047_k/

 Kansas Statutes Annotated §72-3237. Disability history and awareness; objectives, guidelines, and goals.

Increasing attention to the prevention of bullying or harassment of students with disabilities.

http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/statute////072_000_0000_chapter/072_032_0000_article/072_032_0037_section/072_032_0037_k/


Who does this protect? Students

Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? No

Kansas Statutes 31-133. Fire marshal; power and duties; rules and regulations.

http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/statute/072_000_0000_chapter/072_061_0000_article/072_061_0052_section/072_061_0052_k/

Kansas Administrative Regulations 16-16-3. Training requirement.

  • Each law enforcement officer is primarily assigned to a school and each superintendent or superintendent’s designee shall be required to complete a skill development training course.

https://sos.ks.gov/publications/pubs_kar_Regs.aspx?KAR=16-16-3

Kansas Statutes Annotated § 75-7c10. Same; restrictions on carrying a concealed handgun; exceptions; liabilities; employees permitted to carry; penalties for violations; sign requirements.

  • The governing body or the chief administrative officer, if no governing body exists, of a unified school district may permit any employee, who is legally qualified, to carry a concealed handgun in any building of such institution, if the employee meets such institution’s policy requirements.
  • Concealed carry permit holders are not explicitly authorized in state statute or regulation to possess weapons in schools.

http://ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch75/075_007c_0010.html


Who does this protect? Students, Staff

Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? No

Kansas Statutes 72-3231. Character development programs.

The State Board shall assist in the development of a grade-appropriate curriculum for character development programs that may be offered to students in the school district.

https://law.justia.com/codes/kansas/2021/chapter-72/article-32/section-72-3231/

Kansas Statutes 72-6284. Jason Flatt Act.

The board of education of each school district shall provide suicide awareness and prevention programming to all school staff and shall notify the parents or legal guardians of students enrolled in such school district that the training materials provided under such programming are available to such parents or legal guardians.

https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch72/072_062_0084.html

Kansas Administrative Regulations 91-31-32. Performance and quality criteria.

Counseling services and suicide prevention and awareness training are required at each school.

https://sos.ks.gov/publications/pubs_kar_Regs.aspx?KAR=91-31-32


Who does this protect? Students and Staff

Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? Yes

Teaching/Learning

Kansas Statutes 72-4241. Alternative schools; authorization to establish; waiver from certain requirements how acquired; terms and conditions.

The board of education of any school district may establish an alternative school or schools at any of the levels of grade seven or above to provide an educational alternative for students determined by such board of education to be unable to benefit from other schools of the school district.

https://law.justia.com/codes/kansas/2021/chapter-72/article-42/section-72-4241/

Kansas Statutes 72-3403. Citation of act.

This act shall be known and may be cited as the special education for exceptional children act. More about special education policy in Kansas can be found under chapter 72 Article 34.

https://law.justia.com/codes/kansas/2021/chapter-72/article-34/section-72-3403/


Who does this protect? Students, Students with disabilities

Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? Yes

Kansas Statutes 72-3232. Community service programs; duties of the state board.

States that the state board of education will offer a community service program to all accredited high schools in Kansas and also defines the term community service.

https://law.justia.com/codes/kansas/2021/chapter-72/article-32/section-72-3232/


Who does this protect? Students

Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? No

Interpersonal Relationships

 

There is currently no policy surrounding Respect and Diversity in Kansas. For more information on school climate, please visit us at Services – National School Climate Center

Kansas Statutes 72-6147. Bullying school district policies.

The plan to address bullying shall include provisions for the training and education of staff members and students.

http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/statute/072_000_0000_chapter/072_061_0000_article/072_061_0047_section/072_061_0047_k/

Kansas Administrative Regulations 16-16-2. Curriculum.

Skill development training course shall include the following curriculum:

  • Information on adolescent development
  • Risk and needs assessments
  • Mental health
  • Diversity
  • Youth crisis intervention
  • Substance abuse prevention
  • Trauma-informed responses
  • Other evidence-based practices in school policing to mitigate student juvenile justice exposure

https://sos.ks.gov/publications/pubs_kar_Regs.aspx?KAR=16-16-2

Kansas Statutes 72-6284. Jason Flatt Act.

Provides suicide awareness and prevention programming to all school staff.

https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch72/072_062_0084.html

Kansas Statutes 75-772. Kansas youth suicide prevention coordinator.

The attorney general shall appoint a Kansas youth suicide prevention coordinator who shall identify, create, coordinate and support youth suicide awareness and prevention efforts throughout the state.

http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/statute/075_000_0000_chapter/075_007_0000_article/075_007_0072_section/075_007_0072_k/


Who does this protect? Staff, Students

Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? Yes

Kansas Statutes 72-4241. Alternative schools; authorization to establish; waiver from certain requirements how acquired; terms and conditions.

The board of education of any school district may establish an alternative school or schools at any of the levels of grade seven or above to provide an educational alternative for students determined by such board of education to be unable to benefit from other schools of the school district.

https://law.justia.com/codes/kansas/2021/chapter-72/article-42/section-72-4241/

Kansas Statutes 72-3231. Character development programs.

The State Board shall assist in the development of a grade-appropriate curriculum for character development programs that may be offered to students in the school district.

https://law.justia.com/codes/kansas/2021/chapter-72/article-32/section-72-3231/

Kansas Statutes 72-6284. Jason Flatt Act.

The board of education of each school district shall provide suicide awareness and prevention programming to all school staff and shall notify the parents or legal guardians of students enrolled in such school district that the training materials provided under such programming are available to such parents or legal guardians.

https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch72/072_062_0084.html

 Kansas Administrative Regulations 91-31-32. Performance and quality criteria.

Counseling services and suicide prevention and awareness training are required at each school.

https://sos.ks.gov/publications/pubs_kar_Regs.aspx?KAR=91-31-32


Who does this protect? Students

Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? Yes

Institutional Environment

 

There is currently no policy surrounding Social Connectedness in Kansas. For more information on school climate, please visit us at Services – National School Climate Center

Who does this protect? N/A

Kansas Statutes 31-133. Fire marshal; power and duties; rules and regulations.

  • Conduct at least four fire drills each school year at some time during school hours
  • Establish tornado procedures and conduct at least two tornado drills each school year
  • Conduct at least three crisis drills each school year at some time during school hours

http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/statute/031_000_0000_chapter/031_001_0000_article/031_001_0033_section/031_001_0033_k/

Kansas Statutes Annotated § 72-6152 Definitions.

Provides definitions of school resource officer and school security officer.

http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/statute/072_000_0000_chapter/072_061_0000_article/072_061_0052_section/072_061_0052_k/

Kansas Administrative Regulations 16-16-3. Training requirement.

Each law enforcement officer is primarily assigned to a school and each superintendent or superintendent’s designee shall be required to complete a skill development training course.

https://sos.ks.gov/publications/pubs_kar_Regs.aspx?KAR=16-16-3

Kansas Statutes Annotated § 75-7c10. Same; restrictions on carrying a concealed handgun; exceptions; liabilities; employees permitted to carry; penalties for violations; sign requirements

  • the governing body or the chief administrative officer, if no governing body exists, of a unified school district may permit any employee, who is legally qualified, to carry a concealed handgun in any building of
    • Such institution, if the employee meets such institution’s policy requirements.
    • Concealed carry permit holders are not explicitly authorized in state statute or regulation to possess weapons in schools.

    http://ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch75/075_007c_0010.html


Who does this protect? Students, Staff

Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? No

Kansas Statutes Annotated §72-3237. Disability history and awareness; objectives, guidelines, and goals.

The state board of education shall develop objectives and guidelines for disability history and awareness, for all grade levels, within the existing curriculum for history, social studies, or other appropriate subject-matter curricula.

http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/statute////072_000_0000_chapter/072_032_0000_article/072_032_0037_section/072_032_0037_k/


Who does this protect? Students and Staff

Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? No

Social Media

Kansas Statutes 75-2589. Kansas children’s internet protection act; public libraries; school districts; state librarians; rules and regulations; liability.

Any school district that provides public access to a computer shall implement and enforce technology protection measures to ensure that no minor has access to visual depictions that are child pornography, harmful to minors, or obscene.

http://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch75/075_025_0089.html


Who does this protect? Students and Staff

Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? No

There is currently no policy surrounding Leadership in Kansas. For more information on school climate, please visit us at Services – National School

There is currently no policy surrounding Professional Relations in Kansas. For more information on school climate, please visit us at Services – National School

Sources include: nasbe.org and childtrends.org