These are the elements of effective education that KSDE is prioritizing in our work and in the school improvement model. Throughout this year we will focus on how these fundamentals align with what happens in our science classrooms across the state.
A Balanced Assessment system refers to a collection of varying types of assessments that provide feedback regarding instruction and student learning. It utilizes assessment as a measure for learning and of learning.
We assess students for risk and standards in pre-K-12 and use data to adjust instruction. We have a deep understanding of the purpose of each assessment and how to use the data to raise achievement.
Summative Assessment
As we return from spring break we are returning to the opening of the summative assessment window. This month I'd like to share a few "quick hitters" related to the assessment.
The spring 2025 assessment has been revised and enhanced. This means that new questions were developed to more tightly align with our science standards and to be grounded in science phenomena. There has also been an effort to include more technology-enhanced questions to allow for assessment beyond multiple-choice.
Purpose of the assessment: This assessment is used as a measure of learning to make system level-decisions.
What data does the assessment report: Broad categories based on standards groupings to make system level decisions. The new assessment will report information related to two dimensions of our standards - the science and engineering practices and the disciplinary core ideas.
Assessment window: Students testing in School Buildings: 3/24/25 to 4/25/25 Virtual: 4/28/25 to 5/9/25
Who tests: 5th grade, 8th grade, 11th grade
Structure: The assessment has 40-50 questions in two sessions and most students will complete a session in approximately 45 minutes (but there is not a time limit).
Text to Speech: Text to speech is a universal accommodation for the science assessment -- meaning all students have access to text to speech for the science assessment. There should be a green play arrow within Kite for students
"Practice" Tests: Practice Tests are available to help students gain confidence navigating assessments. These are not secure items -- you can project them and talk about them with students. These are helpful to ensure students know where to find tools and how to navigate the testing program. While students are likely familiar with Kite from other assessments -- tools like the periodic table and text to speech might be new to them on the science test. If you have access to educator portal, the mini-tests are also a good option for this practice. The practice tests are a great resource if you are a teacher who does not have access to Kite Educator Portal.
Open Kite Student Portal or access Kite online: https://student.kiteaai.org
On the login page, enter a username and password from the tables below.
Select Sign In.
Select Practice First on the home screen.
Subject (STPs)
Find the practice test you want and select Take Test.
5th Username: elem.practice Password: gate5
8th Username: middle.practice Password: jazz4
11th Username: high.practice Password: sent2
More information on practice tests: https://ksassessments.org/sites/default/files/documents/Kite/Kite_Practice_Test_Guide.pdf
When will scores be released? Standard setting (defining 1, 2, 3, 4) will happen in June and results will go to the State Board of Education. It is anticipated that scores will be released in Fall 2025.
Additional Resources:
Test Administrator Manual: https://ksassessments.org/sites/default/files/documents/KAP_Summative_Test_Administrator_Manual.pdf
Test Security Fact Sheet: https://ksassessments.org/sites/default/files/documents/training/Fact_Sheet_Appropriate_Testing_Practices.pdf
Test Security Guidelines: https://ksassessments.org/sites/default/files/documents/training/Test_Security_Guidelines.pdf
Kansas Assessment Website: https://ksassessments.org/
Opportunities with Kansas Assessment Program
Performance Level Descriptors
Volunteers Needed: We're seeking your expertise in a review of the proposed Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs) for science in a virtual, asynchronous review. These PLDs help connect the standards assessed by the summative assessments to measurable, evidence-based skills across a continuum of performance. They break down the standards to define proficiency more clearly, as well as the skills that develop before and beyond it.
Participating in this review will have a direct impact on this resource for Kansas science educators. You'll be serving colleagues statewide and sharing your firsthand knowledge of student learning progressions. Sharing your expertise and understanding of academic standards is a direct way to influence the quality of instruction teachers provide. Let's ensure these PLDs accurately reflect how student skills grow across a continuum of learning for each standard.
Anticipated dates and commitment for reviews:
Grade 5: March 3—March 21, 2025 (anticipated time commitment: 3-4 hours)
Grade 8: March 31—April 21, 2025 (anticipated time commitment: 12-16 hours)
Grade 11: April 14—May 5, 2025 (anticipated time commitment: 15-20 hours)
Complete this INTEREST SURVEY today!
Future Opportunity: Standard Setting for the new state science assessment will happen June 11-13, watch the listserv for more information about participating in this!
KAP Standard Setting (PAID OPPORTUNITY)
Join educators from across Kansas in setting cut points for the KAP 2025 Assessments. During the KAP Standard Setting, educators will analyze the test items for each KAP assessment, along with performance-level descriptors, and set cut points that reflect student proficiency levels.
The KAP Standard Setting will be held in person from June 9 through 13 in Topeka. Panelists will be selected to serve on a two-day or three-day panel. This event will be a tremendous professional development opportunity that provides educators with a voice in how the KAP assessments are reported for students. There will be delicious meals, snacks, and ample opportunity to network with educators from across the state.
Additional details
• Selected individuals will receive an invitation email after completing the Interest Survey. The invitations will include the panel educators are assigned to, as well as panel-specific dates, times, and compensation details. Invitations will also include a link to confirm registration.
• This is a paid opportunity! Selected individuals will be paid $200 per day for their contributions to the event. Lodging will be provided for those who qualify, and travel costs will be reimbursed.
If you are interested in participating in the KAP Standard Setting, select the following link to complete the interest survey by March 31, 2025.
Standards-Alignment has clearly defined student learning expectations aligned to Kansas State Standards and supported with evidence-based instruction and materials .
Standards Alignment Toolkit
Coming soon -- unpacked standards tools
Recommended Bundles for scope and sequence:
KSDE Fact Sheet for Prioritization of Standards
Quality Instruction refers to implementation of evidence-based lesson design that reflects high expectations, meaningful student engagement, and learning activities aligned to the Kansas State Standards. A data-driven system of differentiated supports is necessary to help each student meet rigorous state standards.
KSDE Vision for Quality Science Instruction
KSDE Science Instructional Materials Selection Guidance
KSDE Instructional Materials Implementation Guidance
2023 Science Instructional Materials Evaluation Tool
A Balanced Assessment System refers to a collection of varying types of assessments that provide feedback regarding instruction and student learning. It utilizes assessment as a measure for learning and of learning.
Screener/Diagnostics
There is not a science-specific screener. We recommend using math and reading screeners to identify students who may need additional support in science.
KAP
The Kansas Assessment Program (KAP) develops and supports the state summative assessment, the interim assessments in the fall and winter, and the mini-test item bank.
State Summative
Interims (Fall and Winter)
Mini-test item bank - Access on Kite Educator Portal
Classroom Based Assessments
Pre-assessment
Formative
informal
formal
Unit and/or Course summative
Structured Literacy refers to the explicit, systematic, diagnostic, and cumulative approach to teaching literacy that acknowledges the value of both word recognition and oral and written language comprehension as evidenced in all grades and disciplines.
Professional Learning Opportunity!
In this "book study without a book," we will spend six weeks collaboratively exploring Universal Design for Learning (UDL) resources and strategies that reduce barriers to science instruction.
Through discussion and reflection, we’ll uncover ways to create inclusive learning environments where all students can access, engage with, and succeed in high-quality science learning experiences.
Register here: LINK
Participation in this professional learning is FREE! PD completion certificates available and college credit is available at an additional cost!
Standards Alignment Professional Development
This spring & summer we are offering FREE science standards alignment PD all across the state!
This PD is FREE to attend and you will have the opportunity to earn 0.5 college credit hours at no cost!
The PD at each location will be similar content, but may be structured differently -- some locations will be grade specific, others will be k-12; some locations will be 1 day workshops, some are 2 day workshops. Find the location and model that works best for you!
Science Standards Alignment Professional Learning .docxThese state finalists will be reviewed at the national level to be recognized as national finalists.
PAEMST is the highest honor bestowed by the United States government specifically for K-12 mathematics and science (including computer science) teaching. Since 1983, more than 4,700 teachers have been recognized for their contributions to mathematics and science education. Awardees serve as models to their colleagues, inspiration to their communities, and leaders in the improvement of mathematics and science education. The 2025 PAEMST cycle recognizes secondary teachers.
Olathe South High School
Olathe, Kansas
Indian Woods Middle School
Shawnee Mission, Kansas
Emporia High School
Emporia, Kansas
Some ways we can collaborate...
Assessment Data Talks
Quality Instructional materials conversations
Co-planning for professional development
Facilitating professional development
Supporting implementation of storyline routines
Making sense of the science standards
Analyzing for standards alignment
Science PLC support
Let’s connect and collaborate!
KSDE Science Collaboration
Click through on the map to see where and how KSDE science is collaborating with schools and school systems across the state!
Virtual Collaboration and Support Options
2024 KSDE Science Safety Guidance
2024 KSDE Science Constructive Coaching Tool (observations/walkthrough tool)
Discovering, Exploring, and Sharing Climate Resources Webinar Series
This series of interactive webinars in March and April is designed to increase knowledge of climate literacy and support the open sharing of resources and the adaptations that educators make for their local students. Hosted by Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN) and Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management in Education (ISKME), this interactive series will connect K–12 educators with top climate experts, hands-on teaching resources, and a supportive community dedicated to climate literacy. Each session will delve into key climate topics with expert speakers, engaging discussions, and practical tools you can use immediately. The following webinars will be held at 4–5:30 p.m. Mountain Time.
• March 3, Where Americans Are at on Climate Change
• March 19, The State of Climate Science in the United States
• April 1, Climate Adaptation and Mitigation
• April 14, Hope and Transformative Climate Action
“Human Evolution in the Classroom: Resources for Effective Teaching”
The exploring human origins exhibit is a traveling exhibit curated by the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.. The purpose of this traveling exhibit and accompanying programming was to further a national discussion, through community conversations, on the life sciences and to build opportunities for audiences to connect their personal lives and viewpoints with the scientific exploration of human origins. This exhibit is currently open to the public in Leawood, KS.
Along with the exhibit there are several special events planned. On March 26 you are invited to attend "Human Evolution in the Classroom: Resources for Effective Teaching" from 4:30-7pm. This event is offered in person or online. Workshop description: Brianna Pobiner and Lee Meadows, who is a science educator from Birmingham, Alabama, and the author of The Missing Link: An Inquiry Based Approach for Teaching Evolution to All Students and co-author of Making Sense of Science and Religion: Strategies for the Classroom and Beyond. The workshop presentation (online and in-person) is based on teaching modules designed and tested by the Smithsonian staff and Broader Social Impact Committee members in school classroom settings with school teachers as collaborators. Due to the contentious public debates about human origins, the programs and tools provided can be of assistance with effective teaching that is non-threatening.
Kids Garden Community Resource Library
KidsGardening.org’s searchable Kids Garden Community Resource Library has curricula, webinars, lesson plans, digital interactives, and instructional guides to enhance K–12 teaching and learning through the garden. Educators can access everything from informational articles and practical guides for making the most of school-grown produce, such as Starting and Maintaining a School Garden (grades K–12) or Garden to Cafeteria Toolkit (grades K–12), to curriculum materials that teach lifelong gardening skills, such as Growing a Wild NYC: A K–5 Urban Pollinator Curriculum (grades K–5) and Digging Into Soil: Garden Practicum (grades 9–12). Resources can be searched by type (e.g., videos, one pager, curriculum, lesson plan, activity, etc.); topic (e.g., Composting, Edible Gardens, Pollinators, Science, Soil, and so on), features (e.g., cost, learning standard, and language), and audience (e.g., early childhood, preschool, elementary, middle level, and high school).
NEW -- OpenSciEd Elementary Units Released
K - Sun Energy
K - Weather (NEW)
1 - Light Waves
1- Sound Waves (NEW)
2 - Earth's Land & Changing Shape
2 - Structure & Properties of Matter (NEW)
3 - Forces & Interactions
3 - Weather & Hazards (NEW)
4 - Collisions & Energy Transfer
4 - Electricity & Energy Transfer (NEW)
5 - Ecosystems & Matter Cycling
5 - Matter Properties (NEW)
Astronomical Society of the Pacific’s Thomas J. Brennan Award
This award from Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) recognizes excellence in the teaching of astronomy at the high school level in North America. The recipients must demonstrate exceptional commitment to classroom or planetarium education, as well as to training other teachers. This award honors the practicing high school astronomy teacher. Occasionally, an individual outside of the secondary classroom, judged to have had a significant impact on high school astronomy teaching, will be selected. Nominators should consider both practicing secondary astronomy teachers and those who have been involved in projects that have had widespread impact on high school astronomy teaching.
The awardee will receive a $500 cash award, a plaque, and travel expenses to attend the ASP Awards Gala. Nominate an educator or apply by March 24.
Discovering, Exploring, and Sharing Climate Resources Webinar Series
This series of interactive webinars in March and April is designed to increase knowledge of climate literacy and support the open sharing of resources and the adaptations that educators make for their local students. Hosted by Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN) and Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management in Education (ISKME), this interactive series will connect K–12 educators with top climate experts, hands-on teaching resources, and a supportive community dedicated to climate literacy. Each session will delve into key climate topics with expert speakers, engaging discussions, and practical tools you can use immediately. The following webinars will be held at 4–5:30 p.m. Mountain Time.
• March 3, Where Americans Are at on Climate Change
• March 19, The State of Climate Science in the United States
• April 1, Climate Adaptation and Mitigation
• April 14, Hope and Transformative Climate Action
“Human Evolution in the Classroom: Resources for Effective Teaching”
The exploring human origins exhibit is a traveling exhibit curated by the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.. The purpose of this traveling exhibit and accompanying programming was to further a national discussion, through community conversations, on the life sciences and to build opportunities for audiences to connect their personal lives and viewpoints with the scientific exploration of human origins. This exhibit is currently open to the public in Leawood, KS.
Along with the exhibit there are several special events planned. On March 26 you are invited to attend "Human Evolution in the Classroom: Resources for Effective Teaching" from 4:30-7pm. This event is offered in person or online. Workshop description: Brianna Pobiner and Lee Meadows, who is a science educator from Birmingham, Alabama, and the author of The Missing Link: An Inquiry Based Approach for Teaching Evolution to All Students and co-author of Making Sense of Science and Religion: Strategies for the Classroom and Beyond. The workshop presentation (online and in-person) is based on teaching modules designed and tested by the Smithsonian staff and Broader Social Impact Committee members in school classroom settings with school teachers as collaborators. Due to the contentious public debates about human origins, the programs and tools provided can be of assistance with effective teaching that is non-threatening.
Eye on the Future Teen Video Contest
The National Eye Institute has launched its annual Eye on the Future Teen Video Contest, open to U.S. high school students (grades 9–12) with an eye on a career in science. The contest encourages high school students from all backgrounds to explore science through creative, short videos. Students can create a short video by themselves or in a small group (three maximum) in one of these categories: Science in Your World, Science in Action, or Science in Your Future. Submissions are due by April 20.
Winners will receive cash prizes and a trip to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) campus in Maryland for a day of science, networking, and fun. For more information, including the complete rules and eligibility requirements, visit https://www.nei.nih.gov/EyeOnTheFuture.
Green Schools Campaign
Green Schools Campaign, a program of The Climate Reality Project (a nonprofit organization involved in education and advocacy related to climate change), is a youth-led, intergenerational campaign bringing together community members of all ages. The Green Schools Campaign is developing the leadership and grassroots organizing of young people to spearhead initiatives to transition their schools and communities to 100% clean energy. Currently, Green Schools Campaign is working with students ages 13 and older, as well as teachers who wish to provide support.
Teams of students and teachers in local school districts who are interested in running electrification/clean energy campaigns are welcome, as are those looking for general support and training on doing climate advocacy at their schools. As part of the campaign, members will have access to specialized advocacy skill-building workshops and small-group campaign team coaching from Climate Reality staff. Register on the Green Schools Campaign website. For answers to specific questions, e-mail youthprograms@climatereality.com.
Kids Garden Community Resource Library
KidsGardening.org’s searchable Kids Garden Community Resource Library has curricula, webinars, lesson plans, digital interactives, and instructional guides to enhance K–12 teaching and learning through the garden. Educators can access everything from informational articles and practical guides for making the most of school-grown produce, such as Starting and Maintaining a School Garden (grades K–12) or Garden to Cafeteria Toolkit (grades K–12), to curriculum materials that teach lifelong gardening skills, such as Growing a Wild NYC: A K–5 Urban Pollinator Curriculum (grades K–5) and Digging Into Soil: Garden Practicum (grades 9–12). Resources can be searched by type (e.g., videos, one pager, curriculum, lesson plan, activity, etc.); topic (e.g., Composting, Edible Gardens, Pollinators, Science, Soil, and so on), features (e.g., cost, learning standard, and language), and audience (e.g., early childhood, preschool, elementary, middle level, and high school).
