Kansas

Assembly of Equity Programs (AEP)

The stated mission of the Assembly of Equity Programs is to promote and defend the ideals of equal opportunity, excellence, and diversity in education. The members of the Assembly further describe their goals as serving underrepresented groups and their communities, teaching educators, and affecting education and society on local, regional, national, and global levels. One of the ways in which the Assembly tries to carry out its mission is through its Educational Talent Search, an early-intervention program targeting primarily low-income children whose parents did not graduate from a four-year college. The program offers college advising, tutoring, summer programs, and workshops, among other services, to students, dropouts, and graduates.

Chair, KSU Institute for Educational Research and Public Service: Dr. Jerry Bailey
Director: Dr. Ghandi Kamatuka
Joseph R. Pearson Hall
1122 West Campus Road, Room 305
Lawrence, Kansas 66045
(785) 864-3415
kamatuka@ku.edu

Rebecca Dukstein
Educational Talent Search
Gateway Tower II, Suite 103
4th and State Avenue
Kansas City, KS 66101
(913) 342-9823 or (785) 864-3400
dukstein@ku.edu

The Business/Education Expectations School-to-Career Partnership

The Business/Education Expectations School-to-Career Partnership, founded by the Civic Council of Greater Kansas City and managed by the Learning Exchange, describes itself as a bi-state (Kansas and Missouri) regional effort with the mission of helping students obtain the skills, knowledge, and attitudes required to succeed in the rapidly changing world. Through collaboration with local partnerships, school districts, employers, and civic- and community-based organizations, the Partnership hopes to show students the connection between school and career, help parents and educators teach students how to translate academic knowledge into marketable skills, and work with employers to create meaninful career-related learning experiences for students and educators.

Executive Officer of The Learning Exchange: Elaine Mondschein
Partnership Project Director: Ginny Miller
3132 Pennsylvania
Kansas City, MO 64111-2776
Phone: (816) 751-4104
Fax: (816) 751-4101
fbauer@lx.org

Center for Rural Education and Small Schools (CRESS)

Founded in 1978 at Kansas State University, the Center for Rural Education and Small Schools describes its mission as improving the education for the children and youth of the rural and small schools of Kansas and the regional area served by Kansas State University. To that end, the Center aims to develop, and then disseminate, information and strategies designed to meet the special needs of rural and small schools. Projects include a newsletter, short fact sheets, and a series of professional development seminars for rural teachers.

Directors: Barbara Havlicek and Robert C. Newhouse
Kansas State University School of Education
1100 Mid-Campus Drive
124 Bluemont Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506
(785) 532-5886
rcn@ksu.edu or barbhav@ksu.edu

Kansas Action for Children

Kansas Action for Children’s stated mission is to advocate for policies and programs that ensure and improve the physical, emotional, and educational well-being of all Kansas children and youth. Kansas Action for Children seeks to improve public policy and public systems and has three core activities: (1) gathering and publicizing data on child well-being, (2) developing state policy that is child, youth and family friendly, and (3) building the base of citizen advocacy for children.

Kansas Action for Children
720 SW Jackson, Suite 201
Topeka, KS 66603
Tel: 785-232-0550
www.kac.org

Kansas Families United for Public Education

Kansas Families United for Public Education describes itself as a non-profit organization of Kansas “parents, students, teachers, and concerned taxpayers.” Their stated mission is to insure that public schools are “adequately and equitably funded so that all of the children in Kansas will have a well-rounded educational experience.” Their work includes educating the general public about education-related issues, monitoring decisions of the State Board of Education and local school boards, and monitoring legislation the affects public schools.

Kansas Families United for Public Education, Inc.
#104
15941 W. 65th St.
Shawnee, KS 66217
(913) 825-0099
info@fundourpublicschools.com

The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF)

MALDEF describes itself as a nonprofit Latino litigation, advocacy and educational outreach institution. According to MALDEF, its mission is to foster sound public policies, laws and programs to safeguard the civil rights of Latinos living in the United States and to empower the Latino community to fully participate in our society.

Regional Office:
MALDEF
110 Broadway Suite #300
San Antonio, TX 78205
Phone: (210) 224-5476
Fax: (210) 224-5382

Schools For Fair Funding, Inc.

Schools For Fair Funding, Inc., was formed in 1997 by mid-sized and larger Kansas school districts with dual goals of (1) adequate statewide funding for public schools and (2) equitable distribution of school funding across Kansas school districts. It represents approximately 14 school districts and approximately 20% of the K-12 students in Kansas. The organization was responsible for the Montoy vs. State and Robinson vs. State school finance litigation filed in 1999 and concluded in 2006 with over a billion dollar per year increase in Kansas school funding. SFFF now focuses on lobbying to maintain the gains won by litigation and to achieve further progress toward the twin goals of adequacy and equity.

John Robb, General Counsel
Schools For Fair Funding, Inc.
110 E. Broadway, Box 544
Newton, KS 67114
Phone: (316) 283 4560
Fax: (316) 283 5049
E-mail: johnrobb@robblaw.com

Schools for Quality Education (SQE)

Schools for Quality Education's stated mission is to give identity, voice, and exposure to the special characteristics of rural schools. SQE, housed at the Kansas State University School of Education but paid for by member school districts, also aims to improve the quality of rural life, specifically by fighting to keep rural schools open and excellent. Schools for Quality Education opposes consolidation without the notification of interested parties and favors equality of opportunity for all Kansas schoolchildren. Schools for Quality Education keeps its members apprised of legislative and rural education developments though its newsletter and website.

Director: Barbara Havlicek
Kansas State University School of Education
124 Bluemont Hall
1100 Mid-Campus Drive
Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS 66506
(785) 532-5886
barbhav@ksu.edu