Aligned

05/29/2026

Aligned’s monthly newsletter begins next week.

As we move out of the legislative session, our updates will shift from weekly to monthly, bringing you a concise look at the education policy conversations, resources, and developments shaping Kansas and Missouri.

Be sure to sign up today to receive next Friday’s newsletter directly in your inbox.

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Join our regular newsletter to stay updated on education in Kansas and Missouri.

05/28/2026

Great to sit in on the Kansas Legislative School Finance Formula Task Force this week and continue the conversation again today.

Yesterday’s discussion included a strong focus on chronic absenteeism and the connection between school funding, spending decisions, and student outcomes. Dr. Marguerite Roza with Georgetown University’s Edunomics Lab, a valued partner in this work, brought a strong national perspective and practical data tools to the conversation.

Grateful to see Kansas leaders continuing to engage with thoughtful, data-driven resources as school finance conversations move forward.

05/27/2026

ICYMI —>

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

05/25/2026

This Memorial Day, we remember and honor the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our country.

Their sacrifice protects the freedoms and opportunities we work to preserve for future generations.

From all of us at Aligned, we are grateful.

05/21/2026

A new episode of the Insight Podcast is out now! 🎙️

In this episode, "A New Chapter for Kansas Education: A conversation with Dr. Jake Steel,” Dr. Watson asks Dr. Steel about his early days growing up and attending Garden City USD 457 schools.

Listen as we explore Dr. Steel's higher education path that led him to the classroom as a math teacher, the work he’s done around KSDE’s alignment initiatives and what’s inspiring him to keep Kansas education moving forward.

Listen now on:
Spotify: https://buff.ly/HeDxLE4
YouTube: https://buff.ly/Ny0r0qi
Apple: https://buff.ly/FcwFFsV

05/19/2026

"Kansas legislators are doing something deserving of recognition..."

Check out our recent op-ed: Getting school funding right in Kansas matters for students, schools, educators, and the rest of us.

Kansas legislators are doing something deserving of recognition. They are working carefully to improve the state’s K–12 funding formula. Specifically, they are focusing on how we support students who ...

05/18/2026

Worth the read or listen. Links below!

The science of reading has momentum.

But whether these efforts succeed depends on what teachers actually know—and how policy shows up in classrooms.

Our new report takes a closer look: https://fordhaminstitute.org/national/research/teachers-desk-science-reading-progress-report

🎧 And we break it down on the podcast:
https://fordhaminstitute.org/national/resources/science-reading-reality-check-not-there-yet-episode-1015-education-gadfly-show

05/14/2026

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) announced that Dr. Karla Eslinger will retire from her current role as Missouri Commissioner of Education, effective June 1, 2026.

Dr. Eslinger has dedicated more than three decades of service to Missouri government and the children in our state, including two years of service as the Commissioner of Education. Most recently, Dr. Eslinger led a series of initiatives focused on strengthening data systems, improving transparency and communication with educators and families, and advancing a comprehensive strategic plan to guide Missouri’s education system into the future.

See the full news release here https://dese.mo.gov/missouri-commissioner-education-dr-karla-eslinger-retire-june-1

05/13/2026

CEP is about more than school meals. In Kansas, it raises bigger questions about student need, At Risk funding, and how districts protect resources for the students who need them most.

Read our latest blog on why this debate deserves a closer look.

Should Kansas continue using school meal eligibility as the primary way to identify student need for At Risk funding?