Leading the Way for 150 Years

2. Leading the Way for 150 Years 1857 NEA founded in Philadelphia as National Teachers Association. 1861 Kansas becomes 34th state.

3. Early Schools Kansas constitution recognizes state responsibility for a uniform system of schools. Schools established by county superintendentswithin “walking distance” of students.

4. Kansas State Teachers Association Founded 1863, just a few weeks after the Battle of Gettysburg. Founded by education leaders to support public schools.

5. KSTA Founders Isaac Goodnow, one of the founders of Bluemont College now known as Kansas State University.

6. KSTA Founders Peter McVicar, President of Washburn University for 25 years.

7. KSTA Founders H.D. McCarty, Leavenworth County Superintendent of Schools and a staunch proponent of teaching black children to read.

8. State Superintendents Isaac Goodnow, H.D. McCarty, and Peter McVicar each served as Kansas State Superintendent of Public Instruction. They were true giants of Kansas education.

9. The Teachers In the 1860’s, teachers prove their qualifications by writing their names, reading a paragraph from a newspaper, and answering an oral question or two.

10. The Students 1874: Students ages 8 – 14 required to attend school during the 3 to 4 month school year.

11. The Funding Money from the sale of school lands (sections 16 and 36 of most townships) and from the estates of persons dying without heirs established a school fund to support common schools. There was also a 1-mill statewide property tax for schools.

12. 1879 Loss of Funding Legislative battles between Western and Eastern interests result in loss of statewide property tax for schools. Funding for all schools not restored until the middle of the 20th century. What happened to the money?

13. 1879 Loss of Funding Legislature continues to collect the taxes and the money is used to build the west wing of the Capitol.

14. The Courts 1896: in Plessy vs. Ferguson the Supreme Court rules that “separate but equal” schools are allowed.

15. The School Districts 1896 9,284 Kansas school districts because each one-room school was a separate district.

16. The NEA 1903 NEA initiates a nationwide program to enhance the economic conditions of teachers, including tenure and pensions. NEA is 50 years old with 5,044 members.

17. High School Funding 1905 County officials given the authority to levy local property taxes to establish rural high schools.

18. NEA Advocacy 1912 NEA votes to support the fight for Women’s Suffrage

19. The Association 1914 KSTA becomes third state Association in the nation to establish a state headquarters with a full time Executive Secretary.

20. State Department of Education State Department of Education established to improve schools. 1915

21. State Department of Education Legislature allows county superintendents to hold institutes (in-service) of one to four weeks; teachers required to attend are critical of institute quality. 1915

22. The State of Kansas 1926 Kansas State Reading Circle(a KSTA subsidiary) authorized by the legislature; law required schools to expend “not less than $5 per teacher to purchase books for library.”

23. Kansas State Reading Circle Initially KSTA members read and recommended books. For over 50 years KSTA also sold the books.

24. Kansas State Reading Circle

25. Kansas State Reading Circle Today’s KNEAReading Circle members make recommendations to schools and libraries.

27. Growing Teacher Participation in KSTA Leadership New KSTA constitution requires one-third of board members to be classroom teachers. 1936

28. The State of Kansas 1937 Legislature passes state aid for allelementary schools following intensive lobbying by KSTA.

29. NEA Advocacy Kate Frank Muskogee, OK, teacher and member activist Leader in attempting to unseat BOE members in 1942. Fired 1942; reinstated with NEA’s support, 1945.

30. NEA Advocacy Following Kate Frank’s dismissal, NEA President Donald DuShane created a committee to investigate violations and support member rights. . $10,000 was set aside for legal defense.

31. The $10,000 Defense $10,000 in 1942 equals $143,433 in 2013. $948.39 was left after Kate Frank’s reinstatement to start NEA’s DuShane Fund for Teacher Rights.

32. The Kansas Connection NEA’s Kate Frank/DuShane Fund underwrites KNEA’s legal assistance to members and local associations to this day. .

33. Leading the Profession 1951 KSTA adopts standards for membership – 60 hour teaching certificate by 1952 and degree by 1957. Current members were grandparented into membership.

34. Following KSTA Following KSTA’s lead, the State Board of Education sets 60-hour requirement for teaching certificate but delays degree requirement until 1959. 1952

35. Funding for High Schools Century-long aggressive lobbying byKSTA pays off with state funding for high schools,BUT. . . . . 1954

36. There Had Been Consequences The legislature condemned the newly renovated KSTAheadquarters which stood across the street from the Capitol. 1953

37. KSTA Headquarters OLD 1954 NEW $2 per member annually for 9 years

38. By the Way The “reason” for the condemnation of the KSTA headquarters was the state’s need for land to build on. Almost 20 years later the state erected the Justice Center at that location.

39. U.S. Supreme Court 1954, the court overturns “separate but equal” doctrine for schools in Brown vs. Board of Education.

40. School Unification 1963 Kansas Supreme Court upholds unification law to replace elementary, common, and rural high school districts with comprehensive K-12 districts. Death threats and law suits fail to derail implementation.

41. School Unification Impact Number of school districts reduced to 348 although the law did not require individual school closings. Today fewer than 290 USDs.

42. Increasing Member Involvement1960’s KSTA Regional training Kansas Student NEA

43. Association Changes 1960’s and 1970’s Teacher members take control of KNEA Board of Directors. KNEApresident becomes a full-time position.

44. KNEA Leadership Changes 1990 KNEA vice president becomes a full-time position.

45. Governance of the Profession 1969 Kansas legislature enacts first Professional Teaching Practices Act giving teachers a state-level legal voice to recommend and enforce professional standards.

46. Governance of the Profession Today teachers are a majority on both the Professional Practices Commission and the Standards Board. Both groups are advisory to the State Board of Education.

47. Governance of the Profession KNEA provides on-going support to KNEA members serving on state commissions and committees.

48. Name Change 1969 KSTArepresentative assembly votes to change the name to Kansas-NEA(vote of 184 to 181.)

49. Priorities 1969 KNEARAemphatically resolves to make a negotiations bill its top priority in the 1970 legislative session.

50. UniServ: A New Program for A New Time First NEA UniServ District in the US is established in Lindsborg, Kansas, serving a 60 x 60 mile area (UD 114 now includes this area.) In 2012-13, KNEA has 18 UniServ districts providing services to 23,000 plus members.