Kansas High School Parent Communication Guide for Teachers

Kansas high school parents range from families in Wichita and Kansas City suburbs who are familiar with college prep processes to families in western Kansas agricultural communities where the college-going rate is lower and the information gap is wider. Both groups benefit from clear, consistent teacher communication. But the families in rural Kansas, who have fewer institutional resources to draw on, have the most to gain from a teacher who communicates proactively and specifically.

Explain the Difference Between Graduating and Being College-Eligible

In Kansas, a student can graduate from high school without completing the Regents curriculum required for direct admission to KU, K-State, or Wichita State. The Kansas Board of Regents requires students to complete specific core courses with minimum grades for qualified admissions. This is different from simply earning 21 graduation credits. Put this distinction in your newsletter early in high school. Tell families what the Regents curriculum includes, which of your courses satisfy it, and what the difference between graduating and being Regents-eligible means for their student's options after high school.

Communicate the State ACT Administration

Kansas administers the ACT to all 11th graders at state expense. This is a significant opportunity for families who cannot afford private test administration or prep services. Tell parents the date in the fall, how your course builds ACT-relevant skills, and what free resources are available. The Kansas ACT score also feeds directly into merit scholarship decisions at Kansas public universities, so the stakes are real. A parent who understands the connection between the classroom, the ACT, and the scholarship is a parent who is invested in both.

Make KCEP and Dual Credit Visible

The Kansas Concurrent Enrollment Partnership allows students to earn college credits through partnerships with Kansas community and technical colleges. For families in rural Kansas where college attendance rates are lower and college costs are a significant concern, dual credit is one of the most practical pathways to affordability. A student who enters a Kansas community college with 15 credits already completed has a clearer and faster path to a credential. Put KCEP in your newsletter during course selection season every year.

Connect to Kansas's Economic Identity

Kansas's economy is shaped by agriculture, aviation and aerospace (Wichita is the Air Capital of the World), energy, and healthcare. Teachers who connect their curriculum to Kansas's economic context make the content feel locally relevant. An economics teacher who uses Kansas wheat farming and commodity pricing as a case study, or a science teacher who connects to Kansas wind energy production, is showing students and parents that what happens in the classroom connects to what happens in their community.

Address the Information Gap for First-Generation Families

In many Kansas communities, particularly in rural western Kansas and in urban pockets of Wichita and Kansas City, many students are the first in their family to consider college. These families need specific, practical information: when does the FAFSA open, what Kansas scholarships exist, how does the Kansas Promise scholarship for community college work, and when are application deadlines at Kansas universities. A teacher whose newsletter provides this information in a clear and timely way does something the counselor with a caseload of 400 students cannot do individually.

A Sample Kansas High School Newsletter Section

Here is what a Regents-curriculum-aware section looks like:

"This course counts toward the Kansas Board of Regents qualified admissions curriculum, which is required for direct admission to KU, K-State, and WSU. Earning a C or higher in this course keeps your student on track for qualified admissions. The state ACT is scheduled for April 14. Students who score a 21 or higher composite may qualify for merit aid at Kansas public universities. Free ACT prep is at khanacademy.org."

Acknowledge the Range of Post-Secondary Pathways

Not every Kansas student is heading to a four-year university, and your newsletter should not assume they are. Kansas has strong community and technical colleges, apprenticeship programs through the Kansas Department of Commerce, and military pathways. Acknowledging that multiple post-graduation paths lead to successful careers makes your newsletter relevant to every family, not just the families whose student is aiming for a selective university.

Send Consistently With Daystage

Kansas families who receive consistent, informative newsletters from their student's teacher make better decisions and are more engaged supporters of their student's education. Daystage gives Kansas teachers a fast, professional way to build and send that newsletter to every family at once. For teachers in large Wichita district schools and small western Kansas schools alike, it is a practical tool that reduces the communication burden without reducing the quality of the result.