Kansas schools report higher dual credit participation and drop in teacher vacancies

Kansas schools are seeing increases in student participation in dual credit courses, Advanced Placement (AP) achievement, and career and technical education (CTE) programs, according to the annual report presented by Dr. Randy Watson, Kansas Education Commissioner, to the Kansas State Board of Education.

During the board’s monthly meeting in Topeka, Watson said the state remains focused on preparing students for postsecondary education and the workforce. “The efforts to increase graduation rates while simultaneously preparing students academically and with hands-on skills will continue to increase students’ chances for postsecondary success and strengthen the state’s workforce,” Watson stated.

The draft of the Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) 2024-25 annual report, titled “Coherence,” showed that 40,709 high school students took postsecondary courses in the 2024-25 school year. These students earned a combined 366,007 dual credit postsecondary hours, up by more than 33,000 hours from the previous year. While data for the 2025 AP exams is not yet available, results from the last three years indicate a consistent increase in exams earning scores of 3 or higher. In 2023-24, the number of such scores reached 12,240, nearly 3,000 more than the previous year.

Enrollment in CTE classes has also continued to rise each year among Kansas high school students.

Efforts to improve literacy have expanded as well. Over 17,072 educators and administrators have either completed or are enrolled in LETRS structured literacy training, which aligns with the science of reading. This training is supported by dedicated funding from the State Board and is part of a statewide initiative to enhance reading instruction.

In 2025, Kansas introduced an updated state assessment with new cut scores. The process involved educators working together to better align assessment results with actual student performance. The Kansas State Department of Education believes these new cut scores offer a more accurate reflection of student achievement.

The report also highlights a reduction in teacher vacancies. From spring 2024 to fall 2025, vacancies dropped by more than 450 positions, representing a 21% decrease. This improvement is attributed to ongoing recruitment and retention efforts, as well as a growing number of participants in the Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program (RTAP), which has seen annual increases since its launch in 2023.

A draft of the full 2024-25 annual report is available online and will be updated as more data for 2025 is collected.

“The efforts to increase graduation rates while simultaneously preparing students academically and with hands-on skills will continue to increase students’ chances for postsecondary success and strengthen the state’s workforce,” Watson said.

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