Kansas State Department of Education: Beyond the textbook: Primary Voices, Teaching Native Histories with the Library of Congress

Kansas State Department of Education: Beyond the textbook: Primary Voices, Teaching Native Histories with the Library of Congress

Topeka , Kansas, 66612

Last updated on September 29, 2026

Grant awarded by

TPS Midwest Region

Region

Midwest

Organization Type

Educational Service Agency

Congressional District(s)

2

Fiscal Year Of First Grant

FY 2026 [10/01/25 - 09/30/26]

Contributing Organization(s)

National Indian Education Association, Kansas Association of Native American Education

Organization description

The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is a dynamic, dedicated service agency that provides leadership, resources, support and accountability to the state’s K-12 education system. KSDE administers the state’s governance of education, standards and assessments, special education services, child nutrition and wellness, title programs and services, career and technical education, and school funding. It is the goal of the agency to provide all Kansas children with equal access to a quality, high-level education that promotes student achievement and prepares all students for global success.

Project description

The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE), located in Topeka, KS, has as its mission, to prepare students for lifelong success. To that end, the KSDE has created a unique professional development model, Teacher Leaders. These “Teacher Leaders” are a team of exceptional classroom educators from all parts of Kansas who create and lead the Kansas statewide Social Studies Professional Learning Communities, “On Demand” training for school districts, and provide technical assistance on state initiatives. This project will enhance Kansas’ engaging PD programs by partnering with the National Indian Education Association (NIEA) and the Kansas Association of Native American Education (KANAE). These organizations bring experience in both high-quality pedagogical practices and essential Native knowledge and experience. We co-created and led a PD program utilizing the Library of Congress materials while aligning to the Kansas History, Government, and Social Studies State Standards and the Kansas Indigenous Peoples and Nations of Kansas Past, Present, and Future, Essential Understanding Framework to improve Education in Kansas about, for, and with Native American Peoples and Nations.

TPS project focus

Curriculum
Teaching Materials
Webinars
Workshops

Content focus

Civics
Cultural Studies
English Language Arts
Geography
History
Law
Literacy
Research
Civil Rights

Audience

Administrators
Classroom teachers
Curriculum coordinators
Librarians/Media specialists
Teacher candidates/Student teachers

Level(s)

Pre-K - 2nd
3 - 5
6 - 8
9 - 12
Undergraduate

Population focus

Native American/Indigenous
Rural