Kansas Board Considers Statewide Guidance for School Technology Use

The Kansas State Board of Education is considering statewide guidance on the effective use of instructional technology in Kansas schools. Topics under discussion include the purpose of technology in elementary school, age-appropriate use, student privacy and security, and artificial intelligence. The board is also weighing how families should be notified about technology use: whether parents or guardians should provide an annual acknowledgment, or whether schools should use opt-in or opt-out requirements. The guidance remains under consideration, with board action expected in November 2026; it is not yet a finalized policy or procurement requirement.

Five Johnson County districts—Shawnee Mission, Blue Valley, DeSoto, Gardner-Edgerton, and Olathe—submitted a joint letter advocating for “Option A: Annual Parental/Guardian Acknowledgment,” completed in connection with student registration or enrollment. Their October 16, 2026 letter followed the board’s October 14 discussion of acknowledgment versus opt-in and opt-out approaches. The districts describe annual acknowledgment as a practical and consistent path, while cautioning that blanket opt-in or opt-out requirements could have unintended consequences for students, families, and schools.

The districts’ position also connects the policy discussion to instructional access. Their letter says school systems provide district-issued devices so students can access learning standards, instructional resources, and assessments that comprise a “guaranteed and viable curriculum.” For vendors and service providers, this points to potential relevance for device management, digital learning resources, privacy and security controls, AI-enabled tools, and implementation support. However, the board’s eventual guidance—not the districts’ preferred option alone—will determine whether statewide expectations emerge, and local districts may retain substantial discretion over purchasing and implementation.

For GovCon and education-market suppliers, this is an early policy signal rather than a current bid opportunity. The supplied reporting identifies no solicitation, contract, compliance deadline, or mandated technology purchase. Providers can use the proposed focus areas to review how their products address age-appropriate use, student data protection, cybersecurity, AI capabilities, and family communication, while avoiding claims that a requirement has been finalized. The discussion also highlights the importance of evidence about how students use school devices. Kim Whitman, co-lead of Schools Beyond Screens Shawnee Mission, urged decision-makers to focus on “the independent research and to do an independent audit of how kids are using the devices.” That emphasis may inform future evaluation, training, or assessment needs, but no such procurement has been announced.

• The Kansas State Board of Education is developing guidance on instructional technology; final action is expected in November 2026.
• Topics include elementary-school technology use, age appropriateness, privacy, security, and artificial intelligence.
• Five Johnson County districts support annual parent or guardian acknowledgment: Shawnee Mission, Blue Valley, DeSoto, Gardner-Edgerton, and Olathe.
• The districts’ joint letter was submitted on October 16, 2026, after the board’s October 14 discussion.
• The districts prefer acknowledgment during registration or enrollment over blanket opt-in or opt-out requirements, while supporting local implementation flexibility.
• District-issued devices are described as a means of providing equitable access to learning standards, instructional resources, and assessments.
• Suppliers should assess product alignment with student privacy, security, age-appropriate use, AI governance, and family communication needs.
• Kim Whitman called for independent research and an audit of how students use devices; this is a stakeholder recommendation, not an announced contract requirement.
• No solicitation, award, procurement opportunity, or compliance deadline has been identified; treat the development as pending guidance, not a finalized mandate.