May 17, 2023 ~ The Kansas State Department of Education assigned Olathe Public Schools a “Meets Requirements” level of determination (LOD) through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) State Performance Plan Report for the fiscal year 2021. Meets Requirements is the highest status level a district can achieve.

The district earned this honor by meeting substantial compliance on all compliance State Performance Plan district-level indicators. As a result of the district’s Meets Requirements LOD for 2021, the district is eligible for a number of fiscal and program rewards.

The Kansas Department of Education recognizes that achievement and continuation of a Meets Requirements LOD requires quality leadership and appropriate knowledge of IDEA requirements and best practices. Therefore, as a reward for achieving Meets Requirements an additional stipend to support professional learning opportunities for district leadership is made available to the district through the Targeted Improvement Plan application process and budget.

“Receiving the highest level of determination paired with the independent Special Education study results confirms that the work our educators are doing is top-notch,” Executive Director of Special Services Anjanette Tolman said. “While this is an incredible accomplishment for our staff, we will never stop striving to provide the best services we can for all of our students.”

This distinction is due to the hard work of all our educators, paraeducators and administrators who are a part of our Special Education team.