By Mark Tallman

“I think (these programs) opened some students’ eyes that school could be relevant because we make it about what you want to get out of it.” – Colby College and Career Advocate Renae Gardner. 

Colby USD 315 is one of the largest districts in the northwest corner of Kansas with about 925 students. From 2017 to 2022 Colby boosted its graduation rate by 8.1 percent, 6 points higher than expected for a district with its characteristics. They also have a high postsecondary success rate with an average of 67 percent of recent graduates completing a credential within two years or enrolling in a postsecondary program. That is 9.5 percent higher than predicted. Colby’s average percentage of students from low-income families plus students with disabilities is 54.3 percent, about 9 points below the state average for districts with 500 to 1,600 students. 

I met with Colby district leaders to find out how they are getting these results. They say Colby educators have embraced the State Board of Education’s Kansans Can goals in district planning, collaboration, and programs. They have personalized working with students on career planning and they have strengthened ties with parents and community. 

“Our overall approach to system improvement has helped with these areas,” said Superintendent Katina Brenn. “We focus on each of the State Board outcomes. We work on those outcomes in small collaboration groups for 90 minutes every month, with representatives from each level.” 

“We start giving students exposure to their options in middle school, then refine that in high school, let them try different things,” said 5-8 Principal Chris Gardner. “We’re trying to put the intentionality in their hands and let them tell how we can get roadblocks out of the way.” 

 “We are completely intentional about planning,” Renae Gardner said. “We really try to engage families in the importance of empowering students to explore, and that has helped tremendously over the past five years.” 

Colby leaders also praised partnerships with nearby Northwest Kansas Technical College and Colby Community College. The number of students taking technical and concurrent enrollment courses has significantly increased through coordination of scheduling and transportation, student planning, and college scholarships. 

The district has increased the number of teachers able to award industry recognized certifications. They have increased the number of Career Technical Education Pathways. They facilitate work experience in career areas when a pathway is not provided. Colby added a JAG-K (Jobs from America’s Graduates-Kansas) program which provides support to ensure graduation and help with post-graduation planning. The goal is successful transition to postsecondary education, military service, or into the workforce. 

“We have also increased the number of college visits,” said Colby High School Principal Matt Sims. “We've seen numerous kids come back and say, ‘Well, I'm going there because I didn't know they had anything like that.’ ” Colby leaders discussed how they prepare students to be academically ready for college by helping them understand the academic skills they will need.  

Like many successful districts, Colby has implemented a system of support and intervention modeled after the State Department of Education’s Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). Brenn explained that the district has developed its own screening tool that goes further, asking questions like a student’s connections to school. 

To support student success the district has also focused on kindergarten readiness. The district explored community needs for preschool and day care and how they could fill those needs. That led to starting a district preschool, expanding services, and creating a kindergarten readiness event. “When we added our own preschool, we didn’t want to take away from others in the area,” said PK-4 Principal Heather Stapp. “So, we don't necessarily track where students have gone to preschool. We just track whether or not they've had preschool.” This year only 2 out of 72 kindergartners did not have preschool, up from only about half of them when the effort started. 

To address social and emotional learning, Colby uses the College and Career Competency Framework, which matches the Kansans Can Competencies. Like all districts, Colby has seen an increase in student mental health and behavioral issues that impact learning. “Because we don't have a lot of resources (in our area), we've taken it on ourselves,” said Brenn. “We have added social workers, student advocates, at-risk monitors.” 

The district is also participating in a $5 million, five-year grant through the Northwest Kansas Education Service Center to help schools and communities reduce violence and trauma in the lives of rural students and their families. 

Finally, Colby leaders said their planning process has included and been embraced by the community. “One of our biggest needs sitting here in Northwest Kansas is we don't have an ag building,” said Brenn. “But because of these conversations about our goals and our needs, our community really responded. Now, we're about to build a $1.5 million vocational agriculture building, fully funded through donations and grants. I think the power is getting the right people at the table to have those conversations, remove any barriers, and work together.”