About this Collection
Leaders in Kansas Education tells the story of a changing educational environment starting in the 1960’s with how public schools are funded to restructuring higher education governance in the 21st Century. Interviews with policy leaders and educators reveal the strategies and methods they used to implement changes to the educational system from K-12 to higher education.
Interview of Dale Dennis, August 28, 2020
Interviewed by Andy Tompkins
People interested in the development of education policy in Kansas will find no better resource than this 2020 oral history interview with Dale Dennis, Deputy Commissioner of Education. The interview was conducted by Dr. Andy Tompkins, a former Kansas Commissioner of Education. During the interview, Dennis speaks candidly about policy development, identifying the issues and the legislators who were intrinsically involved. The interview covers the 1972 lawsuit which was the first dealing with issues of equity in school funding. Twenty years later, a 1992 school finance lawsuit again challenged the lack of equalization which rendered the formula unconstitutional. Dennis explains Show Morein detail the process by which the Legislature, Governor Joan Finney, Speaker Marvin Barkis, and others went about addressing the Court's concerns. By 2000 the Legislature had again failed to fund the school finance formula fully and the Montoy lawsuit arose. Another case, Gannon, began in 2010. This time the problem was the adequacy of the funding to meet constitutional requirements. Moving on from school finance lawsuits, the interview covers school consolidation and related issues of local control. Dennis explains why he started offering budget workshops to school administrators, including the development of software and the use of computers. This interview includes a brief discussion of the 1999-2000 legislation that moved state oversight of community colleges and technical schools (later termed technical colleges) from the Kansas Department of Education to the Kansas Board of Regents. Show Less
Interview of Edward Hammond, April 1, 2025
Interviewed by Mark Tallman
Hammond's interview describes in detail how Fort Hays State University changed and adapted during his 30 year tenure in response to actions of the Kansas Board of Regents and the Kansas Legislature. During that time Dr. Hammond wrote two strategic 10 year plans to accommodate the changing environment for higher education in Kansas. The first plan emphasized "high tech, high touch." The curriculum changed to incorporate technology, even teaching art as graphic design on computers. The goal was for all 1990 graduates to be computer literate, They put computer labs in all the dorms. Show More FHSU had declining enrollments in the 10 years prior to Hammond's presidency. Hammond believed If you are going to move into an institution and make change, select strategies that promote the change. Smaller classes, (high touch) created a distinction with the other schools. The next hurdle was responding to changes in how tuition is applied. In 2000 KBOR changed the formula and now institutions can keep whatever they bring in from tuition. The other change was adding 19 community colleges, Washburn University and the technical schools under the regents' control. The regents emphasized access and serving as many Kansans as they could. FHSU then needed to grow to keep up with this change because funding was based on enrollment. Hammond decided to emphasize distance learning and low tuition to meet these changes. While other schools raised tuition, FHSU decided to be at the low tuition end with a quality product. FHSU moved from "high tech, high touch" to "affordable success" using the distance learning technology to expand their enrollment. Hammond convinced rural telephone carriers to provide mostly free internet services, wired and cellular. By 2010 they had more distance learning than all the other schools combined. They began recruiting Chinese students in 1999--achieving 15,000 students in about 10 years. The China program helped lower the costs for Kansas students. Hammond attributes his success at FHSU to the team of faculty and admininstrators. FHSU is still serving 50% of the high school students despite the loss of population in the western part of the state. The goal is still to grow the university in ways that add value, such as allowing Colorado students to attend as in-state student. Show Less
Interview of Cynthia (Cindy) Lane, March 25, 2025
Interviewed by Mark Tallman
Cindy Lane's leadership has helped transform Kansas education to benefit Kansas children. This interview shows the impact she had on education policy, from special education to the Kansas Board of Regent's newest endeavor, the Blueprint for Literacy. This quote from Dr. Lane sums up the interview: "Most of my career in KCK as a leader was to focus on outcomes that actually transformed kids’ lives, that opportunity piece." From changes in special education , to court cases on school finance, to the Kansas Board of Regents, she is still working to transform kids' lives.
Interview of Andy Tompkins, January 13, 2025
Interviewed by Mark Tallman
Andy Tompkins has had a leading role in education in Kansas that started in 1970 when he was hired to teach English in Hugoton. That job quickly became Principal and then Superintendent of 3 different districts until he was tapped in 1996 as Commissioner of Education. The interviewer, Mark Tallman skillfully leads Tompkins through the changes that have taken place in public education in Kansas over the years. His interview touches on special education, "A Nation at Risk", the movement to improve education, standards and the 1992 School Finance Reform Act. Tompkins is able to explain Show Morewhy things changed and with what result; Tallman has also been active in education with the Kansas Association of School Boards and the two, together lay out the changing educational landscape from 1970 - 2020 including what was happening in higher education. After leaving the commissioner's office, Tompkins began teaching at the college level, then became Dean of the College of Education in Pittsburg, and later, President and CEO of the Kansas Board of Regents and interim President of both Wichita State and Fort Hays Universities. The portrait of Andy Tompkins that emerges from this interview is one of skilled leadership, a trusted leader committed to improving education for all. Show Less
Interview of Jack Wempe, January 23, 2025
Interviewed by Mark Tallman
There is a 2021 interview of Jack Wempe in Statehouse Conversations that covers his legislative experience. This interview focuses on his experiences first as a student in a one-room school, next as a teacher, principal and superintendent in rural Kansas, then his legislative activities involving education issues, and finally, his service on the Kansas Board of Regents and interest in higher education. Wempe's experience covers the scope of education in Kansas over several decades of really critical change. His interviews covers school unification, changes in funding public schools, qualified admissions and a reorganization of higher education Show Morewith the Board of Regents assuming coordination of the nineteen community colleges. Show Less