A person who is a Kansas resident for tuition and fee purposes is eligible for in-state tuition at state universities. Please read and consider the following FAQs to determine if you might qualify for in-state tuition.
- Who should take the Foundations course?
- What is the cost to take the Foundations course?
- How do I earn the stipend?
- How are funds dispersed for the scholarship and stipend?
- How much time is required?
- What content is included in Foundations?
- Where can I take these courses?
- Are elementary Reading Specialists considered eligible for the KBOR-funded cohort?
- Do principals working PreK-6th grade school settings qualify for participation?
- Would an instructional coach based out of ESSDACK who works in several schools qualify?
- Does a Transition Coordinator based at Campus High School who holds both K-12 Special Education and Reading Specialist licenses qualify?
- If a 6th grade teacher works in a middle school setting, does that meet the PreK-6th grade requirement, or would their school setting affect eligibility?
- Would a long-term substitute who holds an active teaching license and is currently placed in a classroom as a substitute be considered eligible?
- Do virtual school administrators or educators qualify for the scholarship and stipend?
- For educators who have completed both volumes of LETRS training but either did not pass the post-test or did not take an exam at all, would they still qualify for the KBOR-funded cohort?
1. Who should take the Foundations course?
This training is for PK-6 educators looking to deepen their understanding and application of Structured Literacy. Educators who do not yet have the Seal of Literacy on their license can use this pathway as a qualifying option to earn the seal. Educators who are enrolled in LETRS are encouraged to complete LETRS.
2. What is the cost to take the Foundations course?
The Kansas Board of Regents through the Blueprint for Literacy is providing a scholarship for tuition Kansas licensed and practicing PreK, elementary classroom teachers, special education teachers, reading specialists, ESOL teachers, PreK-6 grade librarians, PreK – 6 foreign language instructors and PreK-6 English Language Arts or Social Studies teachers. The tuition is for 6 hours of graduate credit from a Kansas public or participating independent college.
Educators who successfully complete each course with an 85% or higher on the Key Performance and Summative assessment, qualify for a $500 stipend.
4. How are funds dispersed for the scholarship and stipend?
Please visit our page on the Foundations Course here, for more details on how funds will be dispersed.
Educators should expect to spend 2-3 hours of work outside the classroom, in addition to time spent attending class in person or virtually.
6. What content is included in Foundations?
This course will provide educators with a deep understanding of the Science of Reading and advances educator skills to apply the principles of structured literacy in the classroom. Emphasizing evidence-based practices, the course highlights strategies for supporting students with dyslexia, English language learners (ELLs), and students with exceptionalities. Knowledge and application are supported through literacy coaching throughout the course. The course is aligned with Standards 5, 6, and 7 of the Kansas Elementary Education (PK-6) Educator Preparation Program Standards and the International Dyslexia Association’s Knowledge and Practice Standards for Teachers of Reading.
7. Where can I take these courses?
Principals/Administrators may take Foundations, but are not eligible for the scholarship or stipend. Administrators are expected to complete all aspects of the course, including the application assessments.
8. Are elementary Reading Specialists considered eligible for the KBOR-funded cohort?
Reading Specialists are eligible for the scholarship and stipend. However, a licensed Reading Specialist should already have the knowledge and skill to apply Structured Literacy. Taking the Reading Specialist licensure exam may be a more appropriate option.
9. Do principals working PreK-6th grade school settings qualify for participation?
Principals/ Administrators may take Foundations but are not eligible for the scholarship or stipend. Administrators are expected to complete all aspects of the course, including the application assessments.
10. Would an instructional coach based out of ESSDACK who works in several schools qualify?
It depends on factors such as the specific duties, frequency in schools and licensed areas. Please contact our team to discuss further.
11. Does a Transition Coordinator based at Campus High School who holds both K-12 Special Education and Reading Specialist licenses qualify?
No. The individual is licensed but is not practicing in a qualified position. If the individual is a licensed Reading Specialist, the licensure exam for Reading Specialists should be considered to obtain the Seal of Literacy.
12. If a 6th grade teacher works in a middle school setting, does that meet the PreK-6th grade requirement, or would their school setting affect eligibility?
Educators working with 6th grade students are eligible.
13. Would a long-term substitute who holds an active teaching license and is currently placed in a classroom as a substitute be considered eligible?
A licensed teacher in a long-term substitute teaching assignment in a PreK-6 environment is eligible.
14. Do virtual school administrators or educators qualify for the scholarship and stipend?
Principals/ Administrators may take Foundations but are not eligible for the scholarship or stipend. Administrators are expected to complete all aspects of the course, including the application assessments.
15. For educators who have completed both volumes of LETRS training but either did not pass the post-test or did not take an exam at all, would they still qualify for the KBOR-funded cohort?
Yes, educators who have completed (need to verify) LETRS training but did not pass the summative assessment at 80% are eligible for the scholarship and stipend.
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For all other questions regarding the Foundations Course, eligibility, or tuition, please email Dr. Cynthia Lane at
The mission of Wichita State University is to be an essential educational, cultural, and economic driver for Kansas and the greater public good.
The University of Kansas Medical Center is an integral and unique component of the University of Kansas and the Kansas Board of Regents system. It is composed of:
• School of Medicine – Kansas City, Wichita and Salina campuses
• School of Nursing
• School of Allied Health
The KU Medical Center trains professionals to meet a wide range of health needs in Kansas – from the critical need for primary care and prevention to the urgent need for highly innovative and specialized clinical care. Further, the Medical Center produces medical scientists who are essential for basic and translational research, supplying the state’s bioscience and biotech workforce and creating economic development. The KU Medical Center serves people throughout the State of Kansas and the region, in rural as well as urban areas. The programs of the KU Medical Center are comprehensive and maintain the high scholarship and academic excellence upon which the University’s reputation is based. The KU Medical Center’s mission is to create an environment for:
Education. The KU Medical Center educates health care professionals to primarily serve the needs of Kansas as well as the region and the nation. The Medial Center offers high-quality educational experiences to a diverse student population through a full range of undergraduate, graduate, professional, postdoctoral and continuing education programs.
Research. The KU Medical Center strives to advance the health sciences though internationally recognized research programs in strong basic, clinical, and translational sciences, as well as drug discovery, health services research and public health.
Patient Care. The KU Medical Center provides exceptional patient care with a focus on quality care and outcomes through hands-on student training, residency programs, affiliations with hospitals and clinics throughout the state, Telemedicine and Telehealth consultations, and student- and faculty-operated clinics to care for the underserved and uninsured.
Service. The KU Medical Center serves the citizens of Kansas, the region and the nation by developing, implementing and promoting model health care programs, and though numerous charitable, philanthropic and mission-oriented endeavors.
The University of Kansas is a comprehensive research and teaching university that serves as a center for learning, scholarship, and creative endeavor. Since 1909, KU has held membership in the esteemed Association of American Universities (AAU), a distinction held by only 71 distinguished public and private universities. Across its five campuses (Lawrence, Kansas City, Overland Park, Wichita, and Salina), KU enrolls nearly 30,000 students and awards over 7,000 degrees and certificates annually.
Mission Statement:
We educate leaders, build healthy communities, and make discoveries that change the world.
KU Lawrence-Edwards Vision:
To be an exceptional learning community that lifts each member and advances society.
KU Medical Center Vision:
To improve lives and communities in Kansas through innovation in education, research, and health care.
University Values:
The acronym "IRISE" spells out the first letter of each of the university's five values:
- Integrity
- Respect
- Innovation
- Stewardship
- Excellence
University Metrics:
Education
- Student enrollment
- Retention rate
- Graduation rate
- Average student debt
Service
- Economic impact
- Community perception
- Service to the state
- Workplace diversity
Research
- Research Expenditures
- Recognition of Faculty Excellence
- Scholarly Activity
Pittsburg State University, a comprehensive regional university, provides undergraduate and graduate programs and services to the people of southeast Kansas, but also to others who seek the benefits offered. This is accomplished by the unique combination of academic programs in the four colleges of the University Arts and Sciences, Business, Education and Technology. The University is equally committed to fulfilling its statewide mission in technology and economic development by facilitating partnerships with secondary and postsecondary educational institutions, businesses and industries.
The University supports an organizational and interpersonal structure that actively encourages individuals to achieve their potential. The University provides programs and services that create opportunities for students and other individuals to develop intellectually, ethically, aesthetically, emotionally, socially and physically. The University provides intellectual leadership and multicultural experiences that contribute to the preservation of the heritage of the region and the enhancement of its inhabitants. Finally, the University recognizes the world as interdependent and, thus, seeks to promote a broad and interactive international perspective.
The University fulfills the traditional academic missions of teaching, scholarship and service. Excellence in teaching is the primary focus of the University. The University recognizes that active scholarship and creativity add vitality to teaching, expand and refine the knowledge base and are instrumental to the professional development of the faculty and staff. Programs of professional and community service promote and strengthen University endeavors. Pittsburg State University fosters a campus culture of assessment and accountability that supports strategic planning and the continuous improvement of its academic programs and administrative processes.
