About

Who are we?

The Central Kansas Cooperative in Education provides special education services for twelve school districts in Central Kansas. It covers over 4,000 square miles and serves a school population of over 14,200 in preschool through grade 12. It provides special education services to approximately 2,931 exceptional students with a staff of 620.

It began as a federal demonstration project, The Central Kansas Diagnostic and Remedial Education Center. In 1971, twelve districts drew up a cooperative agreement to band together to provide special education services. Under this agreement, USD 305 was designated as the sponsoring district. As such, it represents the CKCIE in meeting the legal requirements as set forth in the state laws pertaining to cooperatives and all fiscal matters are managed through USD 305.
The governing body is the Board of Control which is composed of the twelve district superintendents. Administrative responsibilities are assumed by the director and assistant director with the assistance of regional coordinators.

Mission

The mission of the Central Kansas Cooperative in Education (CKCIE) is to provide specialized instruction to identified special education students with diverse learning needs and abilities. This is accomplished through partnership and collaboration with families and general education by providing a continuum of services in the least restrictive environment.

Goals

  • To ensure high standards for all special education services to those exceptional students whose unique needs in specific areas cannot be met within general education.

  • To ensure equitable access to the general education curriculum to increase student achievement levels of all students with exceptionalities.

  • To develop a comprehensive professional development program, including the integration of diverse teaching strategies, for licensed and classified personnel based on best practices and current research.

  • To develop and maintain effective support systems, which enable personnel to operate programs at an optimal level (e.g., technical assistance, staff development, supervision, access to information, human and material resources).

  • To provide lawful custodians with information, which enables them to understand and support the implementation of their child's IEP or IFSP.

  • To support innovative educational programs and strategies that lead to the achievement of students with exceptionalities.

  • To provide meaningful transition activities to post secondary work, educational programs, and life activities for all students with disabilities.

  • To facilitate the integration of students with disabilities into supportive general education environments through least restrictive practices.

  • To collaborate with other community agencies in developing and maintaining a continuum of services for exceptional students.

  • To establish data and information collection systems, which will be utilized for future planning.

  • To provide on-going information to the professional community to assist in the development of legislation, regulation, policies, and programs to best serve exceptional students.

Policy on Least Restrictive Environment

It is the belief and policy of the Central Kansas Cooperative in Education, pursuant to state and federal rules and regulations, as well as the Kansas State Board of Education's policy on least restrictive environment, that students with disabilities are to receive their education in a chronologically age appropriate, general education environment to the maximum extent appropriate unless a placement of this type is determined to be inappropriate even with the provision of supplemental aids and services. The determination of appropriate special education programs and services and the extent to which the student will participate in the general education programs shall be determined by the participants of the individualized educational planning meeting and be based on the student's individual needs.
The provision of these services in the Central Kansas Cooperative in Education requires the availability of a full continuum of program options, one of which is inclusion. The Central Kansas Cooperative in Education shall continue to review its delivery system to ascertain if its current continuum of programming options meets the educational and social development needs of all of its students. If program options are lacking in general or special education environments, these options will be made available to serve the individual needs of students as determined through the individualized educational planning meeting process.
It is the belief of the Central Kansas Cooperative in Education that appropriate program options created in both special education and general education will assist in the preparation of both students with disabilities and students without disabilities for integrated community living.

Notice of Nondiscrimination

Unified School District #305 does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. Any person having inquiries concerning Unified School District #305 compliance with the regulations implementing Title VI, ADA, Title IX, or Section 504 is directed to contact the Unified School District #305 Executive Director of Human Resources, P.O. Box 797, Salina, Kansas 67402, 785-309-4726.