The Kansas Board of Regents took a needed, albeit modest, step toward helping more students succeed in college and improving the reputations of the state’s public universities. It approved new college admission standards that will apply to freshmen entering high school in 2011. In order to attend one of the six regents universities, high school graduates will have to complete a new, tougher college curriculum with at least a 2.0 grade-point average. In addition, the students will have to either be in the top third of their class or have a minimum 21 ACT score or 980 SAT. Currently, high school graduates must meet only one of three requirements: complete a pre-college curriculum, get the same ACT or SAT scores, or rank in the top third of their class. The higher standards will help ensure more students are ready for college and, hopefully, that more kids will work harder in high school.
Tim Shallenburger was called a lot of things during his time as a Kansas House speaker and state treasurer — including strong, fair, pragmatic, blunt and funny. But “bipartisan”? Yet the statement announcing Gov.-elect Sam Brownback’s selection of Shallenburger to be legislative liaison said he was “known for his ability to work in a collegial and bipartisan fashion.” While praising Shallenburger, Topeka Capital-Journal columnist Ric Anderson Follow us
