By Trish Svoboda
The Confidence in Kansas Public Education Task Force has honored 97 schools with the 2023 Challenge Awards, acknowledging their accomplishments during the 2022-23 academic year. These awards represent the outstanding progress made by Kansas schools in enhancing student performance, even while facing substantial obstacles within their student bodies. Since the program’s launch in 2002, over 1,900 awards have been presented to schools throughout Kansas, highlighting their contributions to education.
The Challenge Award acknowledges schools for their exceptional performance and unique achievements, which are determined by Kansas assessment outcomes in mathematics and reading, graduation percentages, rates of chronic absenteeism, and the socio-economic background of the test-takers.
The following is a list of the 2023 Challenge Award Schools:
· McKinley Elementary School, Abilene USD 435
· Roosevelt Elementary School, Arkansas City USD 470
· Robert E. Clark Middle School, Bonner Springs USD 204
· Caldwell Elementary School, Caldwell USD 360
· Caldwell High School, Caldwell USD 360
· Central Plains Elementary School-Holyrood, Central Plains USD 112
· Anthony Elementary School, Chaparral USD 361
· Harper Elementary School, Chaparral USD 361
· Southeast Elementary School, Cherokee USD 247
· Southeast Middle School, Cherokee USD 247
· Chetopa High School, Chetopa-St. Paul USD 505
· St. Paul High School, Chetopa-St. Paul USD 505
· Concordia Middle School, Concordia USD 333
· Deerfield Middle School, Deerfield USD 216
· Dexter Elementary School, Dexter USD 471
· Miller Elementary School, Dodge City USD 443
· Northwest Elementary School, Dodge City USD 443
· Sunnyside Elementary School, Dodge City USD 443
· Blackmore Elementary School, El Dorado USD 490
· Elk Valley Elementary School, Elk Valley USD 283
· Marshall Elementary School, Eureka USD 389
· Galena Middle School, Galena USD 499
· Liberty Elementary School, Galena USD 499
· Buffalo Jones Elementary School, Garden City USD 457
· Charles O. Stones Intermediate Center, Garden City USD 457
· Edith Scheuerman Elementary School, Garden City USD 457
· Georgia Matthews Elementary School, Garden City USD 457
· Victor Ornelas Elementary School, Garden City USD 457
· Moonlight Elementary School, Gardner Edgerton USD 231
· Grandview Elementary School, Geary County USD 475
· Washington Elementary School, Geary County USD 475
· Golden Plains High School, Golden Plains USD 316
· Riley Elementary School, Great Bend USD 428
· Lincoln Elementary School, Hays USD 489
· Hugoton Middle School, Hugoton USD 210
· Lincoln Elementary School, Hutchinson USD 308
· Jefferson Elementary School, Independence USD 446
· Emerson Elementary School, Kansas City USD 500
· Frank Rushton Elementary School, Kansas City USD 500
· John Fiske Elementary School, Kansas City USD 500
· Thomas A Edison Elementary School, Kansas City USD 500
· Lakin Middle School, Lakin USD 215
· Lewis Elementary School, Lewis USD 502
· Lyons Central Elementary School, Lyons USD 405
· Lyons Middle School, Lyons USD 405
· Macksville Elementary School, Macksville USD 351
· Woodrow Wilson Elementary School, Manhattan-Ogden USD 383
· Prairie Heights Elementary School, Morris County USD 417
· Moscow Elementary School, Moscow USD 209
· South Breeze Elementary School, Newton USD 373
· Nickerson Elementary School, Nickerson USD 309
· Long Island Middle School, Northern Valley USD 212
· Westview Elementary School, Olathe USD 233
· Oswego Jr/Sr High School, Oswego USD 504
· Lincoln Elementary School, Ottawa USD 290
· Garfield Elementary School, Parsons USD 503
· Guthridge Elementary School, Parsons USD 503
· Pittsburg Middle School, Pittsburg USD 250
· Westside Elementary School, Pittsburg USD 250
· Pleasanton Elementary School, Pleasanton USD 344
· Remington Middle School, Remington-Whitewater USD 206
· Rock Hills Jr/Sr High School, Rock Hills USD 107
· Rolla Jr/Sr High School, Rolla USD 217
· Cottonwood Elementary School, Salina USD 305
· Lakewood Middle School, Salina USD 305
· Comanche Elementary School, Shawnee Mission USD 512
· Shawanoe Elementary School, Shawnee Mission USD 512
· Glasco Elementary School, Southern Cloud USD 334
· Sublette Elementary School, Sublette USD 374
· Chase Middle School, Topeka USD 501
· Marjorie French Middle School, Topeka USD 501
· McCarter Elementary School, Topeka USD 501
· McEachron Elementary School, Topeka USD 501
· Quincy Elementary School, Topeka USD 501
· Scott Dual Language Magnet, Topeka USD 501
· State Street Elementary School, Topeka USD 501
· Whitson Elementary School, Topeka USD 501
· Junction Elementary School, Turner USD 202
· Midland Trail Elementary School, Turner USD 202
· Tescott Elementary School, Twin Valley USD 240
· Lakeside Elementary School, Waconda USD 272
· Lakeside Jr/Sr High School, Waconda USD 272
· Lincoln Elementary School, Wellington USD 353
· Allison Traditional Magnet Middle School, Wichita USD 259
· Cleaveland Traditional Magnet Elementary School, Wichita USD 259
· Earhart Environmental Magnet Elementary School, Wichita USD 259
· Enterprise Elementary School, Wichita USD 259
· Franklin Elementary School, Wichita USD 259
· Horace Mann Dual Language Magnet, Wichita USD 259
· Kensler Elementary School, Wichita USD 259
· Mayberry Cultural and Fine Arts Magnet, Wichita USD 259
· McLean Science and Technology Magnet Elementary School, Wichita USD 259
· Minneha Core Knowledge Elementary School, Wichita USD 259
· Pleasant Valley Middle School, Wichita USD 259
· Price-Harris Communications Magnet Elementary School, Wichita USD 259
