Lansing USD 469 has earned statewide recognition for its commitment to literacy instruction after being selected by the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) as one of only four Kansas school districts invited to present at the 2026 Great Ideas in Education Conference in Wichita on the topic of Structured Literacy.
The invitation came after KSDE recognized the district's exemplary work implementing Structured Literacy during Lansing's Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) process. As state leaders worked alongside the district throughout accreditation, they identified Lansing's intentional approach to literacy instruction as a model worthy of sharing with educators from across Kansas.
During the conference, Director of Teaching and Learning Miles Azzeh joined educational leaders from Halstead, Maize, and Kismet-Plains to discuss how their districts have successfully implemented Structured Literacy and built sustainable systems that support student learning.
For Azzeh, the opportunity reflected years of collaborative work by Lansing teachers, instructional leaders, and administrators.
"Our goal is to make sure that every educator has the knowledge base they need," Azzeh told conference attendees. "Now the next step is professional collaboration, getting teacher teams together to talk about what we've learned, how we're implementing it in our classrooms, and how we know it's making a difference for students."
Structured Literacy is an evidence-based approach to reading instruction grounded in the Science of Reading. Kansas has made the implementation of Structured Literacy a statewide priority to strengthen literacy outcomes for all students by requiring all elementary educators to earn the Kansas Seal of Literacy in the Science of Reading and Structured Literacy by July 2028.
Lansing USD 469 has already surpassed that benchmark, with 100% of its elementary teachers earning the Kansas Seal of Literacy two years ahead of the state deadline.
Although Azzeh's professional background is in secondary English Language Arts and Social Studies, he shared that learning more about the Science of Reading transformed his understanding of literacy instruction.
"I love reading," Azzeh said. "But I didn't think about the implications of not teaching reading correctly. When I came to Lansing, I quickly realized our teachers and instructional coaches were already doing so many of the right things. The foundation was already here, and our work became building on that strong base."
Over the past several years, Lansing USD 469 has prioritized professional learning in Structured Literacy, ensuring educators across grade levels receive high-quality training while creating opportunities for collaboration through Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). The district has also embedded Structured Literacy into curriculum review, instructional walkthroughs, and ongoing professional learning to ensure the work remains sustainable.
Rather than viewing the initiative as a one-time training, district leaders have focused on creating systems that continuously improve instruction.
"We can't put this on a shelf," Azzeh said during the panel discussion. "This is our chance to put what we've learned into practice. We all have the knowledge base now, and together we're making sure effective literacy instruction is happening in every classroom."
As Lansing USD 469 continues its literacy journey, the district remains committed to collaborating, learning, and sharing best practices, not only for the benefit of Lansing students, but for schools across Kansas.