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Topeka Public Schools Unified School District 501 board meeting, Sep 17, 2026

2 h 08 min · 0 public speakers

Chronic absenteeism ▶ 42:08Phones in school ▶ 1:44:55

This board doesn’t post agenda times. Click a board member to jump to where they first speak; we list only members whose voice our check named. Video length 2 h 08 min.

  1. Who spoke · first speaks at
  7. Lalo MuñozBoard member
What happened

What happened at this meeting

Topeka school board hears chronic absenteeism report, approves consent items 1:01:00

  • The board also heard a Hispanic Heritage Month proclamation, recognized a September Senior of the Month and heard an update on phone rules at Topeka High. 35:03
  • The board approved the items of business by consent unanimously after Dr. C. Richard Bonebrake asked about 10 teachers attending a National Council of Teachers of Math conference. 1:01:24
  • The board heard a superintendent's report that began with chronic absenteeism, including a presentation from Landon staff and a district overview of how the rate is measured. 1:05:52
  • A Landon staff member said the school's chronic absenteeism rate fell from 28.9% in 2021⁠-⁠22 to 12.7% last year and that the school's goal is 10% or less. 1:07:13
Item by item (9)
  1. Executive sessions and opening business 0:00
    • A motion was made to recess into executive session for 15 minutes to discuss matters related to the district's school security plan. 0:00
    • Dr. Randall Schumacher moved to recess into executive session for 15 minutes to discuss confidential personnel matters, with a return to open session at 6:03 PM. 15:08
    • A student led the Pledge of Allegiance after the board returned from executive session. 32:17
    • The motion to recess for the security discussion and the motion to adopt the agenda as presented each carried unanimously. 0:55
  2. Hispanic Heritage Month proclamation 33:53
    • District staff read a proclamation declaring September 15th through October 15th, 2026, as Hispanic Heritage Month, and a staff member said the district has 1,215 active EL students and expanded services to McEachern Elementary and virtual school. 35:03
    • Keith Tatum asked whether the district still has a significant population of students from Ukraine, and a staff member said that population has decreased. 40:03
    • Dr. C. Richard Bonebrake asked about the most common difficulty in getting children back in school, and a family liaison said it is usually that they missed the bus. 42:37
  3. Senior of the Month recognition 43:57
    • A Topeka High School senior was recognized as September Senior of the Month. 46:32
    • Board members asked the student about getting involved in high school, the Link Crew program and future plans. 49:18
  4. Public communications and consent agenda 1:00:42
    • Dr. Ashley Beason said there were no public communications. 1:00:42
    • Dr. C. Richard Bonebrake asked about the cost of sending teachers to a National Council of Teachers of Math conference, and a staff member said it is about $1,800 a person. 1:01:24
    • Lalo Muñoz asked about services from Phoenix Home Care and Hospice, and a staff member said the agency provides one-on-one nurses for children with very significant physical needs. 1:04:12
    • The motion to approve the items of business by consent carried unanimously. 1:01:00
  5. Chronic absenteeism report 1:05:52
    • A Landon staff member said the school's chronic absenteeism rate went from 28.9% in 2021⁠-⁠22 to 12.7% last year and set a goal of 10% or less. 1:07:13
    • A district staff member said the federal definition of chronic absenteeism is missing 10% or more of school days, about 18 days a year, and that the district attendance rate was 92.1% last year. 1:24:36
    • A district staff member said the national average is about 24% and that 10 of the district's 12 elementaries are below it. 1:30:01
  6. Cell phone policy update 1:44:55
    • Lalo Muñoz asked for a high school perspective on how the cell phone rules were going. ~1:45:35
    • A Topeka High staff member said the school is taking about 10 devices a day and that the rollout has gone well with relatively few issues. 1:45:56
  7. College trip update 1:48:58
    • A staff member said high school and middle school students went on the first college trip of the year, visiting 2 colleges. 1:48:58
  8. Parent and family engagement policy 1:50:05
    • A presenter described a new policy and regulation on parent and family engagement, which is required for Title I schools and includes 7 components. 1:50:30
    • A staff member said the item would come back at the next board meeting for approval. 1:51:59
  9. Board member comments 1:52:03
    • Dr. C. Richard Bonebrake said the district will probably be looking for competitive bids on health insurance in a year and a half to 2 years instead of having a 30% increase. 1:52:53
    • Dr. Randall Schumacher said the health insurance committee discussed controlling prescription costs, possibly through another provider or self-insurance. 1:54:32
    • A board member reported that 8 schools have no vacancies and that 3 students from a Washburn job fair signed up as substitutes. ~1:57:04

Written by software from the meeting's transcript and checked sentence by sentence against it.

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Video: posted by the district as “Board of Education 9-17-2026”