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Air Force
School Liaison
53200 Parsons Street
Bldg. 337
McConnell AFB, KS 67221-3606
316-759-3326
312-743-3326
Contact information for key programs and services at this installation.
Each installation provides information about the types of schools and programs offered on or near your installation for your child. Learn about the types of programs, guidelines and requirements for each school. Whether you choose to send your child to a Department of Defense School, a private school or public school, your installation can help you explore all of your options to make the right decision for you and your child.
The McConnell AFB area offers a wide range of educational opportunities and options. If you live on base, your children will attend the Derby Unified School District (USD) 260. Wineteer Elementary is located adjacent to base housing. Students in grades 6-12 living in base housing are bused to Derby North Middle School and Derby High School.
The McConnell area offers a wide range of educational opportunities and options. If you live on base, your children will attend schools in Derby Unified School District (USD) 260. Wineteer elementary school is located adjacent to base housing and is within the Derby School District boundaries. North Middle School and High School students living in base housing are bused to the Derby Middle and High Schools. For information on other public and private schools in the local area please contact the School Liaison Officer at the Child Development Center at 316-759-3326 or 22fss.slo@us.af.mil.
Public School Districts:
State law states that a child must be 5 years old as of 1 September to enter Kindergarten and 6 years old to enter first grade. Kansas also requires an Individual Education Plan (IEP) for all students requesting placement in both special needs and advanced classes. Kansas is a signer of the Military Child Education Compact which, in some cases, offers accommodations for military children. There are several public school districts in the McConnell area. For district specifics, such as demographics, graduation requirements, and course offerings, please visit the websites for each specific district.
Public School Districts
Andover-USD 385: (Phone: 316-218-4660) The Andover Public School District has an enrollment of approximately 4,800 students attending six elementary schools, two middle and two high schools. The district offers high school students Advanced Placement courses and Dual Credit courses through its partnership with Butler Community College.
Derby-USD 260: (Phone: 316-788-8460) The Derby Public Schools serve more than 6,500 students, including residents of base housing. There are nine elementary schools, a sixth grade center, a middle school, a high school, and an alternative high school setting. Derby offers the nationally recognized Project Lead the Way curriculum in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) as well as Advanced Placement courses.
Haysville-USD 261: (Phone: 316-554-2200) The Haysville School System has more than 5,000 students enrolled in six elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school and four special facilities. Their specialty schools include Haysville Alternative High School, Learning by Design Virtual Charter School, and Tri-City Day School (a cooperative effort between Derby, Haysville and Mulvane schools to meet the diverse emotional and mental health needs of their K-12 students).
Maize-USD 266: (Phone: 316-462-8800) The Maize School District has one K-5 elementary, one K-1 elementary, and two 2-5 elementary schools; two middle schools; two high schools; and one alternative high school. USD 266 currently allows students and parents to submit a preference for which of the two high schools they would like to attend. Both offer Advanced Placement courses and a wide variety of activities.
Mulvane-USD 263: (Phone: 316-777-1102) USD 263 is home to approximately 1,900 students. They attend one primary school (K-2), one grade school (3-5), one middle school (6-8), and one high school (9-12). The Mulvane School District also sponsors a charter school, Mulvane Academy, for students who have not flourished in a traditional setting. Mulvane Academy has a total enrollment of 20 students, allowing for one-on-one instruction.
Rose Hill-USD 394: (Phone: 316-776-3300) Rose Hill is a district with one primary school (grades K-2), one intermediate school (grades 3-5), a middle school (grades 6-8), and a high school (grades 9-12). USD 394 has an enrollment of approximately 1,700 students. The school system is excited about its technology in the classroom, including laptops, Smartboards and, most recently, the IPod Touch.
Wichita-USD 259: (Phone: 316-973-5130) The Wichita Public School District is the largest school district in Kansas with an enrollment of more than 50,000 students. There are 56 elementary schools, 16 middle schools, two K-8 schools, 10 high schools and 16 other special program locations. USD 259 offers 26 magnet programs: 19 elementary school, two K-8, four middle school, and one high school. USD 259 also offers alternative schools and special programs. One special program is the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. There is a Pre-IB program for grades 6-8 at Robinson Middle and an IB program at East High for grades 9-12. For information on all magnet, alternative and special programs please visit the district website.
Goddard-USD 265: (Phone: 316-794-4000) Goddard Public Schools serves more than 5,800 students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. Equipment and facilities are continuously upgraded, keeping our students on the cutting edge of technological advancements giving them an advantage in both collegiate and vocational settings. Goddard Public Schools is a rapidly-growing district. Based upon the number of houses under construction and new subdivisions on the drawing board, we anticipate rapid growth to continue for several years. This growth has led to significant expansion of district facilities in recent years.
Valley Center-USD 262: (Phone: 316-755-7000) Valley Center USD is a 5-A suburban school district just north of Wichita off of I-135. The district has a student population of approximately 3,000 in grades K-12, plus an alternative/degree completion high school. There is one pre-kindergarten through 4th grade building, two kindergarten through 4th grade buildings, one 5-6th grade intermediate school, one 7-8th grade middle school and one 9-12th grade comprehensive high school.
There are a number of private schools in Wichita. The Kansas State Department of Education provides lists of private schools accredited by the state and non-accredited private schools. They are available on the Kansas Department of Education website.
There are numerous private schools in the Wichita area, both parochial and secular. It is strongly recommended that you research schools you are considering and validate their credentials and accreditation. It is always a good idea to visit the campus. Visit and meet with a representative before you make any financial commitments. You should ask for information on financial aid, including any military discounts. As with public schools, there are no recommendations for any particular school. The Kansas Department of Education does list state-accredited private schools on their website. The list of schools is included below. Also included are a list of other private schools in the area and a list of KSDE-recognized accrediting agencies to help you get started on your research.
PRIVATE SCHOOLS ACCREDITED BY KSDE:
PRIVATE SCHOOLS ACCREDITED BY OTHER AGENCIES:
RECOGNIZED K-12 ACCREDITING AGENCIES:
This list is to help you get started. There may be additional schools out there and you can use search engines such as Google to further your research. Please remember to check their accreditation. This will be essential for college-bound students, who should attend an accredited high school program in order to have an easy transition to college.
All homeschools are considered Non-Accredited Private Schools in Kansas. Kansas does not specifically authorize “home schools” or “homeschooling.” Therefore, you are required by law to register the name and address of the private school (homeschool) with the Kansas State Board of Education. The form is available online.
In Kansas, special education services are offered to homeschool families by their local public school. In addition, many Kansas schools will accept homeschoolers for some classes at their local public school if they wish to enroll in specific courses.
Some local school districts have an online schooling option and there are some online schools in which you can enroll your child.
McConnell AFB also currently has a Homeschool Support Group that typically meets once per month and some special Homeschooler opportunities through the base library.
Other Things To KnowAs you decide where to live, it is important to know that according to Kansas State law, students who live 2.5 miles or less from their school must walk or provide their own transportation to school. Only students who live 2.5 or more miles away will be provided transportation. Most districts in the area have an "address locator" where you can type in an address and it will tell you what school your child would attend. Check the district website for that or a boundary map.
Most Kansas schools charge fees ranging from around $50 at the elementary school level to around $300 at the high school level per year. The school will ask for these fees when you enroll, but if you cannot pay the fees all at once, just let them know you will pay it as you can. Depending on your income, fees will also be lower for families who qualify for free and reduced lunch.
Educational opportunities on McConnell include classes through Butler Community College, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and Wichita State University. In addition to college opportunities, the education office provides counseling, testing, Professional Military Education, tuition assistance, commissioning programs, Community College of the Air Force, SkillBridge program, some spousal/dependent support, MyEducation TAP workshop, and offers briefings to units upon request.
The School Liaison Officer for McConnell Air Force Base is available to assist you in matters concerning school-age children and school-related concerns. Please contact the School Liaison Officer at (316) 759-3326 or 22fss.slo@us.af.mil.
Virtual School
There are a growing number of virtual schooling options available. Virtual schools are online courses. Many Kansas school districts are now offering virtual education.
Other Things To Know
As you decide where to live, it is important to know that according to Kansas State law, students who live 2.5 miles or less from their school must walk or provide their own transportation to school. Only students who live 2.5 or more miles away will be provided transportation. Most districts in the area have an "address locator" where you can type in an address and it will tell you what school your child would attend. Check the district website for that or a boundary map.