11-5-2026 Board of Education

The November 5, 2026 Topeka Public Schools Board of Education meeting included a presentation on the district’s substitute-staffing partnership with Edustaff. The staffing representatives described efforts to expand the substitute pool—currently about 200, with a goal of doubling it—and work toward a 90% fill rate, including recruiting retirees and offering benefits. The board discussed the district’s coverage needs, but no contract award, spending authorization, or procurement-related vote was identified. The meeting also recognized students and staff, including Topeka West’s reported 98% graduation rate, and heard routine board and policy updates.

City of Topeka officials briefed the board on tax increment financing (TIF), reinvestment housing incentive districts (RHID), and related development incentives. They described plans for earlier developer discussions with the district and proposed formalizing that engagement in city procedures. The district’s latest audit estimated approximately $1.4 million in property taxes were not distributed because of tax abatements; officials also reviewed examples of incentive-backed development projects and their reimbursement caps. No action or vote on those incentives occurred at this meeting.