Governor Signs Kansas Library Homework Legislation

The State Library is pleased to announce that on May 24, Governor Sebelius signed legislation in the final step to provide funding for HomeworkKansas, an online service to connect kids with tutors for homework help. The service will be available in mid-August for after-school use through Kansas libraries and home computers.

HomeworkKansas has one mission – to connect Kansas students with a live tutor in one-on-one homework sessions. Sessions are conducted online via the internet and a computer located in a public library or in the student’s home. The tutors are all subject experts and student and tutor are matched by grade level and homework topic. Tutoring sessions take place in an online classroom via chat and an online whiteboard. The service will be offered seven days a week, from 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., after schools close for the day and when students are doing their homework. The tutoring sessions will be available in both English and Spanish.

The State Library will begin plans for rolling out HomeworkKansas in the near future with a kick-off planned for mid-August. Before that time, there will be training opportunities for library staff to familiarize themselves with the product, and we plan to provide maximum publicity about the upcoming availability of the service. We will also be asking you for help in spreading the word to your community or school about the program so that every student is ready to use this wonderful service when schools open in the fall.

HomeworkKansas is a product of Tutor.com, and was an enhancement in the State Library’s budget request for FY 2007 and a priority item in KLA legislative agenda. The initiative was supported early on by the Governor and generally received warm support by Kansas legislators. As is true with many new initiatives, the HomeworkKansas request was moved to the omnibus bill and to consideration in the latter days of the session. Legislators remained supportive and it survived the omnibus process and moved to the Governor’s desk. Special thanks goes to KLA and all those who advocated for this important online service.

If you have questions about the project, please feel free to email me at marcg@kslib.info or call 785-296-2146.