Steve Ratzlaff for USD 440 BOE

04/20/2026

ThoughtExchange makes your voice heard on things that matter.

11/08/2023

I want to say THANK YOU to all who supported me in this Board Election. I truly appreciate the trust you have placed in me. The education of your children is not something I take lightly. You will get my best!! THANK YOU again! Once A Dragon Always A Dragon!!

Steve

11/07/2023

When I made the decision to run for the school board, I felt there were big changes coming in Education that could have significant effects on the Halstead/Bentley school system. I simply wanted to be part of preparing our schools for those changes. Somehow, it now feels much bigger than that.

As I looked at the continued move towards school choice I was concerned with what it might mean for smaller districts like Halstead/Bentley. Larger schools can have students come and go but when you look at the scale of operations they will likely be fine. Smaller schools on the other hand could be harmed significantly and irreparably by the push for school choice. Smaller schools in Central Kansas could be impacted even more significantly simply due to the proximity of other schools. Parents don’t have to go far to take their kids to another district. I actually welcome school choice for parents if the parameters are set up properly by the legislature. We should not be afraid to compete for students. It simply means we need to be Excellent as a school system. It means we need to be Excellent academically. It means we need to be Excellent in our Activities. It means we need to be a great place to work. It means we need great facilities. Keep in mind, none of these things are easy. I simply wanted to be part of making that happen. I believe it can happen. It is a large reason why I decided to run for the Board.

When parents look for ways to assess school choices they will look at school performance reports, school rankings etc.. Within those school performance reports are state assessment results. In speaking with a couple of state legislators over the past several months, I visited with one from each side of the aisle. I was told in no uncertain terms schools are being judged in Topeka based on State Assessment scores. There would be a continued push for legislation – statutes etc.. that create some form of accountability. Similar to the Kansas Every Child Can Read Act which institutes a plan to achieve reading at grade level competency by the end of third grade. So as you can see State Assessment results carry a high level of importance. I think most would say State Assessments are a marker, but not the only marker and I would agree. However, with parents using them as a tool for school choice and legislators using them to gage school performance we have to find a way for assessments to fit seamlessly into an overall education process that produces results not only on these assessments, but also in the skill sets of the students
I guess that was the long path to saying the following: (just some thoughts, certainly not all of them)

I believe we will get the greatest return on our dollar, by investing in early childhood education. The better we prepare 3 – 4 yr old Pre-K and K – 3rd grades. The less time we spend reteaching and catching students up in 4th – 12th .
I believe culture is a big part of creating a learning environment. I believe we have an opportunity to create learning culture starting with the early childhood program. A learning culture is a responsibility of the school system. A learning culture is also the responsibility of parents and the communities.

I believe in some cases we need to think about education differently than we have in the past. I love that we have provided specialized reading training for our staff. Should we think about schedules differently in K – 3? Many other thoughts here, but for the sake of time and space will forgo!

Data analysis, curriculum alignment/content, frequent assessments (MTSS system I believe is very good) Processes for adjustments after assessment. Building necessary capacity within classrooms to teach multiple levels of students within each class.

I could go on, but I guess I should just wrap it up – these are all things I spend time thinking about, researching and processing.

These are the types of things that I believe will improve the education process for your children. These are the types of things that I believe will bring excellence to USD 440!

I hope to have earned your vote on Tuesday! I would be honored to serve you on the Board of Education.

I wish to Thank All of you who have given me your support! I am truly thankful for all of you!
Steve

11/05/2023

There has been considerable chatter surrounding a questionnaire that was recently circulated on social media. My initial inclination was to just stay out of it. Given everything that has happened, I decided I needed to respond. I have not had a social media account until recently and the reasons why have only been reinforced over the past week or so. It doesn’t really matter what I say here or how I say it. Someone will read into it something that is not intended. Someone will decide the hidden meaning or will apply the context they wish for their own purposes. However, transparency was discussed many times at the public forum and I believe as a voter you deserve transparency. I was contacted and asked a series of questions last Sunday evening. I was not familiar with the caller who identified themselves as living in the USD 440 school district. I was asked if I would answer some questions. I agreed. The questions were asked and I asked some clarifying questions, and responded. When you are having a conversation with a patron, you assume the conversation is one on one and that patron is looking for a feel regarding where you stand on the concerns they might have. I had no idea, the conversation would be made public, but I guess in today’s world you should always expect the unexpected. Given that I was not told it would be shared, I chose not to share the post on my site. , I do believe as a voter you deserve to know where a candidate stands on the questions that were asked. There are always circumstances that can be thrown out to create an “if this – then what” type of scenario with that being said, I do believe you should know my positions. In General -
1) Would I support masking – distancing or closing of schools if there was a reported resurgence of covid cases. – No
2) Do you support the teaching of critical race theory? – No
3) Do you support the teaching of Social Emotional Learning? – There are some aspects of this curriculum that are positive, but the overall curriculum I am not supportive of – No
4) Do you support having LGBTQ promoting books in the schools – No
5) Do you support school involvement in transitioning kids with Gender Dysphoria -No

If these are issues that will determine how you cast your vote, then you at least have some clarity. I am not a politician and will not answer questions based on what I think will get me elected. I am just me.

It truly disheartens me to see all the bantering back and forth on social media regarding a school board election. The simplest solution will always be to call or email the candidate or Board Member directly and ask the specific questions you want an answer to. You may not always agree, but you should receive an answer. I care deeply about the school system and the communities that support it and I don’t want to see friendships ruined or communities divided over an election.

When Koch Industries moved Missy and I back to Kansas it was an easy choice to return to Halstead to raise our children. We are thrilled that we did. Small towns care for each other regardless of our differences. Missy has 5 generations of family that have lived in Halstead/Bentley area. I have been here since I was a baby and aside from a few years have spent my entire life here. The school system is now and will always be of the greatest importance to me.

For those of you who are asking or questioning whether a school board has a say in curriculum decisions, I would simply suggest you go to the Kansas State Department of Education web site and look under Curricular Standards. www.KSDE.org I think it is clear they do.

I would appreciate your vote on Tuesday!!
Steve

The Kansas State Board of Education at its October meeting received the Kansas State Department of Education’s Annual Report highlighting the state’s educational successes and challenges over the past year. 

11/05/2023

Here are the rest of the questions that were asked as part of the Harvey County Now Questionnaire.

What do you hope to accomplish if elected?

Create and implement a dynamic vision and culture for the education system that prepares students for career, college or other post-secondary aspirations and propels them to be successful contributors to society.

What do you see as the biggest need for USD 440?

I believe it is difficult to accurately answer what the biggest need might be without seeing data trends, visiting with staff, talking with employers and colleges to see what skill sets are lacking. In general, I believe improvements in early childhood education are fundamental to overall school success. I believe staff recruitment and retention are critical. I believe student involvement in activities is fundamental to school success. I believe frequent bench marking and using data analysis to identify and correct weaknesses are key building blocks for student success.

What do you think will be the biggest opportunity for USD 440 during your term, If elected?

The opportunity always exists to become the best. I still believe it is what should drive all of us daily. Advancements in technology will continue to create opportunities for improvement in many aspects of learning. With school choice, the opportunity for growth is very real as well.

The answers above were the responses I gave when the questionnaire was sent back to the Harvey County Now. After returning the questionnaire, I have had some time to look through the school's data regarding state assessment results and do believe the data shows some areas where curriculum needs to be reviewed and possibly adjusted to produce better results.

In Kansas, the Kansas State Department of Education develops and adopts the Academic and Curricular standards. These standards are a guideline for school districts to use to help develop their own curriculum. Since local school districts are responsible for developing their own curriculum adjustments can be made quickly as testing data indicates the need.

You will not cast a more important vote for your children's future than the one you cast in a school board election.

If you have any questions or concerns please don't hesitate to reach out to me. I would be happy to discuss them with you!

Steve

11/03/2023

Recently I was asked to fill out a questionnaire by the Harvey County Now. I have not seen that questionnaire printed in the paper, so thought I would share over the next few days the questions asked and the answers I provided. You could also view the Candidate Forum video that is on the Halstead-Bentley USD #440 school district page. Date - Oct. 18, 2023

1) Why are you running?

I have two nieces and a grandchild currently attending the school system. I have spent the largest percentage of my adult life trying to improve opportunities for the youth in our communities. With this in mind, I have always chosen to get involved in areas of the community where I felt I could make a difference. I believe we are entering a critical time for public education. School choice is becoming a reality and we are at the beginning stages of a very competitive school environment. The performance of all aspects of your school system will be more important than they have ever been. I believe my experience and diverse background would be an asset during these changing times.

What qualifies you for the position?

I believe work background and a history of involvement that lends itself well to serving on the Board of Education. I have worked for both large (Koch Industries, Buzzi Unicem USA) and small (Idaho Timber, Continental Timber) companies in my career and have a very good understanding of system improvement processes, setting expectations, measurement principals and other concepts that define successful organizations.

Served 12 years on the USD #440 Board of Education (1997 - 2009)
Served as President of DragonBackers Booster Club (2009 - 2017)
Founded the Halstead Youth Football Club in 2000 and spent 21 years managing all operations and coaching within the club
Current member of HHS Site Council
Currently serve as Chairman of the Harvey County Drug Free Youth Coalition

Will share more from the questionnaire in the coming days.

I can't imagine anything more important than setting an educational foundation that will last a lifetime for the students of USD #440!

Vote - Nov. 7th!

Steve

10/18/2023

USD # 440 Candidate forum at HHS tonight. 6:00PM start