The Achievement & Assessment Institute at KU

Since 2021, the Center for Public Partnerships & Research at AAI has supported the Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Kansas through partnership with the Kansas Children's Cabinet.

In 2023, thanks in large part to the dedicated efforts of many local affiliates, the program achieved statewide coverage, making free, high-quality books available to every Kansas child from birth to age five. 📖

To celebrate this milestone, Kansas welcomed Dolly Parton for a special in-person visit on August 14, 2023. ✨

August 14 is now celebrated every year as Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Kansas Day, honoring the program's lasting impact on children and families across the state.

🎉 We invite YOU to celebrate Dolly's vision and nurture a love of reading in all Kansas kids! Here are some suggestions to get you started:

📚 Read with a child.
📌 Share this message so that more families learn about the program.
📱 Talk to a friend, family member, or neighbor with a child under five who might not yet be enrolled.
🌳 Visit a Story Adventure trail. Embark on an outdoor journey through the magic of storytelling at four state parks in Kansas: Clinton, El Dorado, Milford, and Wilson.

Details: kschildrenscabinet.gov/imaginationlibrary/parent-resources/story-adventures

💻 Visit the of Kansas webpage to get involved: kschildrenscabinet.gov/imaginationlibrary

Supporting first responders and the communities they serve requires solutions that put people first.

AAI creates conditions for change through data, technology, and strategic partnerships that help support the people who show up in moments of crisis and strengthen the communities that rely on them.

Learn more about how AAI supports first responders across Kansas.

Transforming supports for Kansas first responders In moments of crisis and in the daily work of helping communities stay safe, emergency responders are often the first line of care across Kansas. Strengthening that work requires systems, tools, and strategies that help communities prepare for what’s ahead.

⏰ There's still time to visit Kansas museums, zoos, and more for FREE!

🌻 Sunflower Summer has been extended through Saturday, August 8. Get out and make the most of these last days of summer break!

Visit sunflowersummer.org or the Sunflower Summer app to plan your adventure.

Kansas is helping shape the national conversation on early childhood governance.

A recent case study from the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center at Vanderbilt University examines how Kansas leaders spent more than two decades working across sectors and political lines to strengthen the state’s early childhood system, culminating in the launch of the Kansas Office of Early Childhood on July 1.

The study explores the evolution of Kansas’ governance structure, highlighting best practices, challenges, lessons learned, and considerations for the future. As part of the research, 10 Kansas early childhood leaders were interviewed, including Sara Gardner, assistant director of the Center for Public Partnerships & Research, and Jackie Counts, chief operating officer of The Achievement & Assessment Institute at KU.

Their insights helped inform the study’s exploration of how Kansas brought most of its early childhood programs under one office and what other states can learn from the process.

🔵 cppr.ku.edu/news/article/kansas-early-childhood-leaders-contribute-to-national-governance-study

A major milestone for Kansans! 🌻
The creation of the KOEC represents years of dedicated effort across organizations and agencies in support of a more connected, streamlined system for Kansas families and providers.
"Families don't experience services one agency at a time. They experience them as a system, and the creation of the KOEC is an important step toward building a system that helps ensure every Kansas child has an opportunity to thrive." -Jackie Counts, COO of AAI

Sunflower Summer has begun! 🌻 Download the app and discover that the best learning happens when you're having fun.

Sunflower Summer is back for 2026! 🌻

All Kansas K-12 students are again eligible for free admission to a variety of attractions, including museums, zoos, and more, from July 9 to August 2.

In 2021, the Center for Public Partnerships & Research (CPPR) at AAI partnered with the Kansas State Department of Education and others to transform national pandemic relief funding into fun, educational enrichment opportunities to benefit both students and businesses negatively impacted by the pandemic.

CPPR and its program partners demonstrated remarkable flexibility and creativity in launching the new Sunflower Summer program, from navigating funding requirements and coordinating venues statewide to developing an app and promoting the initiative.

AAI strives to strengthen systems that support learning, and we believe learning should be fun.

Visit sunflowersummer.org to plan your summer of fun! 🌞

A recent case study from the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center at Vanderbilt University examines how Kansas leaders spent more than two decades working across sectors and political lines to strengthen the state’s early childhood system, culminating in the launch of the Kansas Office of Early Childhood on July 1.

As part of the research, Jackie Counts, chief operating officer of The Achievement & Assessment Institute at KU, was selected as one of 10 Kansas early childhood leaders interviewed for the study.

“Kansas has created new opportunities to better serve children and families,” Counts said. “The lessons learned here can help inform what comes next in our state and in others.”

The study explores the evolution of Kansas’ governance structure, highlighting best practices, challenges, lessons learned and considerations for the future. It also features perspectives from Sara Gardner, assistant director of the Center for Public Partnerships & Research, and other leaders who have helped advance early childhood systems across the state.

Kansas Early Childhood Leaders Contribute to National Governance Study CPPR, contributed to a national case study on early childhood governance conducted by the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center at Vanderbilt University.

Healthier first responders = Safer Kansas communities

Through expanded access to mental health training, hundreds of first responders are gaining practical tools to better identify and address signs of mental health and substance abuse challenges in others while also building skills to manage their own well-being and resilience.

Learn more about how AAI supports first responders across Kansas.

Transforming supports for Kansas first responders In moments of crisis and in the daily work of helping communities stay safe, emergency responders are often the first line of care across Kansas. Strengthening that work requires systems, tools, and strategies that help communities prepare for what’s ahead.

Sunflower Summer is back for 2026! 🌻

All Kansas K-12 students are again eligible for free admission to a variety of attractions, including museums, zoos, and more, from July 9 to August 2.

In 2021, the Center for Public Partnerships & Research (CPPR) at AAI partnered with the Kansas State Department of Education and others to transform national pandemic relief funding into fun, educational enrichment opportunities to benefit both students and businesses negatively impacted by the pandemic.

CPPR and its program partners demonstrated remarkable flexibility and creativity in launching the new Sunflower Summer program, from navigating funding requirements and coordinating venues statewide to developing an app and promoting the initiative.

AAI strives to strengthen systems that support learning, and we believe learning should be fun.

Visit sunflowersummer.org to plan your summer of fun! 🌞