Kansas State University

KSRE Signature Programs—What are They and What are the Expectations?

Submitted by Extension Programming Team

Providing educational programming that addresses the critical issues of Kansans is the most important goal for K-State Research and Extension. We have a long history of providing well-established programs that make significant, documented impacts that improve the lives, livelihoods and communities in Kansas.

In the next program year, we are launching KSRE Signature Programs. They are focused programs that address a priority issue in many local units. To maximize the reach and effectiveness in the state, these should be programs delivered and evaluated by agents (sometimes in collaboration with specialists or others), under the guidance of a PFT.

The Signature Program effort is an intentional strategy to help KSRE better publicize the organization’s ability to carry out its mission. This effort will focus on establishing and promoting the impacts and relevance of KSRE to all Kansas residents, legislators, and key stakeholder groups to strengthen perceptions of Extension’s capacity to respond rapidly to critical needs and demonstrate significant impacts.

Signature Programs are not meant to negate other equally important Extension programs, but will serve as an opportunity to:

• Focus on the most relevant, timely, key issues via greater emphasis on in-depth program delivery and evaluation
• Capitalize on innovative ideas, materials, and/or methods
• Communicate significant impacts of KSRE statewide programs
• Elevate the status and perceptions of KSRE as a dynamic educational entity; and
• Promote high-quality Extension programming across the state.

At the recent PFT leader summer retreat, the Program Leader Coordinators, Laurie Chandler and Paula Peters, presented this information and asked that PFTs work on identifying a signature program for the upcoming program year. Your leaders have the guidelines and the template to help do this.

What are the expectations this year and in the future? We know that deadlines come up really fast, especially this time of year. Since this is the first year, we will understand if all PFTs don’t make the usual action plan deadline of August 1 for these Signature plans, but we hope that most will. We also know that agents will be pulling together their plans for next year soon, so if the Signature Programs and their evaluation tools are in PEARS soon enough to be selected, the more likely they will be to be used broadly across the state or region.

Here is a checklist that might be of help: (Reminder… deadlines are a little flexible this first year)

•       PFTs submit one or more Signature Program Action Plan(s) into PEARS by August 1
•       PFTs submit an evaluation instrument related to each Signature Program Action Plan into PEARS by October 1
•       Agents select one or more Signature Program(s) (from any PFT… doesn’t have to be the one you are a member of) soon after October 1
•       Agents implement and evaluate the Signature Program(s) during the program year and enter evaluation data into PEARS by October 1 of the next program year
•       PFTs submit a Making a Difference impact report for each Signature Program by November 1 of the next program year

What about your other programming? Rock on and continue as usual!! We know each PFT has great action plans and evaluation tools for a much broader spectrum of programming. That will continue as core programming. We also know that some teams have identified some programs to be pilot programs and you may be involved in testing out some innovative ideas!

The Program Leader Coordinators, Laurie and Paula, are here to answer your questions and to give you some support in identifying what might be a Signature for your team. Give any of us a call!!