Why a Homeschool Mom Is Running for Kansas State Board of Education | Alana McWilliams
- Alana McWilliams for SBOE
- 6 hours ago
- 4 min read
"But she homeschools."
Yep. I do.
I also just spent the day at the Capitol for Literacy Day advocating for every Kansas kid... including the ones whose parents can't cut out the middleman.
Here's the thing, I didn't start homeschooling because I gave up on public education. I started because I spent years fighting a system that kept stalling while my kids' window was closing.
That urgency is exactly why I'm running.
I homeschool because it's my job to ensure MY kids are learning. I'm running for the State Board to ensure YOURS are too!
Here's my speech from this January: https://youtu.be/VikqbakdHN8
Strong Readers.
Strong Families.
Strong Kansas.
Why are you running for the Kansas State Board of Education?
I'm running because too many Kansas students are not reading at grade level, and families deserve transparency, accountability, and a focus on what works. As a parent who has navigated the special education process firsthand, I understand both the urgency of the problem and the importance of practical solutions. You can check out how your school in District 7 is performing here.
Do you homeschool your children?
Yes. I began homeschooling after years of advocating for my children's educational needs through the special education process. We watched for years as their skills gap continue to widen. I saw firsthand the downstream effects of struggling to read: anxiety, bullying, loss of confidence, and difficulty simply walking into school each day.
We were fortunate to have caring, dedicated teachers who genuinely wanted to help. We paid to train teachers. But good intentions alone were not enough. My children needed targeted intervention from a private specialist trained in structured literacy, because methodology matters and we had the means to take the financial hit.
We chose homeschooling so are child could receive the intensive instruction they needed while there was still time to change their trajectory. The fundamentals matter! That experience taught me an important lesson. When students struggle, urgency matters, and using methods that are proven to work matters.
Most Kansas students attend public schools, and those students deserve every opportunity to succeed too. That's why I'm running... to help ensure every child has access to effective instruction before small gaps become lifelong challenges.
If you homeschool, why do you care about public education?
Public education serves the vast majority of Kansas children and is one of the most important responsibilities of state government. We spend nearly 60% of the state budget on education. Every child deserves access to effective instruction regardless of where the live and if their parents have the means to pay. We spend almost double the rate of private schools for lower outcomes. We need State Board Members who understand that behind every failing statistic are thousands of kids and families who need support.
Do homeschool families have a voice on the Kansas State Board of Education?
Absolutely. Parents bring valuable perspectives to education policy. The State Board benefits when it includes members with diverse experiences, including parents, educators, business leaders, and community advocates who are focused on student success.
We've also had no shortage of credentials and fancy degress on the State Board of Education, and we've watched the greatest decline in student performance over the past decades. This is bipartisan mess and it will take us all to work on fixing the issues.
But I'm more than a homeschool mom. I have a background in public policy and research. I spent a decade working on complex policy issues at the national level, including congressional testimony and international security. I've helped develop curriculum now being used at the graduate level. I've helped publish more than a dozen books, including my own. And I've been involved in education advocacy across sectors, including serving on the board of the Spiritual Life Center at Hutchinson Correctional Facility, where I saw reading failure and its consequences up close.
What qualifies you to serve on the Kansas State Board of Education?
I have spent years studying literacy, advocating for struggling readers, working with educators and researchers, and helping families navigate educational systems.
I have firsthand experience with dyslexia, intervention services, and educational decision-making. I believe the Board needs members who are willing to ask hard questions, follow the evidence, and focus on results.
What are your priorities for Kansas schools?
My priorities include improving literacy outcomes, supporting teachers with proven instructional practices, increasing transparency, strengthening accountability, catching reading difficulties early, and ensuring taxpayers can clearly see how education dollars are being spent. I believe in public education.
What is your position on the Science of Reading?
The Science of Reading represents decades of research on how children learn to read. I support evidence-based literacy instruction, structured literacy practices, early intervention, and professional development that helps teachers implement proven methods effectively. LETRS was a great start, but we need to prioritize classroom practice.
How can Kansas improve reading achievement?
Kansas must identify struggling readers early and provide better training and incentives to keep teachers in the classroom. We need State Board members who will work with their legislative partners and local districts to ensure laws are being followed.
What district are you running to represent?
I am running for the Kansas State Board of Education, District 7, which includes communities across central and south-central Kansas. Alana McWilliams is running to represent communities like Hutchinson, Salina, Newton, Great Bend, Pratt, Valley Center, Maize, Larned, Lyons, Kingman, and many smaller towns throughout the region.
How can I learn more or get involved?
I'll be honest with you, asking for money is the part of running for office I find most uncomfortable. So I'm just going to say it plainly, money is the best way to get involved today, and tell you why it matters. I'm running for the Kansas State Board of Education, District 7. Twenty-two counties. Hundreds of thousands of voters who need to hear this message before November: Only 1 in 4 Kansas kids are reading proficiently. If you can, please chip in a few dollars to help us reach voters.
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