KCK superintendent Cynthia Lane is named the top superintendent in Kansas

Cynthia Lane, superintendent of Kansas City Kansas Public Schools, on Thursday was named 2016 Superintendent of the Year by her peers.

Lane was honored by the Kansas School Superintendents Association. For the last five years, Lane has led the urban district, where nearly 90 percent of its 22,000 students qualify for free and reduced-price lunches.

“Dr. Lane is a passionate advocate not only in her district, but for students across Kansas,” G.A. Buie, executive director of the association, said in a statement.

Lane will now be considered for National Superintendent of the Year. The association also provides a $1,000 scholarship to a high school senior to be selected by the Kansas winner.

“I accept it on behalf of the Board of Education and the team of people in the district and in the community who work tirelessly to graduate each student prepared for college and careers in a global society,” Lane said in a statement Thursday. “This award is a tribute to their commitment to this community and their dedication to the idea that every student deserves access to a high-quality education.”

Lane has been an educator more than 30 years, including the last 14 as an administrator in the Kansas City, Kan., school district.

This story was originally published September 24, 2015 at 5:48 PM with the headline "KCK superintendent Cynthia Lane is named the top superintendent in Kansas."