Cabinet hears agency updates: KSDE resources, preschool pilot delay, childcare capacity progress and grant timelines

Kansas early-childhood and agency staff provided multiple updates at the cabinet’s February meeting on resources, grants and program progress.

Amanda Peterson, director of early childhood at the Kansas State Department of Education, highlighted KSDE communications and family resources, including the "Kindergarten in Kansas" booklet available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Swahili, Burmese and Vietnamese and a kindergarten readiness toolkit. She said the Kansas preschool pilot grant approvals planned for February were postponed to March because recent legislative activity could affect funding and program structure.

Craig Barnes, assistant director for the Children’s Cabinet, reported that the state fiscal year 2027 early childhood block grant (ECBG) application window closed Jan. 8 and external review is under way; staff will bring funding recommendations to the April board meeting. He also announced a learning cohort for 10 capital-project grantees to exchange lessons learned and support project completion, with nine cohort sessions running through September.

Matthew Billinger of the Department of Corrections and Juvenile Justice Authority described an agreement being finalized to help justice-involved youth regain coursework credit lost when moving between school districts and said the crossover youth practice model (CYPM) expanded into three additional counties this year. He also noted several grant opportunities opening for programs serving justice-involved youth and families.

Melissa Schoenberger provided broader cabinet updates, including the status of the Childcare Capacity Accelerator projects. She said staff had reported "over 5,100 new slots and over 800 new childcare providers licensed as of that date" in prior progress reporting; she clarified construction for some projects is still ongoing and additional funding sources remain in use to complete centers.

Cabinet members discussed meeting logistics: April will be a virtual meeting to present the ECBG slate and the board tentatively plans a hybrid June meeting and afternoon retreat at the Docking State Office Building to review priorities.

Board members did not take further action on these updates; staff will present ECBG funding recommendations at the April meeting.