Governor Kelly Calls on Trump Administration to Reinstate Federal Funds to Support Teachers, Child Care Providers

For Immediate Release:         

April 15, 2025          

Contact:         

Grace HogeGrace.Hoge@ks.gov

~ Governor Kelly sends letter to secretary of education requesting restoration of $22.6 million in funding for Kansas students and educators ~

TOPEKA— Governor Laura Kelly announced Tuesday she has sent a letter to United States Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, requesting reinstatement of $22.6 million in federal pandemic relief funds. The United States Department of Education announced in late March that the federal government was recouping nearly $3 billion in pandemic relief funds from states. Many states, including Kansas, had already obligated these funds for programs and services benefiting students and educators.

“Abruptly stripping this funding is a disservice to the Kansas students and teachers who rely on it to excel in the classroom,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “This funding is critical for our schools to continue setting Kansas children up for a strong start to life. I urge the Trump administration to reinstate this funding to ensure our students can continue to access these key resources they need to succeed.”

In Kansas, these funds have been critical for supporting student learning recovery and ensuring the education workforce is prepared to assist those students in their academic needs. Funds have been used to retrain teachers in the science of reading and other evidence-based interventions to support student learning, career and postsecondary exploration experiences for students, and to lower start-up costs for child care providers.

On April 3, 2025, the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) requested the Trump administration restore Kansas’ funding and allow for KSDE to continue using these funds toward its intended purposes. That request continues to be under consideration by the secretary of education.

In October 2024, Governor Kelly announced the state would cover the cost of licensure, fingerprinting, and background check fees for early childhood educators using these federal education funds. The Kelly administration began waiving these fees using federal and state funds in 2021.

Since 2021, these efforts have saved child care providers $3.34 million in fees and covered application costs of over 15,500 providers and background checks for over 39,400 providers. These fees will be reinstated until the Trump administration restores Kansas’ funding allocation.