Kansas receives grant to transform the Kansas early childhood system 

Governor Laura Kelly and other early childhood leaders from across Kansas announced today that an $8.9 million grant from the Administration for Children and Families has been awarded to continue efforts to strengthen the early childhood system in Kansas. The funding is the first installment of a 3-year renewal of Kansas’s Preschool Development Grant Birth Through Five (PDG B-5) initiative.  

“These funds will be imperative in helping to keep up our current momentum as we work to improve our state’s early childhood system,” Governor Kelly said. “This grant is particularly welcome now, as the COVID-19 pandemic has caused an additional degree of stress on early childhood in Kansas. With it, we will continue to fight for the health and safety of children and families in our state.”  

Leaders from the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund, the Kansas State Department of Education, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the Kansas Department of Children and Families began this collaborative work with a PDG B-5 planning grant in January 2019. The initial grant funded a comprehensive statewide needs assessment, which illuminated what Kansans need and want from their early childhood care and education system.  

Over 6,100 parents, early childcare and education professionals, civic and business leaders, and community members provided input. Addressing the findings from these efforts is the foundation of a new statewide strategic plan for early childhood, which was finalized earlier this month.   

“After touring the state throughout 2019, it’s clear that although Kansans recognize the importance of high-quality early childhood programs and services, we have work to do,” said Melissa Rooker, Executive Director of the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund. “This grant will allow us to focus on implementation of our strategic plan as we work to strengthen our system and achieve our vision that every Kansas child has the best possible start in life.” 

Funding from this grant will support systems-alignment, infrastructure, and innovation at the local and state level. Kansans can expect to see investments in activities that build a sustainable infrastructure for the early childhood system. 

Visit the Systems Building tab at www.kschildrenscabinet.org for more information and to stay engaged in the work to strengthen the early childhood system in the coming years. 

Funds for this project are provided through the Department of Health and Human Services (HSS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five 90TP0016-01-00 ($4,482,305) was awarded to the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE).  The Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund, the Kansas Department for Children and Families, and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment are leading this work with KSDE. This information or content and conclusions should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HHS, ACF, or the U.S. Government.  

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Kansas Department of Revenue announces plan to reopen driver’s license offices

TOPEKA – Since March 24, 2020, extensions to driver’s licenses and vehicle registrations have been made through Executive Order 20-12 signed by Governor Laura Kelly. While those extensions are still valid, the Kansas Department of Revenue will start to reopen driver’s license offices on Tuesday, May 12, 2020.

Under Ad Astra: A plan to reopen Kansas, presented at the end of April by Governor Kelly, steps will be made to ensure the health and well-being of all who enter Kansas Department of Revenue offices. This includes requiring appointments and screenings before entering offices and implementing all social distancing guidelines.

“Following the procedures of the Ad Astra Plan and data presented by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, we are making concerted efforts to open in a thoughtful and safe manner,” Secretary Mark Burghart said.

“This is done by looking at the county COVID-19 case data and applicable guidelines on social distancing to make the necessary decisions to reopen and possibly temporarily reclose offices.”

Only essential services will be conducted in reopened driver’s license offices. These include:

• Drivers needing to transfer a license from another state
• Teen drivers receiving a license for the first time
• Drivers turning 21 or turning 50 years-of-age
• Applications for a new state identification card
• If there is no online access to the customer or other restriction to online service apply by statute, including not having an eye exam within the last 12 months

“It is important to note that Governor Kelly’s Executive Order 20-12, which allows extensions on driver’s license renewals and vehicle registrations, is still in effect,” David Harper, Director of Vehicles said.

“We encourage customers who can perform these services online to do so as we continue to evaluate the reopening of the more than 100 office locations with the partnership of county governments.”

Renewals to Governor Kelly’s extensions must be completed within 60 days of the expiration of the State of Disaster Emergency Proclamation, originally made in March, and extended due to the ongoing impact of COVID-19 to the state.

To schedule an appointment, customers are asked to call their driver’s license office or use the already established scheduling program, Q-Flow, for offices with that availability.

Beginning on May 12, the following offices will reopen by appointment only:

Moving forward, the reopened office listing is available at https://www.ksrevenue.org/reopening.html.

Online renewals of identification cards, driver’s licenses, and vehicle tag renewals can be done online at ikan.ks.gov or in the iKan app available in the Apple iTunes or Google Play stores. Some statutory restrictions apply. For those restrictions, an office visit will need to be scheduled.

To contact the Division of Vehicles about issues relating to a title, registration, or driver’s licenses, phone and email information can be found at ksrevenue.org/dovcontact.html.