Category Archives: Kansas

Government, Kansas

Wanted: Public Comment on Kansas Broadband Digital Equity Plan

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Governor Kelly Releases Kansas Broadband Digital Equity Plan for Public Comment

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today announced the Kansas Digital Equity (DE) Plan for high-speed internet connectivity is available for public review and comment. While the recently announced Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Five-Year Action Plan outlines the state’s plan to provide access to high-speed internet, the Digital Equity Plan focuses on specifically connecting users.

The DE Plan outlines digital skills training, affordable service plans, and the availability of broadband-ready devices as top priorities. Additionally, the plan emphasizes technology’s positive effect on various areas of everyday life, such as health care, education, and civic engagement.

“Digital equity empowers Kansans with the tools they need to succeed in the modern world,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “The release of the Digital Equity Plan marks a significant milestone in our commitment to closing technology gaps. I urge everyone to participate in the public comment process.”

The DE Plan represents a significant step towards achieving the state’s vision of universal access to education, health care, employment, social services, and participation in the digital economy. The plan outlines how every Kansan can utilize quality, affordable, and reliable broadband service.

“As Kansans, we embrace challenges with determination and innovation,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “At its core, this plan supports economic development through the expansion of digital skills and access to new opportunities for individuals and businesses throughout the state.”

The vision and goals of the Digital Equity Plan were developed in consultation with the Digital Equity Advisory Council, representing various organizations and leaders from across the state. The Council’s extensive outreach, research, collaboration, and public input were instrumental in shaping the plan.

Residents, community organizations, businesses, and local authorities from throughout Kansas are encouraged to participate in the public comment period for the DE Plan. The document adheres to National Telecommunications Information and Administration (NTIA) guidelines and includes a description of each requirement and attachments.

“Our vision of digital equity is grounded in the lived experiences of Kansans who face barriers to broadband access,” Director of the Kansas Office of Broadband Development Jade Piros de Carvalho said. “Through thoughtful planning and collaboration, we are committed to providing equitable opportunities to all our residents.”

The Digital Equity Plan is the second of four primary documents focused on accessing and deploying federal funding, building upon the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Five-Year Action Plan (FYAP). The public comment period will be open until November 2, 2023. To add a comment or to get more information about the plan, click here.

The Office of Broadband Development will have a webinar on the importance of public comments for the DE Plan from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 3. To register, click here.

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Government, Kansas

Oct. 12 KDOT Meeting: Focus on Transportation Priorities

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KDOT to host Local Consult in Iola Oct. 12

Meeting will focus on transportation priorities in southeast Kansas

 

The Kansas Department of Transportation is hosting nine meetings in October as part of the Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program (IKE) Local Consult process. KDOT holds Local Consult meetings every two years to discuss regional transportation project priorities with Kansans.

The sixth meeting will be in Iola and focus on transportation in southeast Kansas (KDOT District 4). It will take place on Thursday, Oct. 12, from 9 a.m. – noon, at the Bowlus Fine Arts Center in Iola.

Those who attend will have an opportunity to share their region’s transportation priorities, hear about more investments being made in transportation and learn about various grant funding programs available through KDOT. The meeting is open to the public.

This event in southeast Kansas is part of the series of meetings being held across the state and is an important step in collecting public input for the IKE program – the state’s current 10-year transportation improvement program.

The remaining Local Consult meeting locations, dates and times are:

  • KC Metro – Tuesday, Oct. 17, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m., Lenexa Hyatt Place Kansas City/Lenexa City Center in Lenexa.
  • Wichita Metro – Wednesday, Oct. 18, 9 a.m. – noon, WSU Eugene M. Hughes Metropolitan Complex in Wichita.
  • Virtual Meeting – Tuesday, Oct. 24, 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.  For those unable to attend an in-person meeting, they may attend a virtual meeting on Zoom. Please register here  https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMvf-uppjMsHdaOpjIXnRlJQV-xQrcEpb1A

More information about the Local Consult process is available online at: ike.ksdot.gov/local-consult-process.

 

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Food, Kansas, Youth

COVID-19 Supports for Kansas Kids Dropped Poverty and Food Insecurity

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Data Shows Pandemic-era Supports Drove Down

Child Poverty, Food Insecurity among Kansas Kids

TOPEKA, KAN.
— Poverty and food insecurity rates among Kansas children dropped significantly in the early years of the pandemic, according to the
2023 Kansas KIDS COUNT® Data Book, which analyzes child outcomes in economic well-being, education, and health indicators. The
Data Book was created by Kansas Action for Children, which collected state and county data from national and state sources.

Kansas children living below the poverty line (or a household income of less than $26,500/year for a family of four) decreased from 101,000 children in 2019 to 92,000 children in 2021. And
kids experiencing food insecurity (or not having enough to eat for every meal) decreased even more significantly from around 120,000 kids in 2019 to about 94,000 in 2021.

These improvements correlate to early pandemic-era supports targeting kids and families, such as increased food assistance benefits, no-cost school meals for all children, the temporarily
expanded federal child tax credit, and other measures that helped relieve financial burdens for families living on low- or middle-incomes.

Additionally, more Kansas kids became enrolled in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), reaching a combined peak across the last decade of nearly 300,000 children accessing
some type of coverage through KanCare, the state’s Medicaid program. This number is in stark contrast to a combined total of about 271,000 kids enrolled in 2019.

Due to the public health emergency, KanCare enrollees did not have to submit paperwork with the state to determine continuing eligibility, and enrollees were able to keep their coverage for
prolonged periods. However, with the public health emergency ending in May 2023, those redeterminations are underway, and thousands of kids are losing coverage.

“The data is clear that measures implemented during the early years of the pandemic helped families make ends meet,” said John Wilson, President and CEO of Kansas Action for Children. “But
with those programs having ended, advocates are concerned with the data trends we are likely to see in 2022 and beyond.”

He continued, “We can build on the success of pandemic-era programs by ensuring families can achieve financial security. Expanding Medicaid, implementing a state child tax credit, breaking
down barriers to food assistance, and raising the minimum wage are all solutions to make that a reality.”

Other notable data shifts highlighted in the report include:

·
Income statuses of families in Kansas have been on a constant incline since 2011, but there are still large discrepancies between racial groups. For instance,
Asian American/Pacific Islander households made around $102,100 in 2021, while American Indian/Alaskan Native households were at $32,400.

·
Fewer young children were enrolled in early learning programs. From 2019-2021, about 54% of Kansas 3- and 4-year-olds weren’t in nursery school, preschool, or
kindergarten. This is about a 2-point increase from 2017-2019.

·
Basic reading and math proficiency continued to trend downward in the last decade, following trends across the country. Reading proficiency has dropped about
10 percentage points since 2015 (80% vs. 70% in 2021). Math proficiency decreased even more significantly, seeing 8th graders drop from 71% in 2019 to 61% in 2022 and 4th graders drop from 79% to 75% across the same period.

·
Low birth weights are statistically much higher among Black newborns compared to every other racial/ethnic group. In 2021, around 7% of all Kansas newborns were
born at less than 5.5 pounds, but Black babies were twice the state average at 14%.

·
Racial disparities were also present in infant mortality rates. While the overall state rate is 5.9 infant deaths per 1,000, around 16.5 Black infants per 1,000
died in 2021.

·
Children without health coverage stayed steady at around 5%. With KanCare redeterminations currently occurring, this number could increase in future years.

Government, Kansas

KS Hearing for Proposed Seed Law on Oct. 19

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MANHATTAN, Kansas — A public hearing will be conducted at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 19, 2023, to consider the adoption of proposed regulations that govern the administration of the Kansas Seed Law. The hearing will be held in person at the Kansas Department of Agriculture at 1320 Research Park Dr. in Manhattan, as well as via video conferencing system.

KDA is proposing four new regulations along with amendments to two existing regulations, all of which implement revisions and offer clarification to the Kansas Seed Law. The new regulations define terms, set guidelines about analysis to determine violations, establish a list of restricted weed seeds, establish a list of prohibited weed seeds, and clarify rules for seed labels.

For the most part, these changes implement revisions that were made to the Kansas Seed Law during the 2022 legislative session and also make minor clarifications. The only change imposed by these regulations that has the potential to have a practical effect on the agricultural seed industry is the addition of Caucasian bluestem and yellow bluestem seeds to the list of restricted weed seeds. This addition is proposed to help safeguard the agricultural industry from the threat of invasive weeds which is part of the agency’s mission to protect plant health.

KDA welcomes public input on any portion of the proposed regulations — especially the addition of the new species, including those species of Old World Bluestem — to the list of restricted weed seeds. Input can be shared on the public comment portion of the KDA website at agriculture.ks.gov/PublicComment prior to the hearing or sent to the Kansas Department of Agriculture, 1320 Research Park Dr., Manhattan, KS 66502. A copy of the proposed regulations, as well as an expanded notice of public hearing, may be accessed on that webpage as well.

Public comment will also be possible at the public hearing both for in-person and online participants. Anyone desiring to participate via video conference must pre-register at the Public Comment webpage to be provided with a video link.

Any individual with a disability may request accommodation to participate in the public hearing and may request a copy of the regulations in an accessible format. Persons who require special accommodations must make their needs known at least five working days prior to the hearing. For more information, including special accommodations or a copy of the regulations, please contact Ronda Hutton at 785-564-6715 or [email protected].

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WHAT:          Public hearing on proposed Kansas Seed Law regulations

WHEN:          Thursday, October 19, 2023, at 10:00 a.m.

WHERE:       Kansas Department of Agriculture

1320 Research Park Dr., Manhattan, Kansas

Or virtual: via video conferencing system

 

Hearing for Proposed Seed Law Regulations.pdf
Bourbon County, Government, Kansas

Bourbon County Approved for Bridge Replacement Over Pawnee Creek and Hwy. 69 at Crawford County Line

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KDOT announces approved September bids
The Kansas Department of Transportation announces approved bids for state highway construction and maintenance projects. The letting took place Sept. 20, 2023, in Topeka. Some of the bids may include multiple projects that have been bundled based on proximity and type of work.

District One — Northeast

Marshall ‑ 9‑58 KA‑7038‑01 ‑ K‑9, from K‑99/K‑9 north junction east to K‑87/K‑9 junction, milling and overlay, 4.5 miles, Hall Brothers Inc., Marysville, Kansas, $1,175,416.00.

Osage ‑ 70 C‑5146‑01 – County bridge, located 0.5 mile south and 4.0 miles east of Vassar over 110 Mile Creek, bridge replacement, 0.1 mile, King Construction Company Inc & Subsidiaries, Hesston, Kansas, $1,260,666.80.

Shawnee ‑ 89 C‑5033‑01 ‑ Shawnee County, Topeka Boulevard at 57th, University and Gary Ormsby, traffic signals, J Warren Company Inc., Topeka, Kansas, $1,759,278.50.

Statewide ‑ 36‑106 KA‑7109‑01 – U.S. 36, from the west city limits of Hiawatha east to the Brown/Doniphan county line; U.S. 73, from the south city limits of Hiawatha north to the north city limits of Hiawatha; U.S. 36, from the Brown/Doniphan county line east to the east city limits of Troy and then from the north city limits of Wathena east to the Kansas/Missouri state line, sealing, 33.7 miles, Vance Brothers Inc. and Subsidiary, Kansas City, Missouri, $1,792,246.60.

District Two — North Central

Dickinson ‑ 70‑21 KA‑7141‑01 ‑ I‑70, from 2.3 miles east of K‑43/I‑70 junction east to the Dickinson/Geary county line, pavement patching, 6.2 miles, Prado Construction LLC, Valley Center, Kansas, $2,032,974.50.

Geary ‑ 31 KA‑7123‑01 ‑ K‑57, from 0.2 mile east of U.S. 77/K‑57 junction east to the north city limits of Junction City; U.S. 77, from 0.02 mile south of U.S. 77/Lacy Drive junction north to 0.1 mile north of U.S. 77/Lacy Drive junction; U.S. 77, from 0.1 mile south of U.S. 77/Rucker Road junction north to 0.3 mile north of U.S. 77/Rucker Road junction, milling and overlay, 2.7 miles, Shilling Construction Co. Inc., Manhattan, Kansas, $2,067,478.15.

Statewide ‑ 28‑106 KA‑7056‑01 ‑ K‑28, from the Jewell/Cloud county line east to K‑9/K‑28 junction; K‑28, in Jewell county from K‑28/K‑148 junction east to the Jewell/Cloud county line, sealing, 22.9 miles, Heft and Sons LLC, Greensburg, Kansas, $818,311.00.

District Three — Northwest

Logan ‑ 83‑55 KA‑7002‑01 – U.S. 83, bridge #026 over Smoky Hill River located 6.8 miles north of the Scott/Logan county line, bridge repair, L & M Contractors Inc., Great Bend, Kansas, $259,709.50.

District Four — Southeast

Bourbon ‑ 6 C‑5152‑01 – County bridge, located 1.0 mile west and 2.8 miles north of Pawnee Station over Tributary to Pawnee Creek, bridge replacement, 0.1 mile, Mission Construction Co Inc., St. Paul, Kansas, $299,833.00.

Bourbon ‑ 69‑6 KA‑7178‑01 – U.S. 69, southbound lanes beginning 2.1 miles north of the Bourbon/Crawford county line north 3.8 miles, crack repair, 3.8 miles, Pavement Pro’s LLC, McPherson, Kansas, $82,780.00.

Miami ‑ 169‑61 KA‑6241‑02 – U.S. 169, beginning 3.9 miles south of K‑68/U.S. 169 (Baptiste Drive) junction to 1.4 miles south of the Miami/Johnson county line (northbound only), guard fence, 10.7 miles, Bettis Asphalt & Construction Inc., Topeka, Kansas, $686,153.00.

Miami ‑ 69‑61 KA‑6055‑02 – U.S. 69, beginning 1.3 miles south of 359th Street north to 0.6 mile south of K‑68, guard fence, 10.8 miles, Bettis Asphalt & Construction Inc., Topeka, Kansas, $841,828.75.

Woodson ‑ 54‑104 KA‑6726‑01 – U.S. 54, bridge #007 over Cherry Creek Overflow located 6.7 miles east of U.S. 75; bridge #008 over Cherry Creek located 6.8 miles east of U.S. 75, bridge repair, Mission Construction Co Inc., St. Paul, Kansas, $879,901.40.

Statewide ‑ 106 KA‑7173‑01 ‑ Various locations in Allen, Bourbon, Coffey, Franklin, Greenwood, Labette, Linn, Miami, Neosho, Wilson and Osage counties, mud jacking, Nortex Concrete Lift & Stabilization Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, $135,016.00.

District Five — South Central

Kingman ‑ 42‑48 KA‑6939‑01 ‑ K‑42, bridge #046 over Wild Horse Creek located 5.1 miles west of K‑14; bridge #067 over Chikaskia River located 7.3 miles west of K‑14, bridge repair, PBX Corporation & Subsidiary, Sapulpa, Oklahoma, $83,179.19.

Statewide ‑ 281‑106 KA‑7085‑01 – U.S. 281, from K‑19/U.S. 281 junction north to the Stafford/Barton county line; U.S. 281, from the Stafford/Barton county line north to 2.5 miles south of the south city limits of Great Bend; U.S. 281 from 2.5 miles south of the south city limits of Great Bend north to the south city limits of Great Bend, sealing, 13.7 miles, Venture Corporation, Great Bend, Kansas, $1,569,990.60.

District Six — Southwest

Ford ‑ 56‑29 KA‑6776‑01 – U.S. 56, bridge #064 over the Arkansas River located 2.6 miles northeast of U.S. 56/U.S. 283 south junction, bridge repair, PBX Corporation & Subsidiary, Sapulpa, Oklahoma, $293,370.03.

 

The following projects were held from the Aug. 23, 2023, letting.

Finney – 156-28 KA-6440-01 – K-156, from 130 feet east of 3rd/4th Street east to 300 feet west of Belmont Place, grading and surfacing, 0.2 mile, Smoky Hill LLC, Salina, Kansas, $1,413,165.31.

Comanche -17 C-5129-01 – Intersection of RS 711 and RS 963, intersection improvement, 1.0 mile, APAC-Kansas Inc. Shears Division, Hutchinson, Kansas, $540,237.05.

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Elections, Government, Kansas

KS Attorney General: Procedures for Election Results

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AG’s Office Issues Opinion on Election Recount Procedures

 

TOPEKA – (Sept. 27, 2023) – Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach’s office today issued an opinion on procedures for election recounts.

“…A county conducting a recount may not substitute ballot images for the original paper ballots, unless the person requesting the recount specifically requests such substitution in a county that uses optical scanning equipment or electronic or electromechanical voting systems,” the opinion reads.

Government, Kansas

Safety First While Driving

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Stories show why traffic safety must be priority
People across Kansas are sharing stories about lives saved, lost or affected forever due to a traffic crash during the annual Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day safety blog series.

In today’s blog HERE, traffic was moving slowly, and Caleb Locke thought it would be okay to pull a map up on his phone for directions.

“While I was accessing the map, I took my eyes off the road for less than three seconds. It was at this moment the whole line of cars in front of me had come close to a complete stop. But I was still going 50 miles an hour. As I saw my life flash before my eyes, I instantly dropped my phone, slammed on my brakes and prayed I would stop in time,” Locke said.

During his time at the Kansas Turnpike Authority, Jim Stauffer has seen a number of crashes involving wildlife, and recent KTA stats show 28% of single vehicle crashes are with an animal.

Stauffer shared an example of an incident where, “a driver on the Turnpike had a goose fly into their windshield,” he said. “It actually crashed into the car and out the back window.”

Denee Cupp’s daughter, Makenzee, died in a crash when a driver didn’t stop at the intersection of two highways in La Crosse.

“So many lives have been taken from families that are changed forever because someone was checking their phone. We want to prevent this heartbreak and devastation from happening to other families,” Cupp said.

These and other traffic-related experiences are being told in nine different blogs that begin today and run through Oct. 10, which is Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day. Whether you are in a vehicle, on a motorcycle or even walking, the campaign’s goal is for you to arrive safely every time.

To read safety blogs posted each day, go to KDOT’s blog page HERE.
Government, Kansas

Statewide Transportation Improvement Program Input Needed

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KDOT requesting comments on STIP amendment

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) requests comments on an amendment to the FFY 2024-2027 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) document.

The STIP is a project specific publication that lists all KDOT administered projects, regardless of funding source, and includes projects for counties and cities as well as projects on the State Highway System. The list of projects being amended to the STIP can be viewed at http://www.ksdot.org/bureaus/burProgProjMgmt/stip/stip.asp.

The approval of the STIP amendment requires a public comment period, which concludes Oct. 4. To make comments on the amendment, contact KDOT’s Division of Program and Project Management at (785) 296-3254.

This information is available in alternative accessible formats. To obtain an alternative format, contact the KDOT Division of Communications, (785) 296-3585 (Voice/Hearing Impaired-711).

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Government, Health Care, Kansas

Rate of Uninsured Kansans Surpasses National Rate

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Census Survey: Nearly 250,000 Kansans
without Health Coverage

~~ Kansas Rate of Uninsured Per Capita Surpasses U.S. Rate
for Second Year ~~

TOPEKA – The U.S. Census Bureau recently released its American Community Survey 1-year estimates, indicating nearly 250,000 Kansans lack health insurance. The survey reflects data collected in 2022 to assess health insurance coverage rates across Kansas and the United States.

For the second consecutive year, Kansas’ uninsured rate for working-age adults surpassed the national rate. Kansas’ rate was 12.5% compared to the U.S. at 11.3%.

Governor Kelly announced yesterday that her top priority for this coming legislative session is Medicaid expansion by kicking off her “Healthy Workers, Healthy Economy” tour. Medicaid expansion would give thousands of working Kansans access to affordable health care.

“While 40 other states have expanded Medicaid, Kansas continues to lag behind the nation in health care coverage because the legislative has yet to accept the federal funding – which Kansans have already paid for through taxes – needed to get more workers insured,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “That’s unacceptable. Kansans should call their legislator and urge them to expand Medicaid this upcoming legislative session.”

Prior to the implementation of the Affordable Care Act by other states, the rate of Kansans with health care coverage was better than the nation. Since the Legislature hasn’t expanded Medicaid, the rate of uninsured Kansans has trended closer to or exceeded the national uninsured rate.
Uninsured Rates for Kansas and the United States, 2009-2022

Graph courtesy of the Kansas Health Institute.

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Government, Kansas

Trevor Jacob: Letter to Kansas Governor

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Dear Governor Laura Kelly:
America is suffering the worst illegal immigration catastrophe in the history of our country.
President Joe Biden’s negligent disregard for America’s national security since the end of Title 42 expulsions have emboldened the cartels, who grow wealthy by trafficking deadly fentanyl as well
as innocent human beings.
Because President Biden has willfully refused to enforce our nation’s immigration laws while systematically dismantling every effective border security policy that previously led to the lowest
number of illegal border crossings in decades, every state in the Union is at risk. The resultant surge in illegal immigration and transnational criminal activity is at an all-time high.
With the end of Title 42 expulsions, President Biden’s own administration estimates that at least 150,000 migrants a day are waiting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border to enter our country illegally.
The flood of illegal border activity invited by the Biden Administration flows directly across the southern border into communities. Not only does it affect US/Mexico border states, but illegals are also flocking into other states including our beloved state of Kansas.

In the federal government’s absence, we, as the elected officials of Kansas, must join to combat President Biden’s ongoing border crisis, and ensure the safety and security that all Americans and
Kansans deserve. We must stand with the oath we all took to defend and protect the Constitution and the American people. The Governor of Texas has taken unprecedented actions to protect Texans and Americans by implementing Operation Lone Star. Since the launch of Operation Lone Star in March 2021, Texas has apprehended more than 435,700 undocumented immigrants and made over 34,000 criminal arrests, with over 30,900 felony charges. Operation Lone Star has also seized more
than 428 million lethal doses of fentanyl that would have otherwise spread into communities across
the nation.

We must support this effort and unite with the other 14 states currently doing the job the federal government has failed to do to protect the American people.

Already, our neighboring states of Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma have stepped up to help fill in the dangerous gaps created by President Biden’s failed open border policies. Additionally, the
Governor of Idaho deployed a team of Idaho State Police personnel to support Texas’ border security efforts in a monthlong mission to prevent the smuggling of people and illicit drugs like
fentanyl into America. The State of Florida has also offered resources, such as hundreds of Florida National Guard soldiers and law enforcement officers, as well as assets like drone technology.
https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/operation-lone-star-defends-sovereign-authority-to-secure-
border.

Therefore, we implore you, Governor Kelly, to stand with the other 14 states and help defend our southern borders by sending the necessary resources including Kansas National Guard troops to
stop this negligent disregard for America’s national security since the end of Title 42 expulsions.

America’s national security depends on the State of Kansas support.
Sincerely,
Trevor Jacobs, District 4
Kansas House of Representatives

Members of Kansas House Members of Kansas Senate
Representative Carrie Barth, District 5 Senator Virgil Peck, District 15
Representative Dave Beuhler, District 40 Senator Mark Steffen, District 34
Representative Lewis Bloom, District 64 Senator Alicia Straub, District 33
Representative Bill Clifford, M.D., District 122 Senator Mike Thompson, District 10
Representative Duane Droge, District 13
Representative Randy Garber, District 62
Representative Scott Hill, District 70
Representative Michael Houser, District 1
Representative Carl Maughan, District 90
Representative Michael Murphy, District 114
Representative Samantha Parshall, District 6
Representative Sandy Pickert, District 88
Representative Bill Rhiley, District 80
Representative Webster Roth, District 79
Representative Joe Seiwert, District 101

Government, Kansas

State of KS Virtual Job Fair is Sept. 27

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Virtual Job Fair to Highlight Hundreds of State Agency Opportunities

TOPEKA – Jobseekers are encouraged to attend the upcoming State of Kansas Agencies Virtual Job Fair from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, September 27. This month’s virtual fair, hosted by KANSASWORKS, will feature many exciting employment opportunities available across the state’s 98 government agencies. Currently, there are more than 700 vacancies across the state.

“Our agencies are looking for talented individuals who want to serve Kansas and make it the best place to work, play and raise a family,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “These are good-paying jobs with great benefits. When we bring in skilled people to fill them, we’re setting the stage for a bright future of growth and prosperity in our great state.”

Registration is required to participate in the event, regardless of previous participation. The Virtual Job Fair portal features a jobseeker training video, a list of participating employers, and channels for attendees to register and log in. Jobseekers are encouraged to dress professionally, as employers might request to engage in a video interview.

Candidates can participate through any digital device, but it is highly recommended to use a computer to be most effective during the job fairs. If a jobseeker does not have access to a personal computer, they are available at KANSASWORKS offices as well as local libraries throughout the state. Any individual with a disability may request accommodations by contacting their nearest workforce center at (877) 509-6757 prior to the event.

To register for the September 27 State Agencies Virtual Job Fair, click here.

About KANSASWORKS:

KANSASWORKS links businesses, job candidates and educational institutions to ensure that employers can find skilled workers. Services are provided to employers and job candidates through the state’s 27 workforce centers, online or virtual services KANSASWORKS is completely free for all Kansans to use. Learn more at KANSASWORKS.com. State employment opportunities can be found at jobs.ks.gov.

About the Kansas Department of Commerce:

As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses. Through Commerce’s project successes, Kansas was awarded Area Development Magazine’s prestigious Gold Shovel award in 2021, 2022 and 2023, and was awarded the 2021 and 2022 Governor’s Cup by Site Selection Magazine.

Business, Government, Kansas, Youth

Shared Services for Child Care Providers Is Launched

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Governor Kelly Announces Launch of Shared Services Network for Child Care Providers

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly announced today the launch of a new partnership that will create savings and streamline services for child care providers across Kansas. The Kansas Department for Children and Families, Child Care Aware of Kansas, and five community-based organizations are partnering on the Shared Service Network to streamline administrative costs for providers and free up time for programs to focus on providing high-quality child care.

“For many Kansas kids, quality child care is essential for them to have a solid start to their developmental growth,” said Kansas Governor Laura Kelly. “This network will provide child care professionals the resources they need so they can focus on young Kansans in their care.”

By participating in the Shared Services Network, child care providers benefit from services that cost less and are often more efficient than what the programs could do on their own. A wide range of services are available to reshape child care, including:

  • Group purchasing plans;
  • Advanced business software to manage enrollment and billing;
  • Shared administrative staff;
  • Support for hiring staff and finding substitutes; and
  • Personalized professional development.

“By working together, child care providers can save money and invest more in key parts of early childhood education, like better pay for their staff, high-quality curriculum, and other supplies needed to operate a child care business,” said Laura Howard, Secretary Kansas Department for Children and Families.

The five community-based organizations that have been selected to implement the Shared Services Network will have the responsibility for delivering services to participating child care programs that result in cost savings.

“Shared Services represent an innovative approach to making the business side of child care work,” said Kelly Davydov, executive director of Child Care Aware of Kansas. “We have a unique opportunity to realize cost savings for participating child care programs so that they can earn more or reinvest in other aspects of their business, like high-quality curriculum for the young children in their care.”

Shared Services Networks will be provided by the following organizations:

  • Northwest Kansas Innovation Center: Serving 29 counties in the Northwest and North Central areas of Kansas.
  • Child Care Aware of Kansas: Serving 39 counties in the Southwest and South Central areas of Kansas.
  • Community Children’s Center: Serving 16 counties in the Northeast area of Kansas.
  • Child Care Aware of Eastern Kansas: Serving 17 counties in the Southeast area of Kansas.
  • The Family Conservancy: Serving five counties in the Kansas City area.

For more information, visit Shared Services Network – Child Care Aware.

To learn more about Child Care Aware of Kansas and how you can join us in ensuring access to high-quality child care for all families, visit us at www.ks.childcareaware.org.