Governor Laura Kelly has formally requested the reinstatement of $22.6 million in federal pandemic relief funds from U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. The funds were part of nearly $3 billion the U.S. Department of Education announced it would recoup from states in late March. Kansas, like many states, had already allocated these funds to programs supporting students and educators.

In Kansas, the relief funds have been vital for student learning recovery and preparing the education workforce. They’ve supported retraining teachers in the science of reading and other evidence-based methods, expanded career and postsecondary opportunities for students, and helped lower start-up costs for child care providers.

On April 3, 2025, the Kansas State Department of Education asked the federal government to restore the state’s funding to continue these efforts. That request is still under review.

“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 2021, the Kelly administration began using federal and state funds to waive licensure, fingerprinting, and background check fees for early childhood educators. These efforts have saved providers $3.34 million and supported over 15,500 applications and 39,400 background checks. As the federal funding is withdrawn, those fees will return unless the funds are reinstated. Governor Kelly continues to advocate for maintaining this critical support.