ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
September has been a busy month for the Kelly Administration, and there were recently a couple important announcements made.
Monday, Gov. Laura Kelly announced the State of Kansas will cover the state licensing, background check, and fingerprinting fees for child care providers seeking initial licensure or licensure renewal through 2025 or until available funds are expended. Fee coverage will assist new child care providers by reducing start-up costs and continuing to support existing providers as they retain their licensure, according to a release from the State of Kansas.
“I’m committed to expanding access to affordable, high-quality child care opportunities for Kansas children and families,” Gov. Kelly noted in the State of Kansas release. “These funds allow for continued support for child care providers by removing financial barriers. Since 2021, the State of Kansas has been covering the initial and renewal licensing fees for child care providers in the state through federal discretionary Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) assistance through federal pandemic relief legislation. Additional funding to extend this coverage is being provided through reallocated Governor Emergency Education Relief (GEER) funding.”
The funding will be administered through an agreement between the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the agency responsible for child care licensing, the State of Kansas release continued.
The announcement received praise from other state leaders.
“This additional funding, and Governor Kelly’s commitment to directing it to child care licensing, will go a long way in allowing potential and current child care providers to continue the important work of creating and sustaining quality child care options for Kansas families,” KDHE Secretary Janet Stanek noted in the State of Kansas release.
“The Kansas Children’s Cabinet is happy to work collaboratively with KDHE Licensing to support child care providers across Kansas in all license categories by helping to offset the cost of being licensed in good standing,” Melissa Rooker, executive director of the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund, noted in the State of Kansas release Covering these fees will lower the total start-up cost for child care businesses – costs that often become too large of a barrier to overcome. Additionally, this action will incentivize more unlicensed providers to become licensed, ensuring safer care based on industry best standards. For current providers, the decision to cover these fees is another way the Kelly Administration has invested in Kansas’ child care workforce and continues to provide them with critical support.”
Local jurisdictions may charge fees unrelated to those imposed by the state. Providers should consult their local health departments or local resource and referral agencies to learn more about applicable local fees in their jurisdiction.
To learn more about becoming a child care provider, people can visit https://childcareinkansas.com/providers/.
Also on Monday, Gov. Kelly announced applications will open Oct. 21 for the National Telecommunications Information and Administration (NTIA) Internet for All initiative. With the launch of the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program, the Kansas Office of Broadband Development (KOBD) will begin taking applications to deploy the $451.7 million allocated to bring high-speed internet to all Kansans, according to a release from the State of Kansas.
“My administration is dedicated to making Kansas a top 10 state for broadband by 2030,” Gov. Kelly noted in the State of Kansas release. “Our state continues to build on this critical infrastructure, connecting communities and innovators. This historic investment will have a long-lasting impact across Kansas and continue to support our education, health care, and workforce growth.”
The application window will open after the 21-day project review period, allowing eligible applicants to apply for 403 project areas with 52,343 locations needing high-speed internet. Applications will be scored on their cost-effectiveness, consumer affordability, fair labor practices, technology, speed to deployment, and community engagement, the State of Kansas release continued.
“This program amplifies the Kelly-Toland administration’s commitment to providing universal broadband coverage to every home, business, farm, and community anchor institution in the state,” Lt. Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland noted in the State of Kansas release. “Through partnerships and community engagement, Kansas is setting the gold standard for the entire country for how to roll out future-proof technologies, improve the lives of its citizens, and stimulate economic growth across every region of the state.”
Key highlights of the BEAD program include:
• Qualifying program speed of 100/20 megabits per second (Mbps)
• Requirement of 25 percent matching funds (with the option to apply for match waiver via NTIA)
• Consumer affordability
Other leaders also praised the announcement.
“This is a historic moment for Kansas; we are empowering current and future generations with opportunity through high-speed internet connection,” Joseph Le, interim director of the Office of Broadband Development noted in the State of Kansas release. “By leaning into the BEAD process, we continue to unlock and multiply opportunities across the state — and we signal that Kansas is future-ready, right here and right now.”
Eligible applicants include:
• Local governments
• Tribal governments
• Non-profit organizations
• Those authorized to provide broadband services in the proposed service areas
The project funding rounds will open on Oct. 21 and close Dec. 5. The Office of Broadband Development will continue to provide technical assistance webinars and engagement opportunities.
For more information about the program, visit https://www.kansascommerce.gov/officeofbroadbanddevelopment/broadband-equity-access-and-deployment/. A technical assistance webinar will be scheduled prior to the launch of the portal.
