ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
The Kansas Office of Early Childhood has been in the works for a while, and as of Tuesday, there is officially an implementation team in place.
Tuesday, Gov. Laura Kelly announced the appointment of an interagency transition team and transition director to oversee the implementation of House Bill 2045, which consolidates early childhood services and programs in the state into the Kansas Office of Early Childhood.
“Passed by the Kansas Legislature and signed by Gov. Kelly in April of this year, House Bill 2045 is the most consequential early childhood education and care legislation enacted in Kansas in the last 15 years, a release from the State of Kansas noted. “Zach Vincent, currently Gov. Kelly’s Director of Governmental Affairs-Education Policy, will now also serve as transition director for the Office of Early Childhood. The transition director role will be part of the governor’s office, working as an interagency convener tasked with transferring programs to the Office of Early Childhood, and managing the interagency transition team.”
Gov. Kelly praised Vincent’s work so far.
“Zach Vincent has been an integral part of my administration for the past four years. Thanks to his commitment, we have passed legislation that will transform Kansas’ early childhood system,” Gov. Kelly noted in the State of Kansas release. “I am confident that his passion and deep knowledge will serve Kansas children and families well as he takes on this role.”
Vincent joined the Kelly administration in 2021 and has overseen policy and legislative affairs for all education-related issues during this time. As Director of Governmental Affairs-Education Policy, he led the multi-year, collaborative effort with the Kansas Legislature to pass House Bill 2045 and establish the Office of Early Childhood. Vincent holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Washington University in St. Louis.
“I’m honored to continue my service in the Kelly administration and to the people of Kansas as the Office of Early Childhood transition director,” Vincent noted in the State of Kansas release. “I am confident that the Office will build on our administration’s efforts to increase access to high-quality, affordable early childhood services while also ensuring greater government efficiency and a streamlined system for Kansas families, providers, and businesses.”
The Office of Early Childhood transition team will consist of leadership from eight state agencies and will include cabinet-level officials and early childhood program staff. The interagency team is statutorily required to assist with the process of consolidating programs into the Office of Early Childhood.
House Bill 2045 consolidates nearly 20 existing state programs serving young children and families into the Office of Early Childhood. The Office, which will officially open in mid-2026, will house child care licensing; child care subsidy and home visitation programs; and the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund. The Office will be responsible for Kansas’ early childhood system, serving communities and stakeholders by developing a statewide strategy for expanding access to early childhood education and care.
The Office will be led by a director appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Kansas Senate. The Governor’s Office will undertake a search for the office’s permanent director throughout the fall and announce an appointee by January 2026.
More information on the Office of Early Childhood can be found at https://www.governor.ks.gov/Home/Components/News/News/642/55?fsiteid=1#!/
