Kansas
Working families in Kansas need accessible, affordable, quality child care and early learning opportunities for their children.
Currently, federal and state early learning programs reach thousands of young children and their families in Kansas. But too many working families in Kansas are missing out. As a direct result of child care issues, the Kansas economy loses millions of dollars each year in the form of lost earnings, productivity, and revenue.
In the state, 67% of children have all available parents participating in the workforce, while the average cost of care is $15,156 a year (or $1,263 per month).
More than 8,000 children ages 5 and under have child care costs subsidized through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), or 16% of those eligible. The average copay with a CCDBG subsidy is $119 a month.
7.3K children receive care, learning, nutrition, and other services at no cost through Early Head Start/Head Start (or 15% of those eligible for Early Head Start and 29% of those eligible for Head Start).
And 52.5K working families have the cost of their child care offset through the Child + Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC).
However, many working parents still struggle to access affordable, quality child care, which costs the state’s economy an estimated $1.4 billion each year in lost earnings and productivity.
Kansas: In The Headlines
Parents, teachers concerned for potential cuts to Head Start program
KWCH | May 2, 2025
Head Start ensures that lower-income families have access to childcare and education.
Opinion: Only 7% of Kansas kids get child care subsidies they’re eligible for. Why?
Kansas City Star | January 17, 2026
Only 7.4% of potentially eligible children are served, and fewer than half of licensed child care providers accept the subsidies.
Federal Bill Reintroduced to Lower Child Care Costs and Expand Access Nationwide
KCLY | July 16, 2025
U.S. Representative Sharice Davids joined congressional leaders this week in reintroducing the Child Care for Working Families Act, legislation aimed at making high-quality child care more affordable and accessible across the country.
Kansas Resources & News
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Through the Years: Preschool Development Grants Birth Through Five
The Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) program is a $315 million competitive federal grant designed to improve collaboration and quality in states’ early childhood systems by building …
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How a Lack of Affordable Child Care Impacts the Economy
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FFYF Hosts “Child Care Means Business” Event in Conjunction with the Bipartisan Pre-K and Child Care Caucus
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FFYF Analysis of 2025 State of the State Addresses
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10 States and DC Receive New Round of PDG B-5 Grants
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2024 Child Care and Early Learning State Fact Sheets
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2024 CCDBG State Fact Sheets
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New BPC Report: A Look into Child Care Workforce Licensing Requirements
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FFYF Analysis of 2024 State of the State Addresses
Analysis of 2024 State of the State addresses given by Governors across the country found that child care, early learning, and early childhood received substantial attention across state and party …
Total Federal TANF & State MOE Expenditures for Child Care & Early Learning in FY2022
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides federal grants to states to design and operate programs that help low-income families achieve self-sufficiency. TANF plays a crucial role in …
How States Are Using PDG B-5 Grants to Support Career Pathways
The BUILD Initiative, ZERO TO THREE, and Start Early, recently released a new brief highlighting the strategies states are using to improve career pathways in their Preschool Development Grant Birth …
FFYF’S 2023 State Fact Sheets
Our new analysis of all 50 states and Washington, D.C. shows that child care and early learning programs have tremendous impacts on young children, their families, and the economy at …
New 50 State Analysis Shows Impact of Federal Child Care Program
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How CCDBG Benefits Families in Your State
The Child Care & Development Block Grant (CCDBG) is the primary federal grant program that provides child care assistance to low-income working families with children under age 13. The majority …
FFYF’s 2022 Child Care & Early Learning State Fact Sheets
Our analysis of all 50 states and Washington, D.C. shows that the existing patchwork of federal and state early learning and care programs only reaches a fraction of income-eligible families. Federal …
Kansas — Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
Learn About the Positive Impact of MIECHV in Your State
The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program provides federal funds to states, territories, and tribal entities for voluntary, evidence-based home visiting services. This program was reauthorized in …
2021 State Fact Sheets: Examining the Impact and Unmet Need of Federal & State ECE Funding
FFYF has released the latest iteration of its annual state fact sheets, which draw on numerous data sources to offer details about the early childhood opportunities in each state made …
Kansas — Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
FFYF Releases State Fact Sheets, Highlighting Unique Local Landscapes
This summer, FFYF released updated state fact sheets, which draw on numerous data sources to offer details about the early childhood opportunities in each state made possible through federal and state …
Kansas: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
Updated Fact Sheets Show Opportunities for States
On Monday, the Center for American Progress (CAP) released their 2019 Early Learning Fact Sheets which provide an overview of early learning in each state. As in previous years, CAP’s …
See How All 50 States Use CCDBG Funding to Support Working Families Access Quality Child Care
Yesterday, our friends at Child Care Aware of America released a series of state fact sheets on the status of funding through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) …
Kansas: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
46 States and Territories to Receive Preschool Development Grants
Big news! 46 states and territories have been awarded funding through the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5), a $250 million competitive federal grant designed to improve states’ existing early …
