Children matter in Kansas budget

The 2008 legislative session in Kansas closed this month with good news for children and families. The state budget included $11.1 million in new funding for an Early Childhood Block Grant, which will fund a range of early education programs including pre-kindergarten, Head Start, Early Head Start, and Parents as Teachers, as well as additional child care quality initiatives. The Early Childhood Block Grant has a 30 percent set-aside to fund infant and toddler programs and will be administered by the Kansas Children's Cabinet. In addition to funding for the block grant, the Legislature approved a $2.5 million increase in funding for child care assistance. The increase is estimated to provide care for an additional 800 children of low-income, working families.