The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is seeking applications for 2025-26 Kansas Preschool Pilot (KPP) grants to provide preschool services.  

Eligible applicants include Kansas unified school districts (USDs) and other entities partnering with school districts. At least 50% of children served by KPP grant funds must meet criteria to be at risk of entering kindergarten socially, emotionally or academically unprepared for success.  

Two important dates to remember:  

• Dec. 10: KSDE will host a Kansas Preschool Pilot grant webinar at 10 a.m. to discuss this funding opportunity.  
• Jan. 16: Applications for the 2025-26 KPP grant are due by 5 p.m.  

Kansas Preschool Pilot grants will be for a one-year funding period from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. KPP grants will consist of funding from the Children’s Initiatives Fund (CIF) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Grant funding is dependent upon the final state budget approved during the 2025 legislative session.   

The amount of KPP grant funding remains limited. KSDE anticipates the same amount of funding will be allocated in 2025-26 as was allocated in 2024-25 ($8,332,317).  

Districts are encouraged to consider other larger, more sustainable options to invest in preschool, including state school finance formula funds, special education funds and federal Head Start grants.   

To focus time and energy on more sustainable options to invest in preschool, the following will be in place for 2025-26: 

• 2024-25 KPP grantees will first have the opportunity to renew the 2024-25 amount of grant funding for the 2025-26 school year. These grant awards will not exceed the gap between a program’s revenue and expenses. Applicants will use the 2025-26 preschool revenue calculator and budget template to estimate the amount of funding they will receive (state enrollment aid and accompanying weightings, special education funds, Head Start funds) and demonstrate how they plan to spend that funding. 
• If the gap between forecasted revenue and expenditures remains larger or equal to the 2024-25 grant award, the grantee will receive level KPP grant funding for 2025-26. If other sources of funding will reduce the gap between forecasted revenue and expenditures, the grantee will receive a 2025-26 grant equal to the size of the gap between revenue and expenses.  
• Any remaining funding will then be awarded on a competitive basis to applicants proposing initiatives to improve the quality and availability of preschool in their community.  
• Applicants may apply for up to $50,000 in new KPP funding. These applicants may include both applicants who do not currently receive these grants and current grantees demonstrating a gap between preschool revenues and expenditures. Initiatives to improve the quality and availability of preschool may include the following:   
• Expenditures that will improve the percentage of preschool students with disabilities receiving the majority of special education and related services in the least restrictive environment (Indicator 6).  
• Partnerships that increase overall community preschool capacity, particularly capacity to provide full-day and/or full-year early childhood care and education. This may include start-up expenditures associated with preparing to expand, such as the cost of an early childhood principal/director/coordinator leading planning. 
• One-time expenditures that will enhance the quality of programs (professional development, instructional materials, supplies, etc.).  
• Other innovative practices described by the applicant to improve preschool services in their community.  

Visit the KSDE Preschool Programming webpage to view the 2025-26 Kansas Preschool Pilot Grant Requirements and Application document and associated materials.  

Contact Natalie McClane, nmcclane@ksde.org, and Amanda Petersen, apetersen@ksde.org, with questions.