The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is seeking applications for 2024-2025 Kansas Preschool Pilot (KPP) grants to provide preschool services. 

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

2024-2025 Kansas Preschool Pilot grant applications are due at 5 p.m. Monday, Jan.15, 2024. KSDE will host a Kansas Preschool Pilot grant webinar at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 12, to discuss this funding opportunity.  

Preschool Pilot grants will be for a one-year funding period from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025. Kansas Preschool Pilot 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 2024 Legislative session.  

The amount of Kansas Preschool Pilot grant funding remains limited. KSDE anticipates that the same amount of funding will be allocated in 2024-2025 as was allocated in 2023-2024 ($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 2024-2025: 

• 2023-2024 Kansas Preschool Pilot grantees will first have the opportunity to renew the 2023-2024 amount of grant funding for 2024-2025. Kansas Preschool Pilot grant awards will not exceed the gap between a program’s revenue and expenses. Applicants will use the 2024-2025 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 2023-2024 grant award, the grantee will receive level Kansas Preschool Pilot grant funding for 2024-2025. If other sources of funding will reduce the gap between forecasted revenue and expenditures, the grantee will receive a 2024-2025 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 Kansas Preschool Pilot funding. These applicants may include both applicants who do not currently receive Kansas Preschool Pilot grants and current Kansas Preschool Pilot grantees demonstrating a gap between preschool revenues and expenditures. Initiatives to improve the quality and availability of preschool may include:  
• 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/full-year early childhood care and education. 
• 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 2024-2025 Kansas Preschool Pilot Grant Requirements and Application document and associated materials. 

Click here to register for the Dec. 12 Kansas Preschool Pilot grant webinar. 

Contact Natalie McClane (nmcclane@ksde.org) and Amanda Petersen (apetersen@ksde.org) with Kansas Preschool Pilot questions.