Kansas program to give $1,000 to some families to fight learning loss. Here's how to apply

A new statewide program will give Kansas families $1,000 awards to fight learning loss, Gov. Laura Kelly’s office announced Tuesday.

The Kansas Education Enrichment Program, once fully implemented, will give eligible families a one-time, $1,000 award per student meant to help pay for educational goods and services like tutoring and school supplies, as part of an effort to recover missed learning opportunities during the pandemic.

“With KEEP, we’re enabling Kansas students to access the resources and support they need to thrive in the classroom. I look forward to families being able to access these funds soon," Kelly said in a release. “In the meantime, I am calling on all Kansas businesses that provide education services to join the KEEP Marketplace and help our students live up to their highest potential.”

Kelly was one of the nation’s first governors to order schools closed nearly three years ago at the onset of the pandemic in the U.S.

While the shutdowns are credited with helping stop disease spread and were later rolled back or continued at the local level, Kansas' academic achievement has suffered in the years since, especially when students tried to learn via remote or hybrid teaching methods.

More:Kansas’ national reading, math scores drop to some of the lowest on record

Funding for KEEP comes from Kansas’ share of the American Rescue Plan Act’s State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund. A state panel of lawmakers in December 2021 had approved the creation of a $50 million program to address learning loss for low-income families, and Kelly had come under fire for not acting sooner on establishing such a program.

"That's actually a shame because there are third party entities that are very experienced at this," Rep. Kristey Williams, R-Augusta and chair of the House K-12 Education Budget Committee, had previously said of Kelly's delay.

A similar $17.3 program in Oklahoma came under federal and legal scrutiny last year after an investigation found program grants had gone toward non-educational expenses like smartphones, televisions, video game consoles and Christmas trees. Kansas’ program will specifically bar such purchases.

Kansas KEEP learning loss award application opens Feb. 22

Only Kansas families whose household income is less than 185% of the federal poverty level will initially  be eligible for KEEP grants. That will generally mean that students who also qualify for free- or reduced-price school meals will be eligible.

If funding remains after that initial wave, the application would become open to households at 300% of the federal poverty level. A final round of awards would become open to any household, if funds remain available.

Households will receive $1,000 awards for each student, if eligible.

Applications are open starting Feb. 22 at keep.ks.gov.

Kansas families can use KEEP learning loss awards on tutoring, day camps and school supplies

Per the program’s website, families who receive KEEP awards will be able to use them on eligible academic and educationally enriching expenses, such as day camps with academic or subject-specific focuses, language classes and tutoring.

Families will also be able to buy curriculum and educational materials, including some technological devices. Music instruments and lessons are also eligible.

Once the program starts, families will be able to submit expenses for reimbursement and check their award balance using an online dashboard.

Some expenses, such as school tuition, smartphones, sporting goods, field trip fees and admission to museums and other venues, are prohibited, under the program.

The state will later launch an online KEEP marketplace with a list of eligible expenses and services from Qualified Education Service Providers. Businesses and organizations interested in becoming Qualified Education Service Providers may already apply at keep.ks.gov/qesp.

Rafael Garcia is an education reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached at rgarcia@cjonline.com or by phone at ‪785-289-5325. Follow him on Twitter at @byRafaelGarcia.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas KEEP learning loss program will give families $1,000 awards