A task force created by Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has issued its final report on steps needed to improve early childhood services in the state.
The Early Childhood Transition Task Force was created to examine Kansas’ early childhood system and identify steps the state can take to reduce burdens placed on families, increase accountability for early childhood programs, and eliminate inefficiencies and gaps in service.
The task force held a series of public input sessions across the state last summer. It’s final report focuses on the need to consolidate services to reduce red tape and bureaucratic burdens on families navigating the system. Currently, four different state agencies are involved in providing early childhood services. The report recommends that Kansas “unify its “early childhood care and education services into a single state entity.” Other recommendations include collecting and sharing data that could improve the provision and accountability of services and providing greater support for families and businesses looking to access or provide child care.
Governor Kelly said the final report will help in determining the best way forward to make early childhood services more accessible and affordable for Kansas families. Kelly will look over the recommendations and decide the next steps.
https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Kansas-Early-Childhood-Transition-Task-Force-Final-Report.pdf
