Goals for Kansas Early Head Start (KEHS) include increasing the number of poor infants and toddlers—defined as those children in families earning at or below 100 percent of the federal poverty level—in high-quality child care and early education programs and supporting low-income working families. All child care providers are assessed using the appropriate Environmental Rating Scale. Since 2002, the state has collected a set of outcomes from all sites on a quarterly basis. KEHS programs send their quarterly outcomes (include teacher education levels and professional development, parent employment and school attendance, Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment [HOME] scores, and children’s developmental progress) to the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitative Services. Through a partnership with researchers at the University of Kansas, children are measured on language indicators through a play-based measurement tool, the ECI (Early Communication Indicator). HOME is used to assess the impact of participation in KEHS on the family environment. Parents as Teachers milestones are also used. An evaluation by the Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation (MDRC) of one KHES program is currently underway.

Funding for Kansas Early Head Start (KEHS) now comes from the infant and toddler earmark within the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) quality set-aside and from state general revenue. Initially, funding was made possible by a transfer of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds to the CCDBG. In 2006, $7.9 million was allocated for Kansas Early Head Start. No additional funds were available to pay for increases in program operational costs, cost of living adjustments (COLAs), or travel mileage for home visitors. In 2002 or 2003, there were cuts to program and subsidy funding, but the program has since recovered funding.

The 2007 state budget includes a $1.85 million enhancement for KEHS, which marks the first time state general revenue funds have been allocated to KEHS. Funds will allow existing programs to serve more children but will not allow for the creation of additional program locations.

Kansas Early Head Start (KEHS) is housed in the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services, which also administers the child care subsidy program. Child care licensing is in a separate agency. The State Child Care Administrator oversees KEHS and sits on councils for both KEHS and the pre-K program pilot for four-year-old children. Kansas Early Head Start collaborates with the Department of Education Parents As Teachers program and with the Department of Health and the Environment on Individuals with Disabilities in Education (IDEA) Part C services for infants and toddlers.

At the local KEHS level, there is collaboration across partnering child care settings. KEHS collaborates with local Resource and Referral Agencies and the R&R Infant/Toddler Specialists to share training and resources.

The Child Care and Early Education Advisory Committee provides insight and assistance in the development of statewide plans for child care services in Kansas. This meeting has a variety of information about programs, events, and initiatives affecting Kansas children and families.

The federal Maternal and Child Health Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems planning grant brings a cross section of key stakeholders to the table to develop a comprehensive system that promotes school readiness. The plan is organized into five goals to provide children birth through five with the resources they need to succeed in school and life.

There are several ongoing challenges for Kansas Early Head Start (KEHS):

●         KEHS is funded by the federal Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) but is based on the standards and regulations of the federal Early Head Start program. At times, regulations for these two programs are conflicting. For instance, there are specific work or training/education activities requirements for receipt of child care subsidies funded with the CCDBG, whereas federal Early Head Start does not tie child eligibility to parental work or education status. However, KEHS requires all parents who access child care to be employed, attending school, or in a job training program.

●         Head Start Performance Standards have not yet been finalized for family child home-based programs, although many children in Kansas receive KEHS services through family child care homes. During federal reviews, this can be somewhat confusing when KEHS children are receiving home based services.

●         KEHS needs additional funding to serve more eligible children and to serve new parts of the state. Currently, only 5 percent of eligible children in Kansas receive KEHS services. Many programs have waiting lists.

●         More resources are necessary to improve the quality of KEHS. Some issues persist that could threaten quality, including high teacher turnover and low salaries for teachers and staff. There is no universal quality rating system, although in Kansas we currently have a pilot child care quality rating system.

●         While there is strong support for KEHS from the Governor, some state representatives believe that infant and toddler care should be provided by parents in the home instead of through child care programs.

There are also many opportunities for KEHS to improve and expand:

·         The 2007 state budget includes a $1.85 million enhancement for KEHS. This is the first time state general funds have been allocated for KEHS. Funds will allow existing programs to reduce their waiting lists.

·         The program is popular with key political players, including the current governor.

·         There are opportunities to coordinate KEHS with ongoing early childhood initiatives, including pre-kindergarten. The Child Care Administrator sits on both the committee governing pre-kindergarten efforts and the one governing KEHS. There is strong collaboration between KEHS and programs for four-year-olds (the four-year-old at-risk and pre-kindergarten programs).

A key component in implementing a state Early Head Start program is cultivating champions. All Kansas Early Head Start programs continually foster relationships with state and local representatives and encourage visits from legislators to the programs. Federal representatives, including both senators, have made visits to programs and are supportive allies. Parents have been very effective in speaking with representatives and sharing their stories and experiences.

Interview with Mary Weathers, Head Start Program Manager for the State of Kansas, on November 18, 2005 and updated on December 19, 2006.

Contact Information: (785) 296-4712 or mxkw@srskansas.org