KEEP expansion will allow more parents to apply for $1,000 government fund

It was back on Tuesday, March 17, 2020, when Kansas Governor Laura Kelly told every school kid in Kansas to stay home until the Fall semester due to the coronavirus. The decision to allow students back in school, however, would get pushed further and further into the future. When students did get to finally return, facemasks had to be worn and children were encouraged to be vaccinated, whether their parents wanted that for their child(ren) or not.

Now, after children have had a significant loss of time in their education, Gov. Kelly announced on Monday, June 5, 2023, that students whose household income is less than 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines are now eligible to receive a one-time $1,000 “award” per child in an effort to “promote learning recovery” through Kansas Education Enrichment Program (KEEP).

“This program enables Kansas students to access the resources and support they need to live up to their highest potential,” Governor Kelly said. “If you know of someone who may qualify for this funding, please encourage them to apply today as we continue to help our students thrive both in and out of the classroom.” 

It is important to understand that, despite the wording being used, this is not actually an “award” or anything of that nature as it is really just a way to make the government sound like it’s doing something good when really it is just allowing parents to keep the money they would have otherwise been taxed. However, now those parents can only use that money in the way that the government tells them they’re allowed to use it and that’s only if they first go through the application process and get approved.

The program was created in response to Gov. Kelly and her administration’s policies during the pandemic which led to the learning loss in the first place. However, most media outlets and the government are blaming the pandemic when the pandemic had no ability to shut down government schools. Only the government had that power.

In 2023, the Federal Poverty Guidelines for a family of four is a household income of $30,000 or less. So, a family of four making less than 300 percent of that, which would be a household income of less than $90,000, would qualify for the fund due to the governor’s expansion of the qualifications. Back in February, when this fund was first announced, families that qualified had to make less than 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. That would be a household income of less than $55,500 for a family of four in 2023. 

According to a press release from the Kansas Office of the Governor, KEEP funds can be used for the following educational activities:

• The purchase of curriculum and educational materials, including school supplies and certain allowed technological devices 
• Camps with academic-related curriculum such as music, arts, science, technology, agriculture, mathematics, and engineering 
• Tutoring 
• Language classes
• Musical instruments and lessons 

The funds are not eligible for private school tuition.

KEEP is offered through a contract between Merit International, Inc. and the Kansas Office of Recovery, with the goal of providing educational activities and learning opportunities to students across Kansas to promote educational learning recovery in response to the impacts of the government’s policies regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. The application can be found here.