KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- On Tuesday morning, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly announced that a letter was sent to United States Secretary of Education Linda McMahon calling for the reallocation of $22.6 million in federal pandemic relief funds to the state of Kansas. In late March, the U.S. Department of E ducation said it would be taking back nearly $3 billion in pandemic relief funds in the states, which Gov. Kelly said has already been designated to special programs, students and educators in Kansas. Blue Valley schools approve new policy after sex offender attends school dance “Abruptly stripping this funding is a disservice to the Kansas students and teachers who rely on it to excel in the classroom,” Kelly said.  “This funding is critical for our schools to continue setting Kansas children up for a strong start to life. I urge the Trump administration to reinstate this funding to ensure our students can continue to access these key resources they need to succeed.” According to Kelly, back in October 2024, she announced that her administration would continue allocating a portion of the funds to cover the costs of licensure, fingerprinting, and background check fees for early childhood educators. She continued, saying that state and federal funding began covering these fees back in 2021 and has since covered about $3.34 million in application costs for over 15,500 providers and background checks for over 39,400 providers. "With the help of the Department of Education and these resources, we are seeing positive results for Kansas students and educators," Kelly wrote. Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce’s steakhouse to open in Kansas City this summer "In Kansas, state assessment scores are on the rise and graduation rates are at an all-time high. Extending the liquidation of these funds will allow our state's education system to remain on a positive trajectory and serve Kansas students and families well." Kelly said the fees would be "reinstated" until the Trump administration restores the state's funds. ...read more read less