Child Care Subsidies & Assistance in Kansas
Kansas Child Care Subsidy raised entry to 250% FPL (~$69,000 family of 4). Family share is roughly 3% or less of monthly income, with no statewide waitlist. State CDCC is 50% of federal (doubled from 25% in 2024), non-refundable.
Data current as of May 21, 2026
Child care subsidy (CCDF) in Kansas
- Program name
- Kansas Child Care Subsidy Program
- Administered by
- Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF), Economic and Employment Services
- Income ceiling
- Entry: family income up to 250% of the federal poverty level (approximately $5,783/month for a family of four). Continuing eligibility up to 85% State Median Income.
- Family fee / copay
- Family Share Deduction set on a sliding scale, typically about 3% or less of monthly gross income. Waived for most families below 100% FPL.
- Waitlist status
- No typical waitlist — No statewide waitlist — eligibility-based program. A new Kansas Office of Early Childhood is expected to open mid-2026, taking over child care subsidy administration from DCF.
- Apply
- cssp.kees.ks.gov/
Priority groups (served first)
- Families receiving TANF
- Low-income working families
- Families in education or training
- Teen parents
State pre-K in Kansas
- Program name
- Kansas Preschool Pilot (KPP) and Preschool-Aged At-Risk Program
- Administered by
- Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE); delivered through Unified School Districts and community partners
- Access
- Income-targeted
- Eligibility
- Children ages 3–4 at risk of entering kindergarten unprepared. At least 50% of KPP-served children must meet at-risk criteria. The 2026-27 KPP is funded entirely from TANF (CIF funding removed).
- Coverage
- Approximately 18–22% of Kansas 4-year-olds enrolled across state pre-K programs (NIEER 2023).
State tax credits & extras in Kansas
- State CDCC
- Non-refundable. 50% of the federal CDCC. Doubled from 25% to 50% of the federal CDCC effective tax year 2024 (Kansas SB 1, 2024 Special Session). Non-refundable, claimed on Line 14 of Form K-40. (The separate K-56 Child Day Care Assistance Credit is an employer-side credit, not a parent-side credit.)
Where to apply or get help in Kansas
- Find a licensed daycare in KansasChildery directory — quality ratings, ZIP & city search
- Kansas child care portalwww.dcf.ks.gov/services/ees/pages/child_care/childcaresubsidy.aspx
- Eligibility screenercssp.kees.ks.gov/
- Kansas 211 (dial 2-1-1)www.211kansas.org/
- Child Care Aware of Kansas — family child care assistanceks.childcareaware.org/child-care-assistance/
- Kansas Preschool Pilot — KSDEwww.ksde.gov/student-success/early-childhood/preschool-programming
- Kansas DOR — Child Day Care Assistance Creditwww.ksrevenue.gov/prtaxcredits-daycare.html
- Federal childcare.gov — Kansas resourceswww.childcare.gov/state-resources/kansas/financial-assistance-resources-for-families
Find a daycare in Kansas
Once you know what you qualify for, Childery's directory helps you pick a provider. Browse Kansas's licensed daycares with independent Process and Structural quality ratings, or search by ZIP code or city.
Browse Kansas daycaresSources
Every state layers its own program on top of a federal floor — CCDF (the federal block grant), Head Start, the federal DCFSA (employer pre-tax benefit), and the federal Child and Dependent Care Credit. See the federal overview for what the floor looks like before any state adds.