KEEP program could help more students recover from the education gap created by the pandemic

Parents in Kansas say expanding eligibility for for the Kansas Education Enrichment Program will help more students afford educational goods and services to help keep up.

The Kansas Office of Recovery recently announced expanded eligibility for KEEP.

The state will give each eligible student in Kansas $1,000 to use for “educational goods and services” if the child’s parents have a household income less than 300 percent below the federal poverty guidelines.

The Kansas Education Enrichment Program (KEEP) provides awards to a student’s parent or guardian to use on various enrichment and educational activities. The program is being offered through a contract between Merit International, Inc. and the Kansas Office of Recovery.

Families can qualify for $1,000 per child, with the choice of what to spend the funds on left up to each family.

Parents or guardians can purchase instruments, tutoring sessions, admission to academic camps or iPads like Freeman did for her children.  Here's how it works for parents, guardians, students, and service providers.  More