Where Kansas stands
Kansas now has a working Workforce Pell process. Kansas Department of Commerce policy 5-04-00, revised June 2, 2026, has the Kansas Board of Regents present eligible programs at regularly scheduled KANSASWORKS State Board meetings, and the board recommends programs to the governor.
The process has already run once. At a June 2, 2026 special meeting, after a Board of Regents presentation, the KANSASWORKS State Board voted 7-0 to recommend two presented programs for Workforce Pell eligibility, and the minutes were approved August 25, 2026. The program names have not been published, and no governor approvals or federal approvals have been announced.
The next KANSASWORKS State Board meeting is December 8, 2026. Under the policy, programs reach the board through a Board of Regents presentation, so a Kansas institution aiming for that meeting should be talking to the Regents now.
Tracker status: Kansas is accepting or reviewing program applications, as of Aug 25, 2026. The national tracker carries every state.
Who runs Workforce Pell in Kansas?
the Governor, on the recommendation of the KANSASWORKS State Board, with the Kansas Board of Regents presenting programs under Kansas Department of Commerce policy 5-04-00. House Bill 2485, approved April 9, 2026 and effective July 1, 2026, directs the governor, in consultation with the state workforce development board, to approve short-term workforce training programs for federal Workforce Pell. Commerce policy 5-04-00 is how that consultation runs: the Board of Regents presents eligible programs, the KANSASWORKS State Board recommends them, and the governor approves.
Approved programs will be listed on the board's website, and an institution whose program is denied may appeal within 15 days. A program the governor approves still goes to the U.S. Department of Education before any student can receive funds, and federal review adds months.
When does the KANSASWORKS State Board meet next?
December 8, 2026. Under policy 5-04-00, programs come to the board at its regularly scheduled meetings, so that date is the next point at which a Kansas program can be recommended. The board recommended its first two programs at a June 2, 2026 special meeting.
After a recommendation, the governor approves and the program goes to the U.S. Department of Education. No governor approval has been announced for the two June programs, which shows how much calendar time sits after a board vote. Plan a first Workforce Pell cohort for well after the board date, not the term right after it.
Which programs are eligible in Kansas?
Policy 5-04-00 covers both the ETPL and Workforce Pell, and the programs the Board of Regents presents are the ones the board considers. Kansas has not published a list of approved Workforce Pell programs, and the two programs recommended in June have not been named.
The federal rules are the design spec: 150 to 599 clock hours across 8 to 15 weeks, a recognized credential, a 70 percent completion rate, and a 70 percent job placement rate. HB 2485 also requires coordination to prevent duplicate funding, so a program already supported by another state stream may need that sorted out before it is approved.
The 70/70 thresholds guide covers how completion and placement are measured, and the final rule guide covers the federal floors every state applies.
What should Kansas programs do now?
Talk to the Board of Regents about the December 8 agenda. Policy 5-04-00 has the Regents present eligible programs at regularly scheduled KANSASWORKS State Board meetings. The next one is December 8, 2026.
Read policy 5-04-00 alongside your ETPL listing. The Commerce policy covers both the ETPL and Workforce Pell. A denied institution has 15 days to appeal, so assemble the record you would appeal with before the meeting, not after it.
Build the completion and placement record now. The 70/70 thresholds are measured on outcomes, and a program that cannot show a verified placement rate for its last cohort is guessing.
The reviewer's bar in every state is a defensible outcome record. See outcome verification software for the mechanics and the Kansas WIOA guide for how the ETPL and training accounts work alongside Workforce Pell today.
Sources
Sources for this page, from the state tracker. Primary sources are the agency, governor, or legislature; secondary sources are reporting or third-party trackers.
- KANSASWORKS State Board minutes, Jun 2, 2026 special meeting
- Kansas Commerce policy 5-04-00, ETPL and Workforce Pell, June 2026
- KANSASWORKS State Board agenda, Aug 25, 2026
- Kansas Legislature HB 2485
For the national picture across all 52 jurisdictions, see the Workforce Pell status page, last refreshed October 2, 2026.