September 2025 Newsletter
By Kansas Action for Children | September 26, 2025
Advocacy Guide
The fall season is upon us, and you know what that means – it’s time to start building relationships with Kansas leaders in anticipation of the legislative session! January will be here faster than you might think, so now is an ideal time to begin reaching out to the people who represent you in the Statehouse and urge them to act with kids top of mind in their decision-making.
Over the years, we have seen how impactful it can be when everyday people use their voices to create change, whether that’s cutting the state sales tax on groceries or defending child care safety standards.
Advocacy can feel overwhelming, but we’re here to help. We’ve recently updated our “Advocacy Guide,” which covers everything from the legislative timeline and how a bill becomes a law to who you can connect with to make a difference.
The new “Advocacy Guide” is now on our website here.
“Big Bill, Big Problems”
Next week, KAC will be joining the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas and Kansas Appleseed on a tour of Kansas to talk about the impacts of H.R. 1, the reconciliation bill passed by Congress this summer. The lineup includes stops in Garden City (Sept. 29), Hutchinson (Sept. 30), Iola (Oct. 1), and Manhattan (Oct. 2). If you are able, we’d love to have you join us!
| Register Here |
We’ll share more about how the bill will affect:
- Food insecurity and food access
- Health care access and Medicaid expansion
- Tax policy and financial security
- And much more
Hope to see you there! If you’re not able to make it, you can check out our blog post and video explainer to learn more.
Website Updates
While on our website, you might notice a few changes and items that have moved around. The renamed “Analysis” tab now showcases most of our policy work, like blogs and research papers. The renamed “Data” tab will make our data products more accessible, such as KIDS COUNT county fact sheets and other related materials.
A few items are still being adjusted, so if you are looking for something and can't find it, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].
Uninsured Children
A few weeks ago, the U.S. Census Bureau released new data in its American Community Survey showing that the child uninsured rate in Kansas went up to 7.0% in 2024, compared 5.2% in 2022. That is an extra 13,000 Kansas kids who don’t have access to critical coverage to ensure they can receive timely vaccinations, doctor visits, prescriptions, therapies, and more.
No child should go without health care, but it’s a sad reality for many families who are already juggling expenses for rent, food, transportation, utilities, and more. As KAC looks toward the next legislative session, we’ll be advocating for policies that can put the child uninsured rate on a downward trend.
You can read Kansas Health Institute’s analysis on the numbers here.
Public Health Award
We’re thrilled to announce that Kansas Action for Children was awarded the Corporate Public Health Service Award by the Kansas Public Health Association this week at their annual conference!
We’ll continue working to ensure Kansas is a state that meets the health needs of everyone, including the 700,000 children who call Kansas home.
Join Our Team
We're hiring a Data and Policy Analyst to join our team to provide essential research and analysis that informs our public policy advocacy. We are reviewing applications on a rolling basis.
Key responsibilities:
- Data Research and Analysis
- Publication Production
- Storytelling Using Data
We're seeking a candidate with a strong background in data management and reporting, with emphasis on data visualization and the ability to communicate complex information effectively. Experience with data sources related to income, demographics, and population is highly desirable.
The ideal candidate loves digging through spreadsheets and turning them into clear, impactful visualizations and reports to improve the lives of kids and families in Kansas.
New on the Blog
On the Economy: While August revenues for the state beat previous expectations, inflation and job numbers show Kansas (like the rest of the country) could be at risk. The next few months will give more insight into what everyday people can expect for everything from the price of food to available jobs. Read more from our State of the State Economy: August Economic Update.
Education Funding: We’re continuing to review how the Education Funding Task Force has gone about their work this year and what it could mean for the next school funding formula. In January and February, the Task Force learned more about funding basics, including how “weightings” determine school district funding. Read our summary of the meetings here.
Storybanking Project
The Kansas Common Sense Fund has launched a storybanking project, “The Stories of Real Kansans” to put real Kansas faces to the policy choices made by elected leaders. If selected, the storyteller will receive a $50 stipend.
Some examples they share include:
- Medicaid access
- Public education
- Farming and rural/agricultural issues
Interested in sharing your story? Learn more about the project here.
Share
