JAG K asks legislature for $800,000 to expand statewide supports after reporting strong graduation outcomes

Chuck Knap, president and CEO of Jobs for America's Graduates Kansas (JAG K), asked the Committee on K-12 Education Budget for $800,000 in state funding and urged restoration of a TANF grant to FY2019 levels to expand the nonprofit's K‑12 programs.

"We have 120 programs across the state serving more than 6,600 students," Knap said. He told the committee that the JAG K class of 2024 had "a 98% graduation rate and 90% of those students 12 months after they left our program were either in postsecondary education full-time, full-time military service, or in the workforce full-time." Knap said the organization’s FY2027 expansion would add ten counties and aim to serve roughly 7,400 students.

The committee pressed Knap for additional outcome details. He said 67% of JAG K students have some type of postsecondary credential or are enrolled in postsecondary education (the group's goal is 75%) and that middle-school proficiency data collection would begin in the upcoming school year in response to legislative requests.

Former JAG K participant Rya Klema testified about how the program helped her remain in school while managing a chronic medical condition and later inspired her to return as staff. "I don't think that I would have even made it to college if I had not been in JAG K," Klema said.

Knap framed the funding request as an investment in graduation and transition supports rather than classroom instruction alone; the committee did not vote on the request and said staff would review the proposal as part of the FY2027 budget process.