Kentucky K-12 Education Grants & Funding Resources

What Grants Are Available in Kentucky?

1. Kentucky Education Technology System (KETS)
   • What it is: The Kentucky Education Technology System (KETS) is a statewide matching-funds program that ensures every district maintains a baseline level of modern technology infrastructure. Each year, the state provides “Offers of Assistance” that districts must match with local funds, effectively doubling the investment in core technology. The 2024–2030 Master Plan outlines Kentucky’s priorities around equitable access, cybersecurity, network reliability, data systems, instructional technology, and long-term sustainability. Eligible costs include hardware, networking, software, security systems, and administrative platforms that directly support teaching, learning, and school operations.
   • Why it matters: For districts, KETS dollars represent a guaranteed and recurring stream of technology funding that can be planned into multi-year strategies. Because the program covers both instructional and administrative systems, schools can justify investments not just in classroom devices, but also in accountability and compliance tools. This means SmartClock hardware and absence/time management software could be positioned under KETS as part of the district’s technology infrastructure for staff accountability, secure access, and operational efficiency. With the state matching local dollars, districts that adopt solutions tied to compliance, safety, and data integrity effectively get a 2-for-1 return on their tech investment—making it one of the most reliable ways to sustain and scale systems that improve both staff and student outcomes.
     
     
2. SEEK (Support Education Excellence in Kentucky)
   
   • What it is: An annual, recurring, formula-based funding stream for Kentucky school districts—no application required. The General Assembly sets a per-pupil amount; districts receive allocations based on ADA with add-ons for at-risk, exceptional child, transportation, LEP, and home/hospital. SEEK includes Capital Outlay funds restricted to capital purposes and supports the district’s general operating budget where administrative systems are funded.
   • Why it matters: Why it matters: Because SEEK is predictable and recurring, districts can confidently budget for both capital assets (SmartClocks) and operational software that improve compliance, safety, and efficiency. SmartClocks can be scoped as facility-integrated assets (capital) when tied to building/security infrastructure, while software and services can be maintained in general operating budgets. This combination gives districts a sustainable path to deploy and scale time tracking solutions that underpin accurate payroll, staff accountability, and reliable coverage, ultimately supporting instructional continuity and operational resilience.

1. School Safety & Resiliency Act (SB 1, 2019)
   
   • What it is: An ongoing Kentucky school safety law (SB 1, 2019) that mandates access-control practices, annual security risk assessments, SRO coverage (as funds/personnel allow), threat-assessment teams, and an anonymous reporting tool—while authorizing the Center for School Safety to run safety grants when funded by the General Assembly. There is no fixed application window in the statute; funding opportunities arise via periodic state appropriations and agency announcements.
   • Why it matters: Because SB 1 requires secured entries, locked classrooms, visitor ID/badging, and documented safety readiness, districts need building-mounted, durable security and accountability hardware that proves who is on campus and when. SmartClock-style devices (often POE, wall-mounted) dovetail with access-control and emergency muster workflows, strengthening compliance with SB 1 and providing auditable presence data for drills and incident response. When paired with compatible software, districts can meet SB 1’s proof-of-practice expectations, while using state safety allocations or SB 1-enabled grant dollars (when announced) to fund initial deployment.
     
     
2. Kentucky Education Technology System (KETS)
   
   • What it is: The Kentucky Education Technology System (KETS) is a statewide matching-funds program that ensures every district maintains a baseline level of modern technology infrastructure. Each year, the state provides “Offers of Assistance” that districts must match with local funds, effectively doubling the investment in core technology. The 2024–2030 Master Plan outlines Kentucky’s priorities around equitable access, cybersecurity, network reliability, data systems, instructional technology, and long-term sustainability. Eligible costs include hardware, networking, software, security systems, and administrative platforms that directly support teaching, learning, and school operations.
   • Why it matters: For districts, KETS dollars represent a guaranteed and recurring stream of technology funding that can be planned into multi-year strategies. Because the program covers both instructional and administrative systems, schools can justify investments not just in classroom devices, but also in accountability and compliance tools. This means SmartClock hardware and absence/time management software could be positioned under KETS as part of the district’s technology infrastructure for staff accountability, secure access, and operational efficiency. With the state matching local dollars, districts that adopt solutions tied to compliance, safety, and data integrity effectively get a 2-for-1 return on their tech investment—making it one of the most reliable ways to sustain and scale systems that improve both staff and student outcomes.