COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Thousands of families are waiting to receive childcare subsidies after being placed on a waitlist while the state waits for more program openings. As the waitlist grows, more child care centers in areas that serve low-income families have been forced to close their doors.
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education opened up a waitlist for child care subsidies in March. Data from monthly child care subsidy reports show more than 11,600 children on the waitlist as of September. Month by month, the numbers grew as follows:
- May: 5,157
- June: 7,165
- July: 8,879
- August: 10,276
- September: 11,618
Getting off the waitlist depends entirely on how much funding the state has to put toward the program…