Missouri is the last state in the country to designate some of its ARPA funds for early childhood education.
On Saturday, the St. Louis County Council will discuss adding $5 million to the pot. Mackenzie Grayson of the Gateway Early Childhood Alliance told KMOX that the average childcare worker makes just over minimum wage, at $11.65 an hour.
"And so we are tasked with them leaving the early childcare profession to go to Costo or go to Starbucks, because they're paying more," Grayson said.
She added that many childcare centers are closing, while other centers have long waiting lists and desperate parents or face severe staff shortages.
"This is probably the reason we have childcare facillites that are having to close their doors," Grayson said. "We have directors that are having to run the center, be a teacher in the classroom, they have to cook lunch, cook breakfast."
The ARPA money will hopefully raise pay and potentially provide child care educators access to a debt-free college education.