Missouri has awarded an additional $4.2 million in grants to improve facilities at six child care centers around the state.
Gov. Jay Nixon is touting the funding through the Department of Economic Development as part of what he calls the "Missouri Start Smart" initiative to expand access to early childhood education.
The money will help expand three preschool facilities in the St. Louis area, one in the Macon area in northern Missouri, and one each in the Calhoun and Polo school districts in western Missouri.
The latest grants raise the total to $7.1 million so far this year.