KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- In Head Start classrooms across the Kansas City metro, the rhythm of early learning is at a stalemate as money that was supposed to arrive on November 1 hasn't come yet.

Due to the government shutdown, federal funding for Head Start officially expired on October 31. New grant awards are frozen, leaving local providers scrambling to keep things afloat.

For the Mid-America regional council (MARC), which oversees Head Start programs in the Kansas City metro, the timing couldn’t be worse. With 20 years of experience in Head Start MARC director Kacey Lawson says this is unlike other shutdowns.

"This is very different because I've never been in a program, where at this time, we are supposed to have the notice of award," Lawson said. "So, for me this is the first time there

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