Cooperation Station seeks to expand affordable child care in Cook County

Cooperation Station is leading an initiative to expand access to affordable child care in Cook County.

The recently reopened child care center is applying for a Parent Aware rating, which would make it eligible for scholarships and allow more families to access care.

Post-pandemic data show that more than 75% of parents in Minnesota are working, but child care costs continue to rise.

“Childcare is a huge, important asset to the community, and without it, young families just can’t make it,” Cooperation Station Board Chair Adrianna Brisson told WTIP.  “So you do need to have child care available. And yeah, it can be expensive and hard, and you sometimes feel like your paychecks are just going to child care alone, not to mention all the other necessities you need to survive and make it out there.”

According to Child Care Aware, a nonprofit contracted by the Minnesota Department of Health, the average cost of child care in northeastern Minnesota is about $200 per week for one child. Those expenses can strain household budgets as parents weigh their options.

With a median household income of $72,638 in Cook County, some families may spend more than 10% of their income on child care.

As costs rise, more parents are enrolling their children in public early education programs, where expenses are significantly lower. The preschool program at Cook County Public Schools offers a sliding fee scale, allowing lower-income households to pay reduced rates or, in some cases, attend at no cost. A family of four earning the county’s median income could pay about $430 per month for preschool — nearly half the cost of child care.

“We’ve talked a lot about as a board, the financial challenges parents face in sending their children to daycare, and then also on the counter side, the lack of enrollment we have in preschoolers. Half of our roster is empty because the preschoolers are all in preschool, rather than in a daycare,” Brisson said.

When it comes to income, preschoolers can be valuable to a daycare.  Infant spots are heavily regulated by the state and extremely limited, meaning only a few can be added to a roster.  With those limitations and children leaving as early as three years old, childcare providers may have children at their facility for only a year or two.

To encourage more enrollment, Cooperation Station is exploring its own sliding-fee options.

“We did have a brief meeting with the new PHHS Director, Grace Grinager, and licenser Liz Niemeyer, and just chatted about, you know, what could that look like,” Brisson said. “Is there any possibility of helping parents out, especially with that preschool age? Cutting the cost a little bit and also bringing those kids back to daycares to fill those slots.”

Cooperation Station is also reaching out to government officials for help.  The provider sent letters to State Senator Grant Hauschild and Representative Roger Skraba. They are also working with County Commissioners Ann Sullivan and Garry Gamble to brainstorm ideas.

The organization is also reaching out to state and local officials. Cooperation Station has sent letters to state Sen. Grant Hauschild and Rep. Roger Skraba and is working with Cook County commissioners Ann Sullivan and Garry Gamble to explore potential solutions.

Brisson said the challenges extend beyond one provider. Child care providers in the county meet monthly to support one another and share ideas.

WTIP spoke with Brisson about Cooperation Station and child care in Cook County. Audio of that conversation is available below.

Josh Hinke March 27, 2026