The Easter Seals Child Development Center in Cape Girardeau will close March 10 due to low enrollment.

The center opened in 1998 intending to serve children with and without disabilities. Due to educational policy changes and changes in law, state administrators say, grants are now available to school districts that operate their own programs for children with special needs. The districts previously contracted with Easter Seals.

The center currently is serving about 50 children and has a capacity of 109. About nine of those children have special needs.

Enrollment of children ages 3-5 with disabilities has dropped significantly, state administrators said, while enrollment of other children with and without disabilities has also declined.

When the center opened, the organization's Early Learning Center was providing special education and therapy services to more than 50 pre-school children with disabilities.

State administrators said they will help parents place their children in local programs.

Cheryl Beahan, the center director, said she and the center's 23 staffers were notified of the closing Thursday and had no inkling the move was in the works.

The center is located at 1912 Broadway.

In a press release, Easter Seals Missouri Vice President Jerry Ehnes said the organization will transfer its resources to areas of the state where services for children with disabilities are scarce.