Texas Woman's University, Bezos Academy break ground on preschool for students' children

Texas Woman's University is partnering with a nonprofit to build a preschool designed for the children of students. The school will be tuition-free and open to a mix of children of TWU students and families in Denton.

"I will say, sadly and unfortunately, social models of productivity have created many barriers for women to actually have a seat at the table, and childcare is one of those barriers," TWU Chancellor Carine Feyten said.

Feyton said the university's role is more important than ever in a global and "innovation-based" economy.

"We have shown time and again how women have intellectual gifts that can unlock solutions to some of the most intractable problems in society," she said. "Today, this is even more critical than ever."

She said access to childcare can take away a barrier that might prevent a single mother from finishing her degree.

Bezos Academy said about 20% of college students in America are parents and half of those parents' kids are under 5. They said access to preschool would help those parents while also helping kids start their education strong.

"Our founder, Jeff Bezos, credits his preschool Montessori experience to really getting him off to a great start in life," the Bezos Academy's Sabrina Watkins said. "His charge to us was to offer that opportunity to children and families who might otherwise not be able to have it."

Bezos Academy and TWU broke ground on the preschool Thursday and plan to open in 2025. The city of Denton is providing $1.5 million for the $6 million project.

The school will be big enough for 120 students between the ages of three and five. Twenty percent of the seats will be reserved for the children of current TWU students; the other 80% will be open to families in the City of Denton.

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