Addressing real world needs
Prior to and through the pandemic, childcare providers and certified facilities in the region suffered significant losses and have yet to recover. This crisis and the lack of quality childcare negatively impacts our community economic viability. Positive economic growth relies on a well-educated workforce, quality and affordable childcare opportunities, affordable housing, and quality healthcare.
The Childcare Learning Center project addresses two of these needs – quality and affordable childcare, and a well-educated workforce for this industry sector.
The Klamath Community College (KCC) – Oregon Child Development Coalition (OCDC) – Klamath County Partnership
The lack of childcare options and need for expanded education to support regrowth in the industry has brought together a powerful partnership – KCC, OCDC, and Klamath County.
- KCC serves high numbers of parenting students, and lacked on campus childcare to meet demand, and help these students persist and graduate, and needed locations for increased Cooperative Work Experiences (CWE) practicums to expand the numbers of care givers and educators joining the workforce.
- OCDC a federally funded program offering free early childhood education to low-income families, was suffering from enrollment declines and staffing shortages…
- The Klamath County Commissioner’s recognized quality childcare is directly connected to economic vitality and growth in the region.
The project is a natural fit with KCC’s ECE/EDU programs, High School Equivalency Program (HEP), KCC’s Early Learning professional development grant and OCDC programming.
Associate of Applied Science Education and Early Childhood Education
KCC offers two education degrees:
- AAS Education - Paraprofessional that transfers to the SOU elementary education teacher licensure program as a 2 + 2
- AAS Early Childhood Education that articulates as a 2 + 2 to the SOU online child development BS degree.
The Project
To build an 18,000 Sq Ft building to house OCDC’s Childcare and primary offices, and educational spaces for KCC’s EDU and ECE programs. This is projected to include twelve Childcare Classrooms, Conference Rooms, a Commercial Kitchen, and an Outdoor play area.
Once completed the Center will provide childcare services for up to 100 children and meet Cooperative Work Experience needs at KCC.
Projected cost - $10M to $13M.
Activities To Date
- OCDC and KCC partnered to provide an on campus childcare facility that serves KCC student parents and the community.
- Klamath County donated a three-acre property at the corner of South 6th St and Hilyard Ave (former proposed site of the OSU Extension expansion) to specifically be used to expand childcare in Klamath County.
- KCC applied for and was approved for $1.5M in educational support funding from the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC). This funding requires matching funding.
- KCC’s Resource Development Department began working in partnership with OCDC and Klamath County to identify grant funding that would support development, construction, and the opening of the Childcare Learning Center at the donated site.
- KCC committed $500,000 to the project, the Klamath County Commissioner’s approved a $500,000 ARPA development grant, and OCDC will has been awarded $500,000 in grant funds from Seeding Justice to meet the HECC matching requirements.
Projected Timeline
Design, engineering, and budgeting substantially completed by December 31, 2024
Construction bid release March 2025 – June 2025
Completion and opening Fall 2026
Concept Renderings
