Officials from Texas Woman’s University (TWU), the City of Denton and the Bezos Academy broke ground April 25 on a $6 million tuition-free preschool that will benefit TWU’s student-parents and Denton families.

Bezos Academy Denton will be built on university-owned land at 1820 Frame St., just north of University Drive and east of North Bell Avenue. Leaders from Texas Woman’s, the City of Denton and Bezos Academy offered brief remarks.

“This partnership will have a transformational impact for families in and around Texas Woman’s who struggle with childcare costs,” TWU Chancellor Carine Feyten said. “Texas Woman’s, the Bezos Academy and the city of Denton are committed to providing greater childcare access and developing lifelong learners for members of the Denton community.”

“Right now, about one in five college students in America is a parent, and half of them have children under five,” added Mike George, Bezos Academy president. “Bringing tuition-free, full-day preschools to colleges and universities is a win-win for these parents and their kids. Thanks to Texas Woman’s University for helping us make sure that more children can get access to the great start that Bezos Academy preschools provide.”

The preschool will feature six classrooms with capacity for 120 students between the ages of 3 and 5 years old. Twenty percent of seats will be reserved for children within the TWU community, with the other 80% serving Denton families. The preschool will offer full-day, year-round programming. The City of Denton became a partner in the construction project after approving $1.5 million toward the cost of constructing the facility.

“The groundbreaking of our Bezos Academy represents a significant investment in delivering childcare solutions for working families,” Denton Mayor Gerard Hudspeth said. “There is a collective commitment to fostering early childhood development by removing financial barriers, which has a positive impact on our residents for generations to come.”

The preschool is scheduled to be completed in 2025. Once the school opening date is set, more information and an application for the lottery-based selection process will be posted at www.bezosacademy.org.