Bezos Academies to address pre-school gap for families in Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A new pre-school option in Louisville could help tackle the affordable child care crisis.

Bezos Academy offers a Montessori-based, or hands on, education, and wrap-around services for children from low-income families. The schools offer year-round education that is tuition-free, full day, and five days a week.

Louisville-based LDG Development has partnered with Bezos Academy to bring their facilities to Louisville.

LDG Development's foundation has donated the land and will build the site. Bezos Academy will provide the rest.

LMPD's former Fairdale traffic office will soon be home to one of three Bezos academies in Louisville.

FAIRDALE BEZOS ACADEMY — Mayor Craig Greenberg speaks in Louisville, Ky. on March 27, 2024.

"They're already in the process of setting up Bezos academies in Okolona and in Russell, in partnership with LDG development," Mayor Craig Greenberg said.

It's the first Bezos Academy launched in partnership with Louisville Metro Government and the Thrive By Five initiative.

"That is working to create a pathway to free universal pre-K for all three- and four-year olds in our entire city," Greenberg said.

Dr. Corrie Shull, chair of the Jefferson County Board of Education, said pre-K education is tremendously important to the educational trajectories of children.

"It is critical that we get every single three-year-old, every single four-year-old in pre-K education to ensure that they have the established building blocks that will help them be successful when they reach kindergarten," Shull said.

Shull said the Bezos academies will serve as feeders to JCPS and help eliminate the wealth gap.

"The wealth gap instigates an opportunity gap," Shull said. "So those who have higher incomes, and they are able to put their children into some type of robust pre-K education, their children are better prepared to begin their formal academic journey."

Dr. Tracie Brown will serve as superintendent of the three locations that will educate around 200 students. Bown said by the end of 2025, Bezos Academy will be operating thee preschools in Louisville.

"That's 200 more families now that can go about their business at work or any other responsibilities they have and know their kids are safe and getting an excellent preschool experience," Brown said.

Bezos Academy Fairdale is scheduled to open in 2025, along with the other two locations.

Bezos Academy also has schools in Florida, Hawaii, Texas and Washington.

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