SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio-based HOLT CAT is partnering with the city of San Antonio to relocate the Pre-K 4 SA’s South Education Center to better serve an area considered a “child care desert,” the partnership announced April 19.
A localized population boom combined with a nationwide child care shortage precipitated the desire for the education initiative to move from its location at 7031 S. New Braunfels Ave. to a new site that would better serve a larger community. The new South Side center is proposed to be built on the HOLT CAT site located at 5665 SE Loop 410, where the company has donated 8 acres for construction of the center as a lease-to-own property for the remaining Pre-K 4 SA authorization period, renewing in 2028.
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“This announcement reflects the city’s larger commitment to providing high-quality, full-day early childhood learning for all 3 and 4-year-olds across every corner of the city,” said Mayor Ron Nirenberg. “We recognize that the foundation for a prosperous city is established through investing in our youngest citizens, and we understand that achieving this goal requires innovative collaborations such as this to increase accessibility and eliminate child care deserts in our city.”
Recent data form the U.S. Census Bureau revealed that San Antonio is the fastest-growing city in the nation. In recent years, south and southeast San Antonio have seen a significant increase in population while also experiencing “a decline in high-quality child care options, especially for families with children four years and younger,” according to Pre-K 4 SA. Its CEO, Sarah Baray, Ph.D., says it is imperative to close that gap.
“Early childhood education is about brain development, since young children form 1 million new synapses every second. At Pre-K 4 SA, we recognize the critical opportunity to support children and working families from the very beginning,” said Baray. “We are so grateful to have a business community that understands the importance of early childhood education and continues to forge innovative partnerships that inspire cities across the country to do the groundbreaking work we’re doing here.”
Construction is slated to begin in November. The center is expected to be completed and ready to educate children in August 2025.
Read the full story in the San Antonio Business Journal.
Editor’s note: This story was published through a partnership between KSAT and the San Antonio Business Journal.