By August 2023, Emporia State University’s Center for Early Childhood Education will close its doors for good.
On Friday, the university announced its plans to end CECE operations by next summer as part of 2014 Campus Master Plan to demolish Butcher Education Center — in the process, ending service to 40 children currently enrolled.
Director of Media Relations Gwen Larson says the decision to close the childhood center was made with knowledge of Butcher’s upcoming demolition as well as ongoing changes to teacher education models.
Emporia State followed the laboratory education model for decades, including Roosevelt School — now Roosevelt Hall — and Butcher, which was an elementary school. In this model, education majors would get experience in the on-campus buildings. For several decades, ESU has used the professional development model, where student teachers work in classrooms across the state — with mentors — for an academic year.
The move comes with Emporia facing a childcare shortage, and childcare has been identified as a significant need both for parents and for businesses seeking to expand. City Manager Trey Cocking says there are several reasons why the number of providers does not meet the current demand.
Cocking says he plans to meet with the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce and Regional Development Association of East Central Kansas within the next week or so to continue discussions on how the city can alleviate the childcare shortage.
Plans for the Butcher space and non-childcare-related programs have not been finalized.
7:20 pm Friday: Emporia State closing Center for Early Childhood Education next year, announces plan to demolish Butcher Education Center
Emporia State University’s Center for Early Childhood Education is closing next year.
The university announced Friday its plans to end CECE operations by August 2023 as part of a plan to demolish Butcher Education Center. The demolition plan is included in the 2014 Campus Master Plan for optimizing space and managing and developing campus facilities.
CECE currently serves 40 children. Plans for the space have not been finalized.
ESU made the announcement after discussions with Emporia city leaders who have identified childcare as a significant need for expanding the local workforce.
Current CECE employees and families who use the center were informed Friday. Employees have been asked to stay through the closure and will receive a stipend if they can do so.
