Coleman Center leadership confirmed its closure on May 21 but did not provide further comment.
DOTHAN, Ala. - The closure of Troy University Dothan’s Coleman Center for Early Learning and Family Enrichment has left dozens of families searching for childcare options after registration for many area Pre-K programs has closed.
Blake and Reba Davis said they received an unexpected call last week from the center, where their daughter was set to attend Pre-K next school year.
“We got a call last Thursday that the Coleman Center was shutting down, and they weren’t going to have a Pre-K program anymore,” Blake Davis said. The closure is effective May 21. The center receives state funds and is part of Alabama’s First Class Pre-K program.
“Cool, we have this spot, we’ve declined all the other spots, we have guaranteed childcare, and then here it is May, into the school year for the current school year, and they’re like, ‘Oh, hey, we’re not going to have one next year,’” she said. “Basically, we’re back to the bottom of the list for all the preschools, and we’re on the wait list for everything,” Blake added.
The family received a letter from the center this week citing a review of the operation requirements for maintaining an early learning program, as well as the strategic priorities of the university’s Dothan campus, as factors in the decision to close the program.
“We’re in a position where we might be okay, but other people may not be in that position. And now there’s 36-so families in the area that thought they had this set up, they did everything right, and now the program’s just pulled,” he said. The letter mentions the center helping these families find other options, but the Davises believe earlier communication would have avoided the added stress of finding childcare.
“For us, it was a simple matter of trying to prepare our daughter for kindergarten and giving her the best possible start that we could. Preschool is designed to do that,” Blake Davis said.
“Parents rely on these programs and decisions like this, even if they’re made at such a high level, they don’t seem like they understand who it actually is affecting at the end of the day,” he said. In a statement on the Center’s closure, Troy University said, “This decision follows a comprehensive review of the Center’s operational requirements and its alignment with the University’s strategic priorities as the Dothan Campus continues transitioning toward a stronger focus on healthcare education.
” The University went on to say that families who selected the Coleman Center through Alabama’s First Class Pre-K program have been notified of the closure. The university said it has been in contact with First Class Pre-K program officials, who will contact families directly with information about available placement options. Download the WTVY News4 app to get alerts and stories the moment they are published.
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