Midland College Breaks Ground on Pre-K Academy

Midland College in Midland, Texas, recently broke ground on a 60,000-square-foot facility designed to address a shortage of early childhood education centers and a shortage of teachers in the area. The Midland College Pre-K Academy & Center for Teaching Excellence is scheduled to open in fall 2023, according to a news release.

Local news reports that the building will expand the capacity of the existing Pre-K Academy from 68 seats to 288 seats for children ages 3–5. It will also play home to the college’s Early Childhood education bachelor’s degree program, providing classrooms and administrative space.

“The Midland College Pre-K Academy and Center for Teaching Excellence addresses two major challenges facing our community—a shortage of quality early childhood opportunities and a shortage of teachers,” said Midland College President Steve Thomas. “This project is evidence of Midland College’s commitment to provide education and training that help our community grow and prosper.”

The college is partnering with project architect/engineering firm Parkhill and construction contracting firm Adolfson & Peterson Construction. Funding for the project comes through lead gifts of $10 million each from Permian Strategic Partnership and the Scharbauer Foundation, Inc.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • School Construction Projects Boom as Education Systems Address Aging Facilities and Growth

    Construction opportunities are almost always abundant, but currently there are more than usual construction projects being launched for public school campuses. Common objectives include major renovation or expansion of aging facilities, total replacement of inefficient classrooms, upgrades to lighting, technology, and security equipment, and adding new sports and cultural facilities.

  • KI Wall Demonstrates New Solutions at NeoCon 2025

    KI Wall attended NeoCon 2025 in Chicago, Ill., last month to showcase its new architectural wall systems and collaborations, according to a news release. Its customizable, design-forward wall solutions are intended to support creativity in work, education, and healthcare environments.

  • ClassVR headsets

    Avantis Education Revamps Hardware for ClassVR Solution

    Avantis Education recently announced the launch of two new headsets for its flagship educational VR/AR solution, ClassVR. According to a news release, the Xcelerate and Xplorer headsets expand the company’s offerings into higher education while continuing to meet the evolving needs of K–12 users.

  • The Role of Unified Communications in Hyflex Education

    Academic technology and pedagogy have evolved in ways few could have imagined a decade ago. Today, hybrid/flexible (or hyflex) learning environments — a mix of in-person and remote instruction — are the new normal. However, as promising as it sounds, making hyflex work smoothly is no small feat.

Digital Edition