HENDERSON (KTNV) — The City of Henderson is working to bring a new early childhood education center to one of its fastest-growing communities.
The city council has given initial approvals for a new preschool for the Cadence area. It'll be constructed at the intersection of Scarhill Track Avenue and Black Palace Street, just south of Grand Cadence and Galleria Drive.
City officials said only 40% of three and four-year-olds in Henderson are currently enrolled in a preschool program. The lack of available space is a big barrier for families.
"We don't have enough seats to serve every child of preschool age that exists in our community. If they all wanted to go tomorrow, we don't have enough programs for them," said Tara Phebus, the city's division head for education initiatives. | 
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Phebus said affordability is another major hindrance that keeps families from placing their children in preschool.
"When you look at the average cost of care for the state, in some cases, it's more than what it costs to send a freshman to UNLV for a year," said Phebus. "So, it's expensive."
While plans for the Cadence preschool are still in the very early stages, Phebus said when it comes to affordability strategies, they can look for inspiration from Henderson's city-operated preschool program at the Valley View Recreation Center.
"That's part of our vision for this particular program, is making sure that we're creating a program that's affordable for families," Phebus said.
"Nothing has been decided just yet, but looking at options to make sure that we can serve everyone here. Our city-operated program right now at the Valley View Rec Center is one of the most affordable programs while still maintaining high quality. We're looking at some partnerships with some folks in the community to be able to maintain that, and looking at things like sliding fee scales, making sure we are a subsidy-approved provider, so we're working with the state's childcare subsidy program for families that qualify. And then also, those families that live in redevelopments areas, in our Downtown and Eastside redevelopment areas, are eligible for scholarships, to be able to help with the cost of attending the Valley View Rec preschool program."
Once built, the Cadence preschool is expected to serve about 180 three, four and five-year-olds. It's expected to span 12,000 to 15,000 square feet, and include seven to nine classrooms, playgrounds, and office space as well.
The $15.3 million dollar project is slated for completion in 2027.
"We know that kids that go to programs have high-quality experiences, do better in school, they do better in life. Making sure we have those opportunities available for kids in our community is really important. Quality education is one of our five strategic priorities, and that starts at the beginning," Phebus said.
This project is part of the city's push further into the education space. As mentioned, the city already runs a preschool program at the Valley View Recreation Center, and the city recently became a state-authorized public charter school sponsor.
