The U.S. Navy has signed a deal with the Coronado (Calif.) Unified School District to lease a preschool facility that will house a child-care center for military-connected families
The Times of San Diego reports that the agreement makes the district’s underutilized Early Childhood Development Center available to the Navy. The 18,000-square-foot center features classroom and office space, and 46,000 square feet of outdoor playground and blacktop.
The Navy says the demand is great for child care in the region. Of the more than 2,000 children of military-connected families wait-listed for care in San Diego County, more than 500 are children of Navy personnel assigned to installations in Coronado, a Navy official says.
The district’s facility has capacity for 200 children.
“Under this lease, the Navy will operate an otherwise underutilized school to fulfill the child care needs of military families,” Rear Admiral Bette Bolivar, Commander, Navy Region Southwest, says.
The five-year lease agreement will provide some much-needed revenue for the district, but it was not immediately clear how much money the deal will generate.
“Finding creative ways to support the Coronado Unified School District budget without sacrificing programs for students is critical,” the district says. “We believe that the lease agreement is a win-win...and is a perfect fit for our supportive tight-knit community.”
The district says it is retaining control of Crown Preschool, which also is housed at the center, and will continue to offer preschool services to the community.
