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Case Studies

How HSC created a quality early learning center on its central Fort Worth campus for staff and students to better serve the needs of working parents and students with young children

Policy

Onsite Child Care

Region

Fort Worth, TX

Industry

Education

Size

Large

1000+ Employees

Policy Implementation Overview

UNTHSC employees and students with children, ages 6 weeks to 5 years old are able to enroll at the Lena Pope Early Learning Center on UNTHSC’s campus with Lena Pope guaranteeing up to 70% of slots for UNTHSC staff and student families. First priority is given to any UNTHSC families that are on the current waitlist at Lena Pope along with those families that were anticipating being enrolled in care with Bright Horizons.
The onsite center provides year-round, full-time care Monday-Friday from 6:30am-6pm. Current staff members and students at UNTHSC at the time the child begins attending the Center will be eligible for one of the guaranteed slots. The early learning center is a top-rated, NAECY accredited early childhood development center that features small classrooms and low student to teacher ratios.
Lena Pope maintains a 50/50 split between private pay families and families that qualify for sliding scale tuition rates and subsidized child care. Private pay rates are determined annually by comparing tuition costs of 10-15 area child care centers and setting a rate that is below the mid-point. Lena Pope’s current private pay weekly rates are: $260 for infants; $237 for toddlers; $215 for preschool.

The Impact

Providing a quality onsite early learning center has resulted in convenience and peace of mind for both HSC employees and students. There has been a tremendous impact on employee satisfaction, culture and a positive trend when it comes to overall employee retention. For the children, it provides stellar learning environment and a place for well-supervised social interaction. This collaborative benefit has allowed the organization to distinguish its competitive benefits among higher education institutions by offering a high-quality early education campus onsite for both the children of students and employees.