Naples Children’s Museum gets $1.5M from state for early learning center.
The Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples will open an early learning center in 2026 with state funding.
CMON, the museum, received $1.5 million from the state budget this year for the $3 million restoration.
CMON will house the 6,000-square-foot facility in administrative offices and other space at its 15080 Livingston Road campus in North Naples, according to a recent article by Liz Freeman of Naples Daily News.
The organization CMON called itself a “brain-building powerhouse” for kids to learn through play with hands-on and interactive displays and unique events. Science, technology, art, space exploration, arithmetic, and more are featured.
Early learning is important for young children to prepare for school and succeed in school, working families who require two incomes, and businesses who need productive workers.
The child-care industry is unprofitable, and many centers closed and lost workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some centers were destroyed by Hurricane Ian in September 2022.
After those attacks, families hurried to obtain placement, with some using extended family or one parent staying home. Inflation affects child care costs too.
“The demand for high-quality early learning opportunities is at a record high in our region,” CMON CEO Jonathan Foerster stated in a news release. Since 2020, dozens of early learning centers have closed in the region because to the COVID-19 outbreak. We wish to help our community’s early learning needs, even though entering this place won’t solve the problem.
The timeline
CMON must raise $1.5 million for the project in addition to state funding. None of the $1.5 million was raised. Starting construction in 2025, it should open in fall 2026.
The center will serve 90 3–5-year-olds.
Foerster told the Daily News that the $3 million estimate covers capital construction, startup, and first-year staffing.
It is unclear if the center will function at full capacity or scale up enrollment in the first year, thus the operating budget is not established.
Foerster expects the third-year budget to be $1.4 million to $1.7 million at full capacity.
“We are still working on a fee schedule,” stated. “That probably won’t be finished until we open enrollment in 2025 or 2026. It will include full-pay, partial-scholarship, and full-scholarship students.”
The necessity is evident, said CMON officials.
“We have seen a growing number of children in our community in the past few years, and a robust growth in birth rates locally,” CMON board chair Laura Alexander said. “CMON is well-positioned to help children and families from all backgrounds succeed in school and life. Early learning centers are important steps toward that goal.”
In autumn 2023, 43% of Collier kindergarteners were literacy-ready.
According to the Florida Department of Education, 3,074 pupils took the test and 1,338 met reading readiness standards.
Foerster claimed the center will be operated by CMON.
“We are developing curriculum specific to the museum play experience and will be fully integrating the museum into the early learning experience,” stated. “The museum world, especially children’s museums, is using early learning to create immersive learning programs. We think opening an early learning facility doubles our commitment to provide great education for local youngsters.”
Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo and State Rep. Lauren Melo secured $1.5 million in state funds. Foerster said both Naples lawmakers sponsored the budget appropriation in their chambers.
“We are also thankful that Gov. DeSantis and his team saw the value in helping provide more early learning opportunities, to strengthen the future and allow parents to return to work,” Foerster said.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News