Fort Wayne Community Schools could soon be getting a “state of the art early childhood development center.” The Fort Wayne Joint Legacy Funding Committee voted four to three to send a “do pass” recommendation to the Fort Wayne City Council. Committee Members Michelle Chambers and Faye Williams-Robbins abstained due to their respective future and current employment by FWCS.
FWCS officials asked the committee for a $2.5 million award from the Legacy Fund for what will be a $15 million project in total. District officials said the rest of the money will come from capital investments from the community.
FWCS Superintendent Mark Daniel said the center will both help keep students in school and make an impact on its surrounding area.
“This is potentially 60 trained, future early learning specialists every year, which we all know one of the major driving factors in our economy is ‘where is childcare?’” Daniel said.
Daniel says the center would teach students early childcare skills and serve the community at large and students’ children, which he said will help keep students in school.
The Legacy Fund Committee approved the $2.5 million proposal on Wednesday. It will now head to the City Council for final passage. The three council members on the committee did not vote to support the proposal.
Republican Councilmen Marty Bender and Paul Ensley both voted no.