Young Keltner: Family Learning Center’s closure is a wake-up call
Valley Voices
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In August 2025, the Family Learning Center may be closing its doors, leaving 97 families without the essential child care services they depend on. This closure doesn’t just impact these families, it reverberates throughout Eagle County, signaling a much larger issue that needs urgent attention.
For the 97 households directly affected, the loss of child care is nothing short of a crisis. Parents who rely on the Family Learning Center for safe, reliable, and nurturing care will suddenly find themselves scrambling to make alternative arrangements. Many of these parents work full-time jobs, and the loss of dependable child care could force them to make difficult decisions — reducing work hours, changing jobs, or even leaving the workforce entirely. This disruption affects the parents and children, who will lose the consistency and stability that quality early childhood education provides.
The potential closure of the Family Learning Center highlights a growing early childhood education crisis in Eagle County. Our community is already grappling with a shortage of child care options, and the loss of the Family Learning Center exacerbates this problem. The economic ripple effects are profound. When families can’t access affordable, high-quality child care, it impacts their ability to work, contributing to financial stress and reducing overall economic productivity. Businesses in the area may also feel the strain as employees struggle to balance work and child care needs, potentially leading to higher absenteeism and turnover rates.
But the impact goes beyond economics. Early childhood education is foundational for a child’s development. The first five years of life are critical for brain development, and high-quality early education programs like those offered at the Family Learning Center play a crucial role in preparing children for success in school and beyond. The closure of such a vital resource means that 97 children risk missing out on these crucial developmental opportunities. This isn’t just a loss for the families directly involved but for the entire community, as the long-term success of our children directly impacts the future of Eagle County.
This issue is not just a Family Learning Center problem — it’s an Eagle County problem. The lack of accessible and affordable child care is a systemic issue that requires immediate attention from local leaders, policymakers, and community members. We must recognize that early childhood education is not a luxury but a necessity. It is the bedrock of a thriving community and a robust economy.
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I read with interest the article in the Vail Daily on Aug. 23 sharing about a new center being built in Avon by the Vail Valley Foundation that will host 165 new spots for children ages 0 to 5. I value their interest in identifying the child care crisis that Eagle County is facing and taking action to address the issue. However, building a center for 165 spots while also losing 95 spots, and currently 71% of these spots are currently occupied by families in lower-income households and Hispanic community members will not improve the situation but instead keep the crisis at the same level of difficulty.
As we move forward, we must come together to address this crisis. We need to explore solutions such as increasing funding for early childhood programs, expanding existing services, and investing in new child care facilities. Collaboration between the public and private sectors will be key in finding sustainable solutions to ensure that no family in Eagle County has to choose between their livelihood and their child’s future.
The closure of the Family Learning Center is a wake-up call. It reminds us of the fragility of our early childhood education infrastructure and the urgent need for community-wide action. We cannot afford to let 97 families face this crisis alone. It’s time for Eagle County to prioritize the needs of our youngest residents and their families, ensuring that every child has access to the quality care and education they deserve. Our community’s future depends on it.
