Texas Woman’s University, Bezos Academy, the City of Denton and Texas Women’s Foundation celebrated the opening of Bezos Academy Denton Wednesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new $6 million preschool located on the Texas Woman’s University campus.
The six-classroom preschool at 1820 Frame St. is the largest Bezos Academy preschool in Texas and will provide full-day preschool at no cost to families for up to 120 children ages 3 to 5. The school officially opens to students Sept. 8.
Texas Woman’s University Chancellor and President Carine M. Feyten joined Bezos Academy Chief Learning Officer Dr. Brandi Kenner,Denton Mayor Chris Watts and Texas Women’s Foundation President and CEO Karen Hughes White for remarks before participating in the ceremonial ribbon cutting. Following the ceremony, guests toured the new preschool.
“Texas Woman’s has long recognized the financial hardships that many of our student-parents face, particularly when it comes to childcare, and for them this academy is a true gamechanger,” said TWU Chancellor Carine Feyten. “Texas Woman’s, Bezos Academy and the City of Denton have a shared mission to develop lifelong learners and leaders by increasing educational access – and this academy will help us achieve that.”
The preschool was constructed on university-owned land through a partnership involving Texas Woman’s University, Bezos Academy and the City of Denton. The city contributed $1.5 million toward the $6 million project.
Bezos Academy Denton will offer full-day, Montessori-inspired preschool at no cost to families served, through fully funded scholarships. Meals, educational materials and other programming also are provided at no cost. Twenty percent of the preschool’s seats are reserved for children of TWU students, faculty and staff, with the remaining 80% available to families in the surrounding community.
"When parents know their children are safe, supported, and learning, they're able to focus on goals of their own, whether that's pursuing a degree, building a career, or creating new opportunities for their family,” shared Dr. Brandi Kenner, Chief Learning Officer at Bezos Academy. “Thank you to Texas Woman's University, the City of Denton, and Texas Women's Foundation for showing what's possible when a community comes together to remove barriers and expand opportunities for children and families. We can't wait to open our doors."
The opening comes at a time when the affordability and availability of quality child care continue to present challenges for Texas families. Child care in Texas costs approximately $11,000 annually, an amount comparable to state college tuition, according to Texas Women’s Foundation. In Dallas County, child care costs represent approximately 12.5% of median family income.
The economic implications extend beyond individual families. Texas Women’s Foundation estimates that parents missing work because of inadequate access to child care and preschool could result in cumulative economic losses of $562 million to $859 million in Dallas County and $5.5 billion to $8.3 billion statewide over the next decade.
During Wednesday’s ceremony, Hughes White addressed the importance of access to child care for Texas families and findings from Texas Women’s Foundation’s “Addressing the Texas Childcare Crisis” research, while Watts spoke about the City of Denton’s partnership and support for the project. Kenner discussed Bezos Academy’s mission, curriculum and approach to early childhood education.
More than 90% of a child’s brain development occurs before age 5, making early childhood a critical period for learning and development. High-quality preschool can help children establish foundational language, literacy, math and social-emotional skills that support their transition to kindergarten and elementary school.
Bezos Academy Denton is fully enrolled for fall 2026 following a lottery process. Families interested in future enrollment opportunities and eligibility information can visit https://bezosacademy.org/eligibility/.
With the Denton location, Bezos Academy will operate 12 schools across Texas this fall, including six in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, five in the greater Houston area and one in San Antonio.
MORE INFORMATION:
https://bezosacademy.org/schools/denton-tx/
940.283.8008 or denton@bezosacademy.org
About Texas Woman’s University:
Texas Woman’s University is the nation’s largest woman-focused university system with campuses in Denton, Dallas, and Houston. Founded in 1901, TWU has built a reputation on contributions in nursing, healthcare, education, the arts and sciences, and business. TWU’s inclusive culture prioritizes experiential learning, leadership, service, discovery, and health and well-being, and national media have recognized the university as a top college for student-parents, veterans, and social mobility. In 2024, TWU eclipsed a $125 million goal in its ongoing fundraising effort, DREAM BIG, which supports programming, equipment, scholarships, and faculty. To learn more about the campaign or the university, visit dreambig.twu.edu or twu.edu, or connect with TWU on Facebook @TexasWomansUniversity, Instagram @txwomans, Twitter @txwomans, and LinkedIn @texaswomansuniversity.
About Bezos Academy:
Bezos Academy is a nonprofit organization operating a network of full-day preschools at no cost to families served. Through fully funded scholarships, Bezos Academy provides students with all necessary educational supplies and services to set each student up for success, including Montessori materials, books, arts and crafts, field trips and meals. Bezos Academy operates preschools across Arizona, Hawaii, Florida, Kentucky, Texas and Washington.
As of fall 2026, Bezos Academy will operate 12 schools across Texas including six schools in the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area, five schools in greater Houston, and one school in San Antonio. For more information, visit BezosAcademy.org.
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