By Josie Simpson
The Family Scholar House announced on March 4 that its Early Learning Campus, located in Old Louisville, will partner with Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative starting in fall 2026.
The Family Scholar House helps local low-income student parents complete their education. These local parents have earned a total of 949 degrees.
OVEC will provide early childhood educational services for up to 118 children who qualify for Head Start and Early Head Start services, starting in August 2026.
“Criteria for the program include family income below the poverty level, disability diagnosis, foster care placement, homelessness, and other needs,” according to OVEC.
Cathe Dykstra, CEO of Family Scholar House, welcomed the new development.
“This exciting new partnership with OVEC supports our goal of ensuring that our parents have affordable, accessible childcare for their children in an environment in which they can get a great start – a Head Start – on their own educational path,” said Cathe Dykstra, CEO of Family Scholar House.
Jason Adkins, who serves as OVEC’s CEO, also commented in the press release, “The facility has a tradition of high-quality programming and remains one of the best designed and maintained early childhood campuses in the region. Our goal is to sustain quality, while targeting services to families most in need.”
What’s Changing
According to Adkins, current families who use the ELC, many of whom are U of L faculty, will not receive priority for enrollment under new management. Additionally, if the faculty do not meet the criteria above, they are highly unlikely to be accepted.
You can read the full press release from OVEC and the Family Scholar House here.
The Louisville Cardinal requested comment from the ELC Parent Coalition.
Photo by Sara Montoya / The Louisville Cardinal
