Campus News
Building for the future: New child care center to open in spring 2026
With construction nearing completion, the new UC Santa Cruz Early Education Center is on track to welcome its firt families soon.
With construction nearing completion, the new UC Santa Cruz Early Education Center is on track to welcome its first families soon. It represents a major milestone in the campus’s efforts to provide important family support, alongside the new Family Student Housing community, which will also open in spring 2026.
When the doors open to the new child care center, it will mark one of the most significant expansions of child care at UC Santa Cruz. The new facility, located alongside the Family Student Housing community near the intersection of Hagar and Coolidge drives, will greatly expand the number of children who can be served on campus.
In addition to serving students with children, the new center will also serve the children of faculty and staff, addressing a long-standing need for on-campus care that supports recruitment and retention of talented employees. Combined with expanded services for student families, the center will play a vital role in strengthening UCSC’s commitment to being a supportive, inclusive community for all who work and learn here.
Why child care, why now?
Child care is among the most pressing needs for both student families balancing parenting and academics, and employees balancing caregiving with their work on campus. The new center is a direct response to these realities. With expanded capacity, UCSC will offer child care slots dedicated to employees, while continuing its decades-long commitment to student families.
Emili Willet, the center’s Director added, “By creating one community centered on high-quality early learning, we unite families, educators, and the university in a shared commitment to thriving futures and lifelong achievement.”
A phased approach to sustainable operations
The new center is designed to serve up to 140 children. Expansion and enrollment will follow a phased plan over the first two years, first opening to support current families, and then growing thoughtfully to also support faculty and staff. This approach ensures that families experience a smooth transition into the new center as construction nears completion, staffing and licensing requirements can be carefully met as classrooms open, and operating costs remain manageable and aligned with demand.
By pacing enrollment growth, the campus is laying a strong foundation for a sustainable program that will meet community needs well into the future.
What families can expect
The new Title 5 child care center will offer educational environments that support across multiple age groups, from infants to school-age children, creating continuity of care as children grow. Families will also benefit from a new facility designed specifically for early learning, with modern classrooms, outdoor play areas, and proximity to both student housing and employee neighborhoods.
Rates and enrollment information will be published on the Early Education Center website later this fall, along with timelines and guidance for families interested in applying. Learn more about the Early Education Center.
Together, these projects reflect the university’s ongoing investment in the well-being of students, staff, and faculty, and in the future of UC Santa Cruz as a place where families can live, learn, work and thrive.