Texas A&M University-San Antonio hosted a special ceremony on Monday, July 1, to celebrate a significant milestone for what promises to be one of the University’s most impactful projects.
Amid cheers from onlookers, construction workers carefully positioned the top beam of Educare San Antonio, a multifaceted facility set to provide quality early learning and care for over 200 children and their families. Prior to this, special guests—including donors, partners, and University and city leaders—were invited to sign the beam, symbolizing their crucial role in bringing Educare San Antonio to fruition.
Educare will serve a vital need in South San Antonio and Bexar County, which have been designated a ‘childcare desert,’ with a severe deficit of accessible, high-quality early education options.
“Educare San Antonio represents what’s possible when higher education, philanthropy, and community come together in service to our youngest learners,” said University President Salvador Hector Ochoa. “As you know, this center will be more than a place of care and instruction—it will be a model for high-quality early childhood education and research. Educare San Antonio will connect families to opportunity, prepare children for school success, and contribute to systemic change in South San Antonio and beyond.”
The University’s groundbreaking for Educare was in April. The 26,000-square-foot facility, which is scheduled to open by the fall of 2026, will include infant, toddler, preschool and kindergarten facilities, as well as areas dedicated to strengthening family-school connections and resources. Additional amenities include a covered communal plaza and classrooms that connect directly to outdoor spaces and play areas.
Operating under the direction and guidance of the University’s early childhood experts, Educare will serve as an innovative teaching resource, helping train students studying early childhood education as well as business students looking to gain experience with issues like state licensing regulations and balancing budgets.
Educare San Antonio represents a significant milestone as the first facility of its kind in Texas and the 26th in the Educare Network—a nationwide coalition dedicated to advancing quality early learning for every child.