Prime Highlights:
- Bezos Academy has opened three new tuition-free Montessori preschools in Louisville’s Russell, Fairdale, and Okolona neighborhoods, serving about 280 children annually.
- The initiative aims to reduce childcare costs while preparing children for kindergarten with a strong foundation in independence, emotional growth, and academics.
Key Facts:
- All three schools are already at full capacity for the current year, with enrollment for 2026–27 set to open in spring.
- A fourth Louisville preschool is planned for the Riverport area, scheduled to open in 2026.
Background
Bezos Academy has launched 3 new tuition-free preschools in Louisville to offer more families access to early education. The schools, inspired by the Montessori method, are located in the Russell, Fairdale, and Okolona neighborhoods. They will jointly serve approximately 280 children every year, beginning at the age of three.
The openings were marked with a ribbon-cutting event at the Russell campus, attended by Mayor Craig Greenberg and Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman. Leaders welcomed the initiative, saying it will ease childcare costs for families while giving children a strong start before kindergarten.
The preschools use the Montessori curriculum that gives more importance to independence, emotional growth, and hands-on learning, among other academics. Programs are all-day and are free, which eliminates a significant financial burden on parents. Families say the move is timely, as childcare expenses often shape work and household decisions.
Lieutenant Governor Coleman pointed to the long-term importance of pre-K access. She explained that kindergarten readiness strongly influences third-grade literacy, which is often linked to broader life outcomes. “Every child in Kentucky deserves access to pre-K because it can change the course of their lives,” she said.
All three schools are already at capacity for the current year. Enrollment for the 2026–27 school year will open in spring. Bezos Academy has also announced plans for a fourth Louisville site in the Riverport area, scheduled to open in 2026.
The expansion highlights a growing push in Kentucky to improve access to early education and strengthen future opportunities for children.
