Siskin closing early learning centers

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – A 70 year tradition in Chattanooga is about to end.

The Siskin Children’s Institute has announced they will close their early learning centers on Carter Street and Lookout Street (the former Little Miss Mag Early Learning Center).

The closings will happen on Friday, September29.

Siskin officials say rising costs and difficulty of hiring staff were factors.

Siskin CEO Derek Bullard says “Since the pandemic, the costs of operating the centers have increased and our enrollment never fully recovered. In addition, like many early learning centers we’ve experienced difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff. We arrived at this decision by weighing the cost of operating the program against our impact, the quality of the program, and our ability to fulfill our core mission.”

Siskin has used endowment money to pay for costs that tuition didn’t meet, but the endowments have also been hit hard by the pandemic and inflation.

26 of the children in the early learning centers did have special needs.

“Serving children with special needs will continue to be our mission. Although the decision to close our early learning centers was incredibly difficult, it will allow ultimately allow us to
increase our impact for children with special needs throughout the region, ensuring that we honor the legacy of the Siskin family whose vision created the Institute”, said Dr. Valerie
Rutledge, Siskin Children’s Institute Board of Directors Chair.

The closing of the early learning centers will not impact their other programs.