KCC Highlights Childcare Investment, Top Nursing Ranking
The college announced new support for its Childcare Learning Center and statewide recognition for its Licensed Practical Nursing program.
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. — For many families in the Klamath Basin, getting to work, staying in school or starting a new career can come down to whether the basics are in place.
Klamath Community College is working on two of those basics: child care and healthcare training.
CHA awards KCC Childcare Learning Center $363,000
Cascade Health Alliance (CHA) has awarded Klamath Community College (KCC) more than $363,000 to advance the construction of the institution’s collaborative center that will support low-income families in achieving economic stability, educational advancement, self-sufficiency, and workforce access.
“Klamath Community College is grateful to Cascade Health Alliance for recognizing that a healthy and economically strong community needs a good foundation of child care,” KCC President Dr. Roberto Gutierrez said.
The center will provide up to 144 slots for children — ages infant to 5 — to attend the center, freeing up parents to work or attend higher education in the Klamath Basin. It will be the largest childcare center in southern Oregon.
Architectural rendering of the Klamath Community College Childcare Learning Center currently under construction on the college campus. The center will support 12 classrooms for 144 children infant to age 5 in a preschool learning environment. It will also have two classrooms for KCC Early Childhood Learning students. Plans are to open the center in 2027. (PIVOT Architecture)
“KCC could not be more pleased with CHA’s generous donation and we want to especially thank CHA President and Chief Executive Office Grant Kennon for his support and foresight in helping fund this project,” Dr. Gutierrez said.
The funding comes from CHA, which was an awardee of the Oregon Health Authority’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Pilot Program, CHA said in a press release. Lack of affordable childcare is one of the most significant hurdles for TANF recipients pursuing employment, education, stable housing, mental health treatment, or substance use disorder recovery.
By reducing childcare instability, the KCC Childcare Learning Center will directly support parents and future provider students in Early Childhood Education programming by providing quality and affordable childcare and a well-educated workforce to serve rural Oregon.
The $18.5 million KCC Childcare Learning Center is being developed in partnership with the Oregon Childhood Development Coalition and Klamath County. The center is under construction on the KCC campus and plans to open in 2027. It will provide childcare services while also serving as an educational and workforce-training site for students enrolled in Early Childhood Education and Paraeducator programs.
KCC has long held the position of not asking taxpayers for any additional bond money for its capital construction projects, and the childcare center is no different. Much of the construction costs are covered by state and federal grants.
Meanwhile, the KCC Foundation has launched a $1 million capital campaign to help with the construction. The foundation is asking the community to donate to this campaign — called “Acorns to Oaks — in support of the project. The CHA money will be included as part of the capital campaign goal.
Klamath Community College Licensed Practical Nurses earned 100% graduation success, in 2026. From left: Christopher Cain, Makayla Mitchel, Claire Hulbert, Kalyee Mabou, Kylee Witcraft, Center: Cody Waltman-Weimann, and Shawna Volkoff, center-right. (Caleb Herrera / KCC photo)
KCC’s LPN program ranks near the top for Oregon students in 2026
Klamath Community College’s Licensed Practical Nursing program has been recognized as a top program in Oregon for 2026 by PracticalNursing.org, a national organization that follows LPN studies. It ranks KCC’s program as No. 2 in Oregon.
PracticalNursing is a trusted source for information on nursing education, licensure and careers. Since 2014, it has published annual rankings recognizing nursing programs that demonstrate excellence in preparing the next generation of nurses.
“Congratulations to the Practical Nursing faculty at Klamath Community College. Your concept-based curriculum and focus on rural community healthcare prepare students to meet the real needs of underserved areas across south central Oregon. It is a privilege to recognize the quality of your program,” Carly Jacobs, outreach coordinator for PracticalNursing, wrote to the college.
KCC’s nursing program originated with LPN studies, then went on hiatus when the RN program started up. The LPN program restarted in 2022.
“We have a 100% pass rate on the Practical Nursing licensure exam” said KCC Nursing Director Dr. Dorothy Neufeld. “We generally take in eight students into the LPN program, but plan to expand that to 16 for the 2027 school year,” Neufeld said. Most students opt to continue on to the RN program once they complete their LPN, she said.
Once a student’s prerequisites are done, they can prepare for LPN licensure over three college terms.
“So, you can start at the end of September and by the second week of June you are graduating and able to sit for your boards,” Neufeld said. “That’s not a bad turn-around time to a career in healthcare, especially for individuals who need that financial stability.”
LPNs are in high demand at regional hospitals. An LPN can work at a local hospital, long term care facility, in hospice, behavioral health or a multitude of other settings.
“If you want to become an LPN in Oregon, finding the right program is a big step. At practicalnursing.org, we have put together a list of the best LPN programs in the state to help you make a smart choice,” according to the organization’s website.
“Our rankings look at things like how well students do on exams, job placement rates, and what current students say. This guide point you to schools that offer strong training and support,” the group said. “We aim to give you clear, useful information so you can start your nursing career with confidence.”
“KCC is a great place to start in healthcare and it doesn’t need to be the end of your journey,” Neufeld said. “You can work as an LPN then come back when you’re ready to get your RN. Your work experience as an LPN will bring you so much into your RN studies. If you desire to go on, KCC offers an online RN to Bachelors of Science in Nursing, which is about 90% online classes.”
Cover image: Klamath Community College is tying two practical workforce needs together in the Klamath Basin: helping families access child care while preparing students for high-demand healthcare careers. File photo by Brian Gailey / HiveWire Daily.
