WEST GROVE, PA — The Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) has officially opened the Engle Education Center, a major investment in educational services aimed at addressing the county’s growing student population and increasing demand for specialized support.
The center, located in the renovated former Fred S. Engle Middle School, houses a new campus for the Child and Career Development Center (CCDC) and the administrative offices of the Avon Grove School District. The facility offers specialized services in autistic support, emotional support, life skills, and multiple disabilities, along with integrated therapies such as occupational, physical, and speech-language services.
“This building is proof of what can happen when schools, families, communities, and legislators join together in service of our most vulnerable learners,” said Dr. George F. Fiore, CCIU executive director. “We would never accept an hourlong drive each day for other children, and so we must not accept it for these children either. Here at Engle, that reality changes.”
The new campus comes at a critical time. Chester County’s population has grown by more than 21,000 residents since 2020 and is projected to rise nearly 7% by 2050, according to the Pennsylvania State Data Center. Enrollment in Preschool Special Education programs has surged from 2,391 students in 2020–21 to 3,535 in 2024–25. The closure of in-person psychiatric services at Brandywine Hospital has further heightened demand for local support.
The Engle Education Center provides a local alternative to costly private placements, which cost Chester County districts more than $15 million in 2022. For many families, the new West Grove location reduces daily travel times by up to two hours, allowing students to remain closer to their communities and participate more fully in school and family activities.
At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, CCIU Board President Bonnie Wolff said the repurposing of the Engle building sends a clear message. “It is a statement of commitment to the families of southern Chester County. It is a promise that no matter a child’s age, background, or need, they will find here a place designed to support them, just as it supported generations of students before.”
The Engle campus currently serves students from ten sending districts, including schools from Delaware, and reflects CCIU’s continued role in meeting both educational and mental health needs across the region.
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