READFIELD — The Kents Hill School has received a $2.3 million grant to build a new learning center, the school announced Monday.

The funding comes from the Harold Alfond Foundation and will support construction of the Akin Learning Center, Jason Hersom, Kents Hill’s director of communications, said in a news release on Tuesday.

The school’s program for students with “mild to moderate learning differences” will be housed in the new center, Hersom said. The building will be completed by March 2012, he said.

The center is named for the family of Kents Hill Board of Trustees President Steven Akin. The Portland-based Harold Alfond Foundation, established by Dexter Shoe Co. founder Harold Alfond in 1950, previously contributed funds to build athletic facilities at the school.