We had a great 4 years with INIC at their Austin Campus. I always had great communication from the…read moreteachers along the ups and downs that come with raising a baby into a little child, and felt that each teacher went out of their way to have a bond with our kiddo. There was lots of hugs and affection, and we never had any concerns around his safety or academic growth. He loved going to school and would run away from me at pickup time because he wanted to keep playing.

My family was part of the INIC community for nearly four years. I sent both of my daughters there…read moreas infants and previously left a 5-star review. I would have enthusiastically recommended this school. Today, I cannot. The issue is not the teachers. The teachers have been exceptional and are the reason so many families choose this school. Despite years of tuition increases and persistent concerns from teachers and families, the school has not made the investments necessary to retain them. In early March alone, at least 7 teachers left or announced their departures--nearly 20% of the teaching staff by parents' count. Both of my daughters experienced unexpected teacher departures in their classrooms during that same period. For young children, teachers are not interchangeable. They are trusted caregivers and a critical source of stability. When teachers leave, children lose important relationships and families are left helping them navigate yet another transition. During enrollment, families are told classrooms are staffed with a lead teacher, an assistant teacher, and additional flex staff available for coverage. In reality, my oldest daughter's classroom frequently operated at the legal minimum ratio of one teacher for fifteen four-year-olds. Multiple current and former teachers described being unable to reliably use sick days, vacation days, or even take basic bathroom breaks because there was often insufficient coverage available. When a school is staffed so leanly that teachers struggle to meet basic human needs during the day, it raises serious questions about how well both teachers and students are being supported. Teachers reported compensation in the $14-$17/hour range despite bilingual education being one of the school's primary differentiators. Comparable non-bilingual childcare positions in Austin often advertise higher wages. The result is predictable: teachers leave. Children lose stability. Families absorb the consequences. Demand for bilingual childcare in Austin far exceeds supply, and many families have few realistic alternatives once enrolled. Given that reality--and given that tuition has continued to increase year after year--I expected a greater commitment to investing in the teachers and staffing stability that families are ultimately paying for. Parents who attempted to ask questions and advocate for improvements--including efforts to reestablish the PTA--often received little to no response. While our family's relationship with the school ultimately ended following disagreements with leadership about these issues, the concerns described here are based on nearly four years of experience and conversations with numerous current and former teachers and families. The teachers are the school's greatest strength. The challenge is whether the school will make the investments necessary to retain them long enough to provide the stability and continuity that young children deserve.

We love St. Catherine of Siena Preschool! The teachers are amazing and create a safe and nurturing…read moreenvironment that all my kids have thrived in. On top of that, the facilities and equipment are new and well-kept. There's a big preschool moms community that meets every Monday (when there's no school). I could keep going.. this place is a winner. :)

I have over two decades of experience working in protective services; early childhood education;…read morelanguage development; training and development. My background has allowed me to regularly visit and work in multitudes of early childhood programs. St. Catherine's Preschool is a hidden jewel in the Austin area! The facilities are 5 star. The teaching teams and administration foster a safe, fun, nurturing and developmentally appropriate play-based environment. Look no further!

An absolutely beautiful school with a well laid out curriculum and intense attention to detail. I…read moreknew I wanted to send my son here after touring dozens of pre-k's. This was the cleanest and safest ( private security ) option in Austin. The teachers genuinely care and the gym class/new inclosed playground is amazing for busy little bodies. The low student to teacher ratio is key, and they even bring in authors from the local book store for story time. Ashley is incredibly thoughtful and the care and love that has gone into the school is visible from day one.

There could never be words to describe how incredible Wonderwell is. Before having children, I used…read moreto think people who cared so much about preschool were silly. But now having two young kids, and knowing the importance of education at this important developmental stage, I know that there really is so much young children need to thrive. Wonderwell is not only the best preschool in Austin, but in the country in my opinion. My son went there for three years and my daughter for a year before we had to move out of state. Leaving this school was the hardest part. My son started when he was 2, he could barely speak and was SO shy. When we left, he was so confident, a true leader, and LOVED school. The teachers, the staff, the other families, are all above and beyond. I couldn't love or recommend Wonderwell more!

100000 stars!! There aren't enough words to say how AMAZING this school is!!! Athena is a special,…read moremagical gem and we feel so absolutely lucky to have found it. The teachers and the atmosphere just radiate peace and positivity. The quality of education is incredible. My son turned 5 yesterday and is already about to start reading!! The amount of personal attention and care each student receives is incredible. My second child is about to "walk through the gates of life" this May and head to kindergarten.. I am honestly heartbroken to not go there everyday anymore lol! We have had a child there for the past 5 years and if I could keep them there forever, I would! We have had the honor to get to know Ms. Alex, Ms. Jazmin and Ms. Morgan over the years and these women are absolutely INCREDIBLE! They have huge hearts and really LOVE what they do, and it shows!! They have a magic way of connecting, communicating and relating to the kids. We are so THANKFUL for the values and knowledge they have bestowed in our children that will shape who they become forever!! We love each of you so much!! My kids made me promise to always take them back to say hello as they grow...that speaks volumes in my book. Athena is a purely magical place!

We have been blown away by our experience with Athena. The support and caring from the staff has…read morebeen amazing. Our son has flourished at the school. The growth from August until now has been exponential on all fronts. He is more independent, communicating more and becoming a member of his classroom community. The other parents as well have created a lovely community and support system as well. My husband and I didn't realize just how lucky we were to get a spot in the school!

Our family loves it here! Our infant had a terrible experience at another school (daycare) about 3…read moremiles away. ACM has taught us that infant rooms are not chaotic. Babies crying all day is not normal. ACM has natural lighting. They spend a lot of time outside with all ages. They hold and comfort our 9-month-old baby. He has no trouble sleeping at ACM. The guides seem to love the children. Our baby has really started talking and eating more. He is much happier now that he is at ACM! As our the parents! We have learned to trust our intuition and it is all good at Austin Children's Montessori!

ACM was fine for babies but not for toddler boys. The owner is the type to push families out…read moreinstead of relying on early childhood development expertise to help kids with a lot of energy be successful. The final straw for us was when she told me, a first-time mom who at the time didn't know any better, that my 3 year old had caused 2 teachers to leave ACM, including one who left the profession. Really? A 3 year old caused a teacher to leave the profession? What kind of ECD professional says something like that to a parent. And other parents had similar experiences at the time. My son went on to be beloved by the teachers of our next school who supported him to the point where he is recognized as a model student now in elementary school. Ms. T is a bully. Don't let her make you question what you know deep down to be right and wrong. I've noticed that many of the negative reviews have been removed. Not sure if it's an algorithm or what but if you are a new parent considering send you your kid here just know that.

My experience at Parkside was challenging. The admin was changing over and there was little…read morecommunication, and more than a bit of aggressive interactions with admin. We had a new teacher who was enthusiastic when the students were perfect, and utterly overwhelmed and clueless when the students had challenges. My son has ADHD, and despite telling me they has experience with 2E kids, the teacher thought my son had severe emotional problems when my son would self sooth by going in a corner to be alone for a bit. They also did not communicate in any way the depth of the problems my son was having in school. I finally realized the extent of his issues when I began attending daily to see for myself. They were often rude and childish in response to issues or complaints. They had a history of keeping teachers even after multiple complaints of abusive behavior. Their insistence on parent interaction was amazing, and the singalongs were fabu. But it doesn't make up for the severely subpar teaching, the reusing of the same curriculum every year, the nasty admin, and the overall confusion of vision with a high price tag. Do not recommend this school beyond kindergarten at all!

Our daughter is three and a half, and she just finished her first year of preschool (Primary) at…read moreParkside. We couldn't be more pleased to have her attending this special school. From top to bottom, it's an excellent program with marvelous staff and leadership, and a wonderful community. Some of things we love most about Parkside: it's uniquely and authentically Montessori, which was important to us when we were looking at schools. The teachers (called guides) are loving, creative, and thorough in their teaching methods. We were blown away when barely a month in, our daughter came home singing about all the continents of the world! The 12-acre campus is beautiful and well maintained. The kids get lots of outdoor time and often take hikes together as a class. They learn to value and sing about nature, including our new favorite song, "Chlorophyll" written by the founders. Music is a big part of Parkside life, and at least 1-2 events a week are organized around it (parents are invited to participate as well). We've enjoyed all the opportunities for families to get involved at Parkside and we've made some great friends already. Even through the craziness of the pandemic, Parkside staff led the way with through health protocols and regular communication with Austin Public Health to keep the kids safe and allow school to continue. In short, we've found Parkside to be an amazing, friendly, beautiful place that is nurturing our daughter to her full potential. We highly recommend it!

I enrolled my daughter in Bright Beginnings in Aug 2020 and she's had a great experience, we're sad…read moreshe's starting pre-k in the Fall. It has the cozy feel of an in home daycare but also the curriculum and schedule of a professional preschool, it's really the best of both worlds. The teachers are very professional, caring, and communicate with parents well. The director is very involved and is always available to discuss any questions I've had. Each month has a different learning theme and my daughter comes home telling me new things, singing new songs, and is so proud to show me her artwork.

From the owner: Licensed preschool in South Austin. We have very low child to teacher ratios so every child gets…read morethat one on one attention that is needed. Loving and caring child care that is a home away from home.

Walk into Mia Mia and you can immediately feel the difference in the level of care…read more Saying I researched daycares extensively is an understatement. We came from a highly rated Montessori school, and I was really nervous about moving our son again. He wasn't necessarily unhappy at his previous school, but he also didn't seem excited to go. We wanted him somewhere he genuinely enjoyed being. Making the switch felt like a big risk at the time, but it ended up being the right decision for us. He is so happy at Mia Mia, and everyone there, not just his teachers, genuinely cares about the kids. They're warm and affectionate, which was something we were really looking for. It's such a good feeling seeing our son happy to go to school. We're so grateful we found Mia Mia!

From the owner: Welcome to Mia Mia Preschool, where we foster a safe and nurturing environment for children to…read moreexplore the world, their community, and themselves. At Mia Mia, we offer a unique Spanish immersion program as part of our standard curriculum, drawing inspiration from the Australian Early Years Learning Framework and the Reggio Emilia approach. Our curriculum, grounded in international research, emphasizes the critical period of early childhood for learning and development. Our Vision We aim to embody the essence of a Mia-Mia in our daily practices, offering a safe, nature-immersed, and homelike environment. We nurture a sense of belonging, respect each child’s uniqueness, and foster curiosity and a lifelong love of learning. Our Mission Our mission is to exceed traditional standards of early education and care. As a family-owned preschool, we are committed to service excellence, offering thoughtfully designed, play-based educational experiences that lay the foundation for everyday skills and a passion for learning. Our Story From one family to another, Mia Mia is dedicated to engaging children in meaningful experiences that ignite their curiosity and promote their growth. Our team of passionate, professionally equipped teachers is committed to nurturing each child's sense of belonging, being, and becoming.