If I could give minus 10 stars, I would gladly do it! We enrolled our son at Premier Learning Academy in May, after carefully researching various kindergartens. We chose this one because we believed it would help our son, an only child, develop social skills and build relationships with other children. The advertised advanced curriculum also appealed to us, and we trusted the institution to deliver on its promises. Initially, everything seemed great. We loved his teacher, Ms. Jules, who was exceptional. She helped our child stay focused and engaged. Unfortunately, she eventually left due to issues with the administration, which was deeply disappointing. She was replaced by another teacher, who, in my opinion, is unqualified and lacks the necessary pedagogical training. This teacher had no authority over the children and failed to manage them effectively. Soon after, my child's behavior changed drastically. He began mimicking negative behaviors like spitting, kicking, and scratching--things he clearly learned from the environment at the kindergarten. It was shocking because these behaviors were entirely new and inconsistent with how he was raised at home. Instead of addressing these issues constructively, the teacher and the deputy director resorted to blaming my child for his "terrible behavior." Their approach was appalling. They subjected my son to what I can only describe as moral harassment. When I addressed these issues in writing, they ignored my concerns and continued to single out my child. He became withdrawn and tearful, refusing to talk about what was happening at school. Daily messages from the teacher accused my son of hitting, kicking, or spitting, even though he denied these incidents at home--and at 3.5 years old, it's hard for him to lie convincingly. Adding to the frustration, whenever I asked about injuries on my son's face, the staff's response was always, "No one saw anything." It seemed that they only noticed my son's actions when he tried to defend himself. The situation escalated further when the teacher and director resorted to punitive measures, such as taking my son to the office for "explanatory conversations." It's unacceptable for adults to try to reason with a 3.5-year-old in this way, especially when it's clear he was already under immense stress. Instead of helping, they made matters worse. One Friday, after enduring another day of this mistreatment, my son was so emotionally drained that he fell asleep on my lap and slept for 13 hours straight. This level of exhaustion and stress is heartbreaking and entirely unacceptable for a child. Things continued to deteriorate over the next few weeks. Every day brought new accusations about my son's behavior, which only made it clearer that this environment was toxic for him. We finally decided to withdraw him from the kindergarten. Although their policy required a two-week notice, the administration insisted we remove him immediately, further demonstrating their unwillingness to work with parents or prioritize the well-being of the child. We enrolled our son as a happy, well-mannered child, and we left with a child who was distressed, misbehaving, and mimicking the inappropriate actions he learned at Premier Learning Academy. Another shocking observation was how poorly the children were cared for during nap time. The kids were made to sleep in their shoes, which is both unhygienic and uncomfortable. If a child didn't want to sleep, they were forced to lie down and wait. Unlike Ms. Jules, who used to engage with non-sleeping children through activities like drawing or reading, this teacher simply ignored them, often spending time on her phone instead of providing care. This review is long because the level of unprofessionalism, negligence, and bullying--towards both my child and myself as a parent--was staggering. Advice: Stay far away from this kindergarten. While the decision is yours, I wouldn't wish our experience on anyone. read more

My grandson has been attending Premier Learning Academy for a couple of months, and we are so incredibly happy with the school. He started in 3yr olds and was moved to Pre-K after his birthday, and both teachers are equally great, very patient, kind, and wonderful at their job, and at providing updates. The director is amazing too, pleasant every morning; and she provided an excellent tour of the school and answered all of our questions. I'm so happy my daughter picked this school. We both feel so fortunate to have found such a wonderful Pre-School in Queen Creek. They offer a nice variety of activities for the children too, and faithfully greet my grandson every morning by name and with a smile. You can tell the school staff genuinely enjoy children and teaching. read more

Our two girls thrived here! We moved away two years and they still recall such great memories there.

Our son graduated from PLA and started kindergarten recently. He performed well above benchmarks on his DIBELS assessment for reading readiness and his bus driver complimented us that he's reading signs at school. That's just the amazing academic side of PLA. Socially our son just flourished there. They met him exactly where he was and helped him grow immensely. He also never felt like he was in school or learning all that he did there. He thought it was so fun. He never complained about going but sometimes complained if we picked him up too early! We toured several facilities before ultimately choosing PLA. It immediately caught our attention because it was clean and brightly lit and colorful. There wasn't much staff turnover in our time there and I always felt like everyone knew my child and where to find him. They had fun theme dress up days, the teachers were all kind and helpful, and they just instilled such confidence in him! Hope to be able to send our second baby there when he's older as well! read more

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This place doesn't compare to anywhere else. Ever single employee here goes above and beyond. Our son has been going to PLA for just about a year and I wish we would have discovered PLA way sooner. read more

Premier Learning Academy - Preschools Near Me - Chandler, Arizona

We are very happy with the staff and location of this preschool. Many beautiful and thoughtful changes have been made since the new owners took over from last year. Loving hands and warm inviting hugs! read more

Premier Learning Academy - My son loves this place! - Preschools Near Me - Chandler, Arizona

We absolutely love PLA. This was our sons 3rd preschool (we moved a couple times lol) and by far the best out of his other 2 (Sunrise and The Learning Experience) The teachers are amazing. The staff is amazing. Our son learned so much. He made so many friends. Today was graduation and after reflecting on such a pleasant experience the last year I knew I had to write a review. I highly recommend PLA. Thanks so much PLA read more

Our son attended a discovery day on 2/26/21. He did well for the audition. However, the school determined "they could not keep him safe" because he left the classroom three different times. They held a meeting on 3/15/21 without including me or my husband. Then called me at 230 in the afternoon to inform me that today would be his last day at the facility. I contacted the birth to five hotline for assistance with locating another daycare facility. They informed me there are supports available to child care facilities (SMART support, Quality First Coach) to prevent disruption. Child care agencies who accept DES childcare funds are required to have a reasonable process to prevent child care expulsions. This facility does not accept DES funds and are not bound by those rules. If your child is not perfectly behaved, don't consider this facility. This facility is not welcoming of children with higher needs as evidenced by their audition process and same day expulsion of students. read more

My daughter tried the discovery day here. When I came to pick her up, I saw my daughter crying with a runny nose while the teachers were staring at their phones. After the discovery day the staff informed me because they will reconstruct the school, there are no more spots available. The attitude from the administrative staff is both rude, condescending and unprofessional. I feel very lucky that I didn't choose this school for my daughter. read more

The days she spent at school became a very important and loving memory for her. Our shy and timid daughter is now taking on many challenges and we are delighted with her growth. Since the first day we entered into the great universe that is PLA, you have continued to amaze us with your outstanding commitment and excellence. Each and every teacher who has been with our daughter has been fantastic. Each has enriched the lives of our kids and made an impact. All positive. All impressive. All heart, all the time. The place you have created is far more than a preschool. It is an epicenter of genuine joy, of important life lesson, and love. To try to describe the level of devotion your staff shows would be an understatement, and to attempt to say thank you would be the same. Now my daughter graduated PLA and start kindergarten.Based on what she learned at PLA, She is doing very well at kindergarten classes. She is so many happy memories at PLA and she missing PLA familys(teachers, friends). If you looking to Preschool for your loved one, I'll strongly recommend at PLA. read more

Absolutely incredible! The owners and teachers truly care about the kiddos/students and their families. Our daughter has been going here for the past couple years and they continue to surprise me with their imagination and compassion. They go above and beyond on all fronts! Their communication has set aside our fears during this insane time (Covid) as well. Simply cannot say enough good things about the school or staff. Very thankful to have them and their facility as a part of our extended "family". read more

My daughter LOVES going here she use to cry when I'd drop her at her other daycare but she is very excited when we pull up and walks in on her own!! We get pictures and updates on her day and we are potty training and it updated us every ti E she goes and when she trys to go and her naps start to end! It's pretty amazing and the owners and director are SOOOO friendly and you can tell they LOVE their jobs! It's externally colorful and exciting not like a basic daycare by any means!! I actually drive almost 30 minutes to get there!!! read more

One of the best choices I've made with regards to my son. Miss Kaycee and the staff are excellent! My son who is two is enjoying his time so much at Premire learning Acadamy and thriving so much ! I truly appreciate everyone and look forward to seeing his continued progress. read more

I found PLA when I first moved to the East Valley and didn't know much about the neighborhood. At that time I was not yet working but needed somewhere with a drop in option that could convert to full time. They worked with me with exactly what I needed so that when I found employment the transfer to full time was smooth. However, this place has become even more amazing than what I noticed on the initial tour. I did not realize my child would be learning spanish, science, and math along with other standard preschool items. She has learned songs from the classics (You are my Sunshine) to modern songs, converted to a PLA theme. She started not knowing her alphabet nor even an idea of how to write her name. PLA brought her right up to speed and now she will begin Kindergarten this year knowing her alphabet, counting to 100 (mostly), how to write her name, and even a small bit of math. Every person there gives their all for the children every day. In other facilities there was always a split between administration and the instructors but not here. When you are there, you can feel that each person is there for the sole purpose to give each and every child an amazing education while keeping it fun as well. I would recommend PLA to anyone seeking out the best daycare or preschool for their child. Their rate is comparable to other facilities in the area, but I feel I have received a private school level of service here because they are so amazing! read more

PLA is a great place where I feel that the owners truly care about my daughter. They are sisters and have backgrounds in professional education. I'm amazed every day when I come there what a beautiful and large place it is. You can see that every detail of the place was done with 100% love and care for the children and not some corporate bottom line. After picking up my daughter one day early I saw one of the teachers, Liora, teach the class how to count to 100 by 10s. All the kids were having a blast and they were actually LEARNING! what a concept! I think the best part of PLA is the family atmosphere that you get there. It's not a large corporation. Instead, you can talk with the owners face to face and know with a doubt that they are doing this for their love for children. read more

Initially we loved how the preschool's director spent hours together to share her child's journey. Really felt that they understood what we're going through. Unfortunately the tolerance level of the preschool's directors are almost null. Definitely not the right place for kids with special needs. Even though my daughter loved her class teacher, and was excited at the new school, we were called in-three days after she was enrolled-and she was asked to leave. We were given no grace time to look for another school. Lack of empathy and compassion from the school directors is painful. read more

There's no way I can express how incredible PLA is through just a Yelp review, but I'll definitely give it my best shot. First and foremost, it is one of the most accommodating, responsive and educational environments I could possibly put my child in. Each day, it amazes me the new things he's picked up, whether it's a new letter, a new song, a new high number to count to, or sometimes a new phrase he's picked up from his friends. Every day when I drop him off, he's so excited to go hug his teachers and classmates, and when I pick him up, he's always had a huge smile on his face from another great day. They structure the ages and classroom sizes perfectly where I know my son is surrounded by similarly-developed children and is also getting the small-group and individual attention he needs. While every teacher, assistant and helper has been wonderful, I have to give a special shout-out to Ms. Amanda, who is the true child whisperer and understands her class on such a special level. I also absolutely love the entire administration, owners and directors who are so friendly and inviting, it really turns the place into such a home-away-from-home feeling for parents as well as the kids. They recently expanded their building and their facilities are in such great, new, and (most importantly) clean condition. They've also implemented a mobile app called Brightwheel which is updated with lessons, meals, naps, messages and more while I'm away at work. It's a great way for me to stay up-to-date on what his class is learning so that I can work with him at home on what he learned that day. Again, this doesn't even scratch the surface of how I feel about PLA, but I can just say that I am so grateful my son is in such great hands each and every day. read more

These are the most wonderful people I have ever known. They helped my spouse and I raise our twin girls from 1 yrs old to 5 yrs old and every single day I knew they were learning wonderful new things, they were safe and above all else they were loved by those whom cared for them everyday. I dont know what else a parent can ask for. I will forever hold them in my heart for all that they did for our small family for all those years. It will never be forgotten. read more

I absolutely LOVE this preschool. Our kids went here for almost 2 years and we loved every minute of it. Even when the kids were younger they had a lot of academic structure. Elana is so nice and so passionate about hiring good teachers. We never had any billing issues or issues with teachers. The facility is SO FUN! They have it very open and tons of activities for the kids. I would happily recommend them to anyone. read more

I was so hesitant to put my son in preschool I waited until he turned 1 to do so. All of the teachers here have been so amazing. They treat my son like he is one of their own and he learns so much. He's even taught me several words in sign language. I could never send my son anywhere else now that we have found Premier Learning Academy! read more

We love Premier Learning Academy, especially after the ownership change. Elana and her staff are so friendly and caring. Our daughter truly loves going to school and I definitely feel like they really care for each and every one of their students. I also feel like she's improved in so many academic areas, especially love the teaching of spanish. So if you live in our area and are considering a school for your lil one PLA is a great choice. read more

Premier Learning Academy is such a fantastic preschool. Not only are the teachers, owners, and directors amazing, but the parents and kiddos that attend PLA are some of the best people I've ever gotten to know. Not only is the atmosphere friendly and upbeat, but everyone gets along as a big family. I have been working as a teacher at PLA for almost a year now, and I have never felt more welcome or at home in a work environment. I am so appreciate to be apart of this family and can't wait to continue watching these children grow and learn! PLA ALL THE WAY!!! read more

I must say that all the teachers here have become so close they feel like family! We enrolled as soon as we moved to AZ from Turkey and we were so worried that our 3-year-old son would have a terrible time given that he didn't speak a word of English. Ms. Olivia and Ms. Jessica loved him and took such great care of him without hesitation! He feels so safe and happy in his classroom and around the center. Everyone has been so friendly and welcoming... I looked for a preschool all over Chandler & Gilbert, but this is hands-down the best!!! read more

Wonderful school and staff. Clean. Great curriculum. However, I took my daughter for "discovery day" and they decided she was not a good fit to attend their school as she has separation anxiety. She was so excited to go to school practicallly woke herself up and got ready! And shownwoke up today asking to go to school. That broke my heart. I was hoping they would work with her as kids need time to adjust but she wasnt given a chance. I also explained the situation before hand and was told the teachers were great and she would be fine. I spoke with my sister who is a preschool teacher and she said taking her blanket, favorite cup, family photo etc are things that could have helped her and most important, time. So, if your child has separation anxiety or fear of strangers, this is not the place for them. It appears they only accept children who quickly fall in line. If youre military and your children spend a lot of time away or in our case, my husband was away for work 1 whole year (hence the separation anxiety! They had a wonderful bond and she missed him) definitely look into a Montessori or smaller day care style facility as they suggested we do with our daughter. Maybe in a year or so when she overcomes her fears and anxiety, she can attend because as I mentioned before, it is a wonderful school. read more

My wife and I have been nothing but pleased with our experience with PLA. They have been so loving to our daughter allowing her to grow and learn. They allowed us to bring our own food as well as worked with us and our drop off and pick up times. We are extremely sad to leave but we moved to another house and our jobs would make the trip to PLA too much. Take the time and definitely check this place out. read more

Outstanding facility with even better staff. My daughter loves going here and most nights don't want to leave.

My son absolutely loves this place! Been to many preschools with my four older kids and none even come close to premier learning... very cool facility; feels modern and refreshing; owners are super, sad that we are graduating this year read more

Premier Learning Academy - Preschools Near Me - Chandler, Arizona

I've been trying to get there for 9 months and then told there's not enough teachers or digital program open up told that I was placed on the waitlist nine months later find out that they have people that have paid to be on the waitlist and didn't even offer me any alternative but just wasted my time and got my hopes up after nine months in still didn't email me about the so-called private daycare would she suggest my child to go to because she's a child expert now and I just thought poor customer service and just a crock of bull and a waste of time. read more

Let me start by saying the main teachers are amazing. I never had an issue with them. I did have issues with the teachers who were in charge of "afternoon care" after like 2:30/3pm, with lunch time substitutes, and the management. I had a child in the toddler 2-3 room and walked in on my child crying outside one day. The teacher watching the kids said one of the friends was playing with their face and they didn't like it. I immediately noticed their face was bleeding and there were two drag/scratch marks down both sides. When I brought the marks to the teacher's attention she said "oh well I didn't really see what happened." And left it at that. I ended up sending pictures to management later that evening and explaining how unacceptable it is for my child to be hurt in a way where it was clear they were scratched on both sides of their face and had a nail mark under their eye that broke skin. She promised it wouldn't happen again but when I asked for the incident report she said, "well, we didn't see what happened." I never got an incident report. The very next day I walk into the school and a teacher says to me (while all the kids are outside playing), "oh they can stay inside with me and play since the child who scratched them is out there playing." I was late for work so obviously I didn't have time to express myself so I left a message on their communication portal reiterating that my child should never be the one left out of their favorite activity/any activity as punishment for another child hurting them. That SAME afternoon I come to pick my child up to take them to an appointment and walk into a toddler room completely unattended by adults. It was nap time but half the kids in the room were still awake. I looked around the room for my child and then was genuinely confused where they were and where the teacher was. I waited several minutes in the room and then as I was walking out a random teacher walks towards me/the room on her phone and then looks up and all she says is, "oh sorry" as she walks into the room like nothing happened. I wasn't positive on ratio regulations at the time so I didn't say anything in case I was wrong but asked where my child was. She said in the room next door so I grabbed my child and we headed out. I looked up online that children should never be left alone, not even during nap time. It's against licensing. I didn't immediately report them because I was waiting for the incident report from my child being injured by another child first-- if they could handle/take care of smaller issues I knew I could come to them about this huge safety issue. They never documented my child's injury (which really makes you wonder if they do that a lot-- don't want to report on things/inform parents of incidences) and so I knew there were bigger issues going on. I reported and the same day licensing came out to investigate they made up a bogus excuse to remove my child (obviously). It worked out because I had found a great place near by for half the price, all the same accommodation (and then some), and they assured me of their rules on things like ratio, children injuring children, incident reporting, etc. We were only at PLA for 3 months and literally in one week I saw this place totally disregard children safety and ignore responsibilities to report and document incidences in their facility. I doubt if I had not walked in on my child being injured that I ever would've been told they were hurt. I also doubt had the owner caught their teacher outside the classroom leaving the kids unattended anyone would've been informed on it. I'm positive they wouldn't have self reported to licensing. The reason so many people think their children are safe here is because if bad things do happen here.... No one is telling you about it! read more

This preschool and pre-k is wonderful! The staff is caring, and well educated! I looked at 7+ schools before choosing this one because of the staff, the curriculum and the overall environment for both my children. My kids know all the teachers and all the teachers know them because of the family environment they have created. The lunch included is helpful and the field trips in the summer for older kids are great perks too! So glad I found a place my kids feel safe and at home while I am away and work....and they are learning so much!!! Thank you PLA staff for all you do, your efforts show through the children and their love for learning! read more

I only gave 1 Star because I had to. I've been meaning to leave a review for awhile now. I won't go into details but this place, in my opinion, is the worst! I'm so happy we took my son out after one incident that occurred in which my husband had to go in and speak with the teacher. read more

PLA is fantastic program where the staff is very engaged with both the parents and the children. We left Risen Savior after some issues with turnover and poor attention and follow up from staff, and PLA was a vast improvement. I initially dropped by just to pick up a brochure and Elana took the time to give me a full tour and I could tell from our discussion the level of dedication and commitment she has towards building a top notch program. The director Stacy is always friendly and engaging and knows what is going on with our son despite him being one of many students they have. Our son has taken to his teachers very well and we always get detailed updates on how his day was and what he did. They have lots of fun activities and crafts, and the facility itself is very open with lots of toys and stimulating activity. I think as many parents do, we have concerns about the time we spend working versus having them at home at such a young age, but it is very comforting to know he is in such good hands at PLA. read more

This facility is amazing. There is an open floor plan, indoor playground with a kid-sized climbing wall, gorgeous playhouses, and the classrooms are bright and organized. The new owners have revamped the curriculum and kids are learning so much, and teachers have gotten more training and have the opportunity to bring their own ideas into class projects. They provide food and make fresh food daily, provide fruit and veggies and keep the place clean! It is a special find In the east valley. Check it out! read more

My daughter has been here since she was 2. It's amazing how much she knows now, she is potty trained, she can write her name and some words and she also knows all the colors and numbers in Spanish. read more

We have been going to PLA since my daughter was one. She is now 4. A few years ago they switched ownership. I am so glad they did. The facility before was simply just a day care. The facility is updated with a modern kid friendly feel. It is spacious and very open areas to learn and play. The facility is very clean. The actual curriculum is wonderful. This is not just a day care.. Your child will actually learn, and they will enjoying learning while they sometimes do not even realize they are learning because they do have a great time. The lessons plans are well thought out and implemented in a way that they can learn with a hands on art projects and other unique creative ways of tying it all together in their lesson plan. All of the teachers are very professional and loving. The new owners take pride in everything they do, and they are actual hands on owners that are they everyday. This is not a corporate owned facility and all the extra touches they have there reflect this. The only problem is that my daughter will start kindergarten next year and we will be so sad not to be there all day. We will still go for their after school program. My daughter is so happy here. . Last year she really was not that interested in learning, she just wanted to play and socialize, now she plays school in her bathtub with all her animal characters and practices her sight words with them. She is obsessed with learning more.... This is such a 360 on her attitude towards school. They use a lot of positive reinforcement for her and that has been what she needed to build her confidence. I am so glad her wonderful teacher took a little extra time with her to build her up. You guys are great.... Thanks for everything you do... read more