Dayton Daily News education reporter Scott Elliott writes about schools, kids, teaching and learning.
Home > Blogs > Get on the Bus > Archives > 2006 > April > 17 > Entry
More tips to find preschools and day cares
Last week, I wrote a short story giving tips for finding a good preschool or day care center. This was an issue I blogged about in September.
A reader contacted me with an additional tip. She says look for schools and centers that are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Centers and schools have to meet quality standards to receive accreditation.
The reader also challenged my assertion in the story that, in some cases, you can bargain for a lower fee. She said she considered top flight day care centers for her kids and that both places had waiting lists. She’s certainly right that this is an issue of supply and demand — no center with a waiting list is likely to cut a deal.
So it’s a judgment call. If you think there’s a chance you could get a lower rate, it can’t hurt to ask if they can come down a little.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Young Children
Comments
By MandyMo
April 18, 2006 9:34 AM | Link to this
I’ve not run across centers that will negotiate a lower rate, but many do offer “preferred employer” discounts. If you work for a larger corporation, you should definitely ask. Also, when looking for a center, you should ask the director about turn-over rates among their employees. Lots of new employees (unless its a new center) or a frequent change in teachers should raise a red flag.