2. Evaluate all the information you have gathered, ask yourself this question:
o Which centers have a waiting lists and/or a good reputation
o What activities or curriculum do they promote? Some daycare centers have swimming lessons, teach computer class, etc.
o Are teachers certified or degreed?
3. Your Results will give you an idea as to what your market demands. What I mean by this is what other centers are charging. My knowledge and experience tells me that people are not so interested in the tuition rate, but more so on the environment and quality of care. Many parents choose a center based on if they feel comfortable and trust that provider.
Based on your research you should have a good idea as to charging tuition, but realize one thing. Don't try to undercut others in your childcare industry. Parents believe that they will get what they pay for. Having a cheap tuition rate will not bring you more enrollment.
What will bring you enrollment is a healthy amount of "word of mouth". Parents talking about you positively and telling their friends and family what a wonderful experience their having at your daycare center.
The Quality Childcare Mentoring Collaboration
One of our new focus areas, Education, is divided into two parts: Early Childhood and Youth. Most of the work done in the Early Childhood area is being done by Success By 6, the United Way initiative that for the last two years has brought together more than 70 community groups and leaders to help make sure that by the time they reach six-years-old, every child in Central Texas is "healthy, happy, and smart"-and ready to succeed in school.
Enter the "Quality Childcare Mentoring Collaboration," a project of Success By 6 and its many partners.
Goal of the Collaboration: Help childcare centers achieve state-approved quality ratings, which ensure that the childcare center is effectively preparing children to succeed in school.
Why is this Work so Important? Because we know that children who attend high quality early childhood programs are more likely to succeed in school and in life. (Consider also that every $1 invested in quality early-childhood care saves society up to $17 in costs down the road.)
Collaborators: United Way Success By 6, WorkSource, Family Connections, Austin Community College, City of Austin, Travis County
As part of the "new" United Way, we have outlined a deliberate and specific process for addressing our community's needs, including the need for quality childcare centers. Starting at the top and moving clockwise, this process looks like this:
