Ideas on where to look for a preschool with SMALL classes?

[ourbabygirl]

Like probably 10 or fewer kids?

DD (3) is currently in a special ed. "play group" that mostly functions like a preschool. She qualified for it originally for speech delay, but doesn't qualify anymore, and her main problem now is anxiety (we're thinking possibly selective mutism). However, she was one point away from qualifying for that, as well, so while she'll still be getting some speech services next school year, she won't qualify for the special ed. preschool or anything, which has been great for its tiny class size (around 6 kids, with 1 teacher and 2 aides).

Most of the pre-schools I know of have around 16-20 kids in the class, and I'm wondering if there are any other possibilities I should be looking into. Otherwise we'll do an ECFE class or two, where there's some separation time, but I'd really like something where I can drop her off for a couple of hours so she gets that independence.

The only other thing I can think of is an in-home daycare since they're likely to have a small number of kids, but that's just daycare and most of them that I know of don't do many preschool activities; they're busier with the babies and toddlers.

Any BTDT? Ideas?
Thanks so much! :)

[SnuggleBuggles]

Could be luck of the draw. The preschool we attended at a synagogue had small classes. It was pricey so that probably kept classes small. :)

[kristenk]

DD's church-run preschool had small classes. The 3s class she was in had maybe 6 kids and the 4s class had 10. I think the max for the 3s class was 8 and the max for the 4s was 10.

[belovedgandp]

Check with the staff where you are. Our early childhood program has the developmental preschool like what you describe. While that covers 80% of the kids that age they also have a couple other programs that your daughter would qualify for.

I'd just keep asking. It seems to depend around here. Some class are the 15-20 with teams of teachers. Others are 10 or less with one main teacher. Kind of depends on what size of rooms they have and what type of teaching style the preschool supports.

[MoJo]

My 3-year-old's church-based preschool class has 13 students. . . but no more than eight of them are there at the same time. Some are MWF, some are TTh, etc.

Have you asked if all 16-20 are there at the same time?

JellyBean's class has a teacher and an aide.

[o_mom]

Our church-run preschool has this size classes. 3 yos have 10 per class, 4 yos have 12 per class, both with a teacher and an aide.

[lowrioh]

Look and see if there are any co-op preschools in your area. DD1 goes to one and although there are 15 in her class some of the other co-ops I looked at are smaller. Her classroom always has a teacher, teacher's aid, and 2 parents in the room so there are a lot of one on one interactions.
We are "partial" co-op so I only go in 1 morning a month but you can co-op more or not at all....it's just a different price structure.

[ha98ed14]

DD had 7-10 kids in her 4 y.o. class. The number of kids depends on the day; some kids are are MWF & others TTH; DD goes 5 days/week. I feel like I really lucked out to find a preschool like I did. It's 25 kids in the whole school divided into 3 classes: 2.8-young 3s; Older 3s&most 4s; and a 4.5 to 5.5 red shirt class. It's at a small Lutheran church. Really small, but the school has been there for 25 years and so they keep it open even though enrollment is low this year. It's been great for us. If you don't object to religion, I would look at a church one, but not a mega church; more like a little church with a long history in the community.

[ellies mom]

Our church based pre-school has a max of 8 kids per class and they are gender balanced too so a class can be even smaller. DD2's class (young threes) do join up with the "older three's" for free play. We pay $150/month for 3 days a week.

[KpbS]

We have always done church based preschools and their classes have been small. I recently heard about a program at our local university that is a preschool that incorporates various therapies into the day and the classes are very small. Perhaps there is something similar in your area.

[kmkaull]

I second the co-op idea. The co-op my son attends has a max of 8 for the 2's and 3's. There's a teacher, assistant teacher and a parent present for all classes. Some of the church preschools I called also had small numbers.

[essnce629]

I think you just have to check around. Find additional schools in your area and read reviews on yelp.com and greatschools.com since a lot of people tend to mention class size. Ask friends with older kids where their kids went to preschool.

DS1 went to a preschool when he was 3 that was attached to a church and had 8 kids total in his 3 year old class.

I just came back from a preschool tour this morning at a school that has 10 kids enrolled currently (ages 2 yrs 10 months to 5 yrs) with a max of 14, and two full time teachers. It was a very nice school and recommended to me by a friend whose son went there 3 years ago.

[annex]

I would also look for afternoon only programs. At my DD's preschool, they were always much smaller classes (only about 8 kids with 2 teachers) because so many 3 and 4 year-olds still nap. Even in they have higher capacity, they are rarely full.

In our area, coop preschools are crazy (20 kids in one room with one teacher and a few parent volunteers). I would not have chosen that for my shy, easily overwhelmed kid, much less a kid with special needs.