How to choose a preschool in Los Angeles

There's no one-size-fits-all approach for choosing a preschool because, let's face it, every family has different needs, and those needs will shape your choices.

In Los Angeles County alone, there are about 9,000 licensed early care and education providers. Among them, there is plenty to consider, such as cost, distance, curriculum, classroom size, hours, after-school care and more, leaving many families overwhelmed and confused by the choices.

On top of that, demand is high — and wait lists can be long — which adds more stress for families looking to lock down options quickly and early.

This guide is meant to help you figure out what your preschool options are for your 2- to 4-year-olds – and how to determine the best program for your family.

As you dive into this guide, remember to trust your gut! You're your child's first teacher and you ultimately know what's best for them.

What is preschool, anyway? How is it different from childcare, and how does it work?

Childcare is an umbrella term that covers all of the early care and education systems that serve infants, toddlers and preschool aged children, said Debra Colman, Director of Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

That includes daycare, nursery school, preschool, transitional kindergarten, family home providers and childcare centers.

Preschools are a subset of childcare that are more structured programs primarily serving children 3 to 4 years old. They typically provide a curriculum-based program — often incorporating play — on what the California Department of Education outlines as the domains of early learning:

• Social and emotional development 
• Language and literacy  
• Math 
• Science 
• Physical development 
• Health 
• History–social science 
• Visual performing arts 

All in all, both childcare and preschools serve dual purposes: caring for children while parents are working, attending school or looking for a job, and providing early learning opportunities.

Do all Californians have access to preschool?

Here's the good news: California has invested a lot of resources to help families access preschool, regardless of income, background, where they live or immigration status as part of Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK). That includes transitional kindergarten (TK), the California State Preschool Program and childcare subsidies for family childcare homes and childcare centers.

However, that doesn't mean there's guaranteed space for everybody who needs it. Despite the options, nearly half of young Californians do not receive childcare on a regular basis — 10 or more hours per week — according to a study from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.

While this guide is meant to help you understand the preschool landscape in L.A., there are systemic barriers that make it difficult for many families — especially communities of color from low-income backgrounds — to access affordable, reliable and high-quality childcare.

Where are preschools based?

They can be found in lots of different settings, including childcare centers, family childcare homes or elementary schools.

Public vs. private preschool — what's the difference?

An easy way to help make sense of the preschool system is to first split the options into two categories: public (free or low-cost) and private (tuition-based).

How to find a public preschool program:

• Search here for a Head Start preschool near you or contact L.A. County’s Head Start Referral Agency to learn more: (877) 773-5543.
• Contact your local Resource and Referral Network, also known as R&R (more information about this below).
• Your local school district can help you find which schools offer TK.

Private preschools are tuition-based, privately owned businesses. They typically run in a home or commercial building.

Each preschool provider's fee will vary. Full-time care for preschoolers ranges between $9,000 and $24,000 a year across California counties, with costs rising.

There’s a variety of private preschools to choose from, both in childcare centers and family homes:

• Religious or faith-based programs 
• Specialized educational approaches (Montessori, Waldorf, Reggio Emilia)  
• Parent co-ops  
• Language immersion programs  
• Private TK  
• Play-based preschools 

No matter what preschool you choose, experts say it’s worth considering your child’s social and emotional development in a childcare setting, as it plays a major role in school readiness and academic achievement and can even affect their well-being in adulthood.

How to get help paying (step-by-step)

The bad news: Securing a spot can be challenging due to the limited number of slots available across the state, leaving thousands of families on long waitlists. The Child Care Resource Center, serving San Bernardino and Northern Los Angeles counties, has over 30,000 people on the waitlist (and growing), for subsidized childcare.

Keep in mind that the programs prioritize families with the lowest incomes.

In 2022, only one in nine of California’s children eligible for childcare actually received services, according to a report from the California Budget & Policy Center.

“Because resources are so limited, we recommend they work with their Resource and Referral agency to get their names on all waitlists for programs that would meet their family needs to give themselves the most opportunity to find a space,” said Donna Sneeringer, president of Child Care Resource Center.

Sneeringer said, “It doesn't hurt to get on the lists early, but it is more about timing of enrollment and available funding.”

Explore employer-based childcare benefits

Some employers offer childcare benefits to offset the costs, including:

• Dependent Care FSA, a pre-tax benefit account to help pay for eligible childcare including daycare, nursery school, preschool and before and after school care. There’s a calculator to help you figure out how much you can save  
• Bonuses, one-time or monthly, to cover childcare costs 
• Reimbursements for childcare expenses 
• On-site care that your employer provides 

Talk to your human resources department or review your benefits package to find out what childcare benefits may be offered.

How to find a preschool

Start the search as soon as possible – even for preschool.

“Especially in Los Angeles, there are a lot of wait lists that can go from six months to two years,” said Chang. “My advice for every single parent is start early, even if you don't know the sex of your baby, even if it might be only 8 weeks.”

Below are a few services that can help you with your search.

Resource and referral agencies

California funds resource and referral agencies, known as R&Rs, to help families find childcare programs, including preschool options.

R&Rs can be utilized by all families regardless of income; however, they’re geared toward helping families from low-income backgrounds find subsidized childcare.

When families contact an R&R, they assess needs and suggest options that match your family’s priorities. For example, if you prefer a preschool near your job that’s a flexible, full-day schedule, they can help with referrals.

L.A. County has multiple agencies that serve different regions.

• Child Care Resource Center (Antelope Valley, San Fernando Valley, Santa Clarita Valley) 
• Children’s Home Society of California (Greater Long Beach area) 
• Connections for Children (West L.A, Santa Monica, Culver City, Torrance, Lomita and the beach cities) 
• Crystal Stairs, Inc. ((South LA, Inglewood, Compton, Gardena, Lynwood, Lawndale & Hawthorne) 
• Mexican American Opportunity Foundation (East LA, Monterey Park, Montebello, Paramount, Bell, South Gate, Huntington Park, and surrounding areas) 
• Options for Learning (San Gabriel Valley, including Pasadena, Monrovia, Alhambra and Baldwin Park) 
• Pathways LA (Metro LA, West Hollywood, Mid-Wilshire, Koreatown, Northeast LA) 
• Pomona Unified School District Child Development (Greater Pomona area, East San Gabriel valley) 

Once you choose a school, they can also help you fill out the application process.

Find your local agency here or call 1-800-KIDS-793.

Online resources

Child Care Choices: A website to help families navigate the vast childcare and education landscape in Los Angeles County.

My Child Care Plan: Do you want to create a plan that fits your family’s needs? This statewide tool offers free, personalized support to help families narrow their options.

Enter your ZIP code, your child’s age, schedule needs — such as full-time, drop-in or after-school care — language preferences and whether your child has special needs. The tool matches families with licensed programs based on their selections.

Winnie, a search system to help families find childcare, including preschools. Each program will be accompanied by a description, photos, tuition fees, licensing status, availability, and more

Upwards, a company that helps families find childcare. Their specialty is working with family childcare providers.

Word-of-mouth

Talk to friends, colleagues, and trusted parent groups about their preschool recommendations.

Tips for choosing a preschool that’s the best fit for your child

And here are some additional considerations to keep in mind based on your tour and observations:

• Based on what you’ve observed, will your child feel safe and cared for here? 
• What setting will your child learn best in? 
• How are adults communicating with children at this preschool?  
• How do teachers communicate with parents on a regular basis about their child’s development and overall growth?  
• How far is the program from your home? What will transportation look like? 

With many preschool options available, Cristina Alvarado of the Child Care Alliance strongly urges parents to research multiple programs and choose one that best suits their child and family’s holistic needs instead of making a decision based solely on income or affordability.

Early intervention and special education services

Your child’s preschool should be able to provide resources for early intervention and special education services.

There are other resources if you need additional support, like California’s regional centers.

With 21 centers statewide, they support people with developmental disabilities, including young children. Find your local center here.

Families should try not to get discouraged when seeking developmental support for their child, said Dr. Karina Agredano, a disabilities consultant with the L.A. County Office of Education Head Start and Early Learning Division. She said there may be some challenges along the way, but stresses that families are not alone.

Agredano also recommended resources such as:

• Help Me Grow LA: A program of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health that connects families with a wide range of services to support their child’s developmental journey, including referrals to regional centers or local education agencies.  
• 211 LA: A hotline for Angelenos looking for special education's services, early intervention, childcare and parenting support, and other resources.  
• Family Resource Centers: These centers help families learn about early intervention and navigate the Early Start system. They partner with regional centers and education agencies. 

“As we always say in early childhood, you're the first teacher for your child. You're also the first advocate for your child,” said Agredano. “So continue to keep moving forward.”

Tell us: What else would you like to know about preschools?