The Children's Center of Austin

Choosing a daycare is one of the most important decisions of your life. You are placing the thing you hold most dearly in your heart in the hands of someone else. With that being said, why I am so grateful to the teachers and staff at the Children's Center of Austin in Steiner Ranch
Each person at the Steiner location is so vested in the children. They do not just seem like teachers they seem like family. They take special care of each child and access exactly what care they need. My daughter had some minor health problems when she started at the location when she was a year old and her teacher met and exceeded all the expectations I had of her. She is now three and still loves the school and the teachers. Each staff member she has been with she has had a wonderful experience with.
I watch how the teachers/staff interact with all the children and it warms my heart. From the teachers, to the cook, the receptionist and up to the Staff Coordinator and Director they all give over 100% care to each child. I see a smile on every face at the school and it makes me feel safe and happy my child can be there with such loving people.

Thank you for watching the most important person in my life.

Posted 10/20/08

My daughter has been at the Steiner Location since it opened and we have weathered all the changes. I am so happy that with Ms. Carrie as the Director , the school has really turned around. Each person at the Steiner location is so vested in the children. They do not seem like teachers they seem more like family. I watch how the teachers/staff interact with all the children and it truly warms my heart. They truly give 100% to each child .

Posted 10/15/08

This is my child's third year at CCOA - Jester. Like others below, I had some major issues with the infant-toddler center (teacher attrition, no curriculum, failure to follow ratios, small classrooms, lack of teacher qualifications, etc.). Ultimately, though, no infant daycare can match the experience of an infant being at home with parents or a nanny. So while CCOA could and should improve its infant-toddler care, I don't think it's any worse than comparable daycares; it is fundamentally safe, clean, and convenient. I also would caution readers to take postings made on the first day of the school year with a grain of salt, as while kids and teachers take time to settle into the new routine, it's easy for parents to be over-critical (and I say that from my own experience!). Anyway, now that my child has transitioned to the pre-school, I have to say I'm really impressed with CCOA. My child's teachers (3, in a class of 14) are energetic, creative people. The lead teacher, who has been at the school for several years, puts considerable thought into the lesson plans, which she follows effectively. I've been amazed at how much and how quickly my child is learning, and most importantly, how much fun my child has every day. I agree with others that CCOA has terrific pre-school facilities -- art room, library, music room, computer lab, indoor gym, two playgrounds, and pool. All are clean and well-equipped, which makes up for the fact that the homerooms are small. Also, the director, Julie, is warm, capable, and responsive to parent requests, and the curriculum coordinator, Robin, develops fun, age-appropriate programs for the kids. There's still room for improvement -- I was glad they reduced the fat in the menu over the summer, but it is now too salty -- and I would like to see more training and higher pay for the teachers, but I recommend at least CCOA's pre-school program to parents looking for an enriching, safe, and fun experience for their kids.

Pros: NAEYC-accredited; facilities; pre-school curriculum; responsive director

Cons: loose qualifications and attrition in teachers in infant-toddler center

Posted 10/06/08

there are a FEW good teachers at this school. but most seem way too young and completely uninterested in EDUCATING CHILDREN. i've witnessed many treat the kids like their annoying younger siblings. i don't know why these young "teachers" decide to go into early childhood care.
this school also REQUIRES playground time, even when it is 100 degrees outside. there is one water fountain outside and the kids are just dying for a drink. then they come in and are given a small cup of juice and a few crackers as their "healthy" snack..
the classrooms are too small and cramped.

Pros: indoor gym, separate art room

Cons: underqualified teachers, outdoor playtime in 100 degree weather,

Posted 08/26/08

I am sitting in my home horrified after an awful experience first day at Children's Center of Austin. My soon to be 2 year old was placed in a class with 2 teachers who had no contact or interaction with the children the entire 1 1/2 hours I stayed to acclamate my child. The ones crying with separation anxiety were ignored, not redirected, not comforted and eventually I had 3 children clinging to me for any bit of warmth they could find in the room. When I questioned the teacher about the activities for the day (one of the 2 teachers stepped out for a long break) she looked at me blankly, and did not respond; then it clicked - THE TEACHER DID NOT SPEAK ENGLISH. When I stormed into the director's office to gain clarification on the situation I was told that she would never be left alone with the kids, but that she was in the class to stay. The other teacher was just as disinterested in promoting engagement in the class room. So I am paying 400$/month for T/Th preschool that hires teachers that administration does not leave alone with the kids!! We will not be returning and will be demanding our fist month's tuition back.

Pros: Large facility with deceivingly good outward appearance

Cons: One of our teachers did NOT SPEAK ENGLISH, teachers not engaged, stood around staring at crying children.

Posted 08/26/08

My experience is w/ the Jester location, preschool building.

If you're considering this school, I HIGHLY recommend visiting more than once, at different times of the day. One of the best things you can do as a parent is before/after your tour, walk around the outside of the building. To the right of the entrance is a gated toddler area, to the left behind the building is the playground. Walk around and listen to how the teachers talk to the kids. Ask the director if you can observe on your own, walk the hallway. Really listen to how the teachers speak to the kids in the classroom.

Julie Keen, the director, is a very lovely person. She is accessible and cares about my children. She has always made time for me. I have no idea why someone so wonderful hires such poor quality employees.

When I asked about how discipline was handled, i was told by the director and a teacher "redirection", "distraction", "positive reinforcement". More often than not, I see the complete opposite of this by different teachers in different classrooms. I was really surprised to see how often and how quickly the teachers commanded the kids to "Time Away", without even asking them what happened, or explaining why their behavior was wrong.

What bothers me the most is how many of the teachers yell at the students. been there at naptime and heard a teacher speaking very sharply to a child to "Put your head down NOW". have also heard teachers talking across the hall to each other,complaining about a child.

The turnover is really high. Don't let anyone try to convince you that that's "just how preschools are". It is higher than normal here. part of the problem is that so many of these "teachers" are high school students or just too young and inexperienced to be taking care of so many children.

Every day when I take my kids in, most of the teachers appear grouchy, overtired, or downright rude. They could use a few lessons in basic etiquette, not to mention Early Childhood Education.

Pros: flexibility, playground

Cons: grouchy overtired "teachers", unhealthy menu, unprofessional staff

Posted 08/22/08

I just recently enrolled my child in the Children Center after-school program. My wife and I had many choices to make regarding after-school programs and found that the Children Center was by far the most impressive, The activities such as: girl and boys day out are awesome! Also, I found that the ratios were lower than any of the other schools in the area. I highly suggest their program...

Pros: extra curricular activities, swimming pool, playground

Posted 07/31/08

We sent our infant to the Steiner Ranch facility when she was 11 months, we had a great experience in the infant center, they offer a great curriculum and their staff is outstanding. We had some, but very little teacher turnover and in the end it was for the better. I highly suggest it to any parents who are looking into day care centers. The Steiner director Carrie is wonderful, very helpful and attentive. The facility is amazing and the older children spend most of their time in the art room and computer labs. After seeing their summer camp program we are hoping to get our older child enrolled in August.

Posted 07/31/08

My child has been at CCOA for two years, and my feelings remain mixed. Note that the preschool is much better than the infant/toddler center; most of my complaints apply to the latter. The facilities are among the cleanest and best I've seen in Austin, although the actual classrooms are too small. The school offers a lot of schedule flexibility, which is great. Many, but not all, of the teachers are loving, nurturing people who are doing their very best to provide a safe, happy environment for the children. Some, but certainly not most, of the teachers are well-educated and over-qualified for their positions. The Jester director, Julie Keen, is a lovely, capable person who is doing her best to turn the school around, and the very bright curriculum coordinator, Erica Prewitt, offers lots of enriching and creative opportunities for the kids. The problems are teacher attrition (we had 5 "head teachers" in the classroom within 9 months); lack of teacher training; low hiring standards (some of the "teachers" are high school students; others are just warm bodies); persistent failures to meet the advertised ratios; lack of adequate classroom supplies, toys, and books; an unhealthy, sugar-filled menu; and lack of any real curriculum for the infants and todders (most of the day, the kids are just left to "independent play," which of course is necessary and valuable sometimes, but often just means they are bumps on logs). With the recent tuition increase, I hope teachers get well-deserved raises, and more effort is made to recruit and retain well-educated, energetic, quality teachers with better pay and benefits. With a more stable teaching staff, CCOA could live up to its potential. In short, I recommend CCOA-Jester to local parents looking for convenience, flexibility, safety, and a generally happy atmosphere for their children. For stability, academic rigour, and impressive teacher credentials, look elsewhere.

Pros: Facilities, flexibility, well-intentioned teachers; NAEYC accredited

Cons: Teacher attrition; unhealthy menu

Posted 06/23/08

I would not recommend this facility to any friends or colleagues. If all you want is babysitting with basic supervision, then this may be the place for your children. Beware: The rates are not competitive. The teacher turnover has been unreal. (Ex: 5 teachers in 8 months). Never have I seen such turnover and then a request to increase rates by $175 per child with less than 30 days notice. There was parental backlash so ownership decided to increase the tuition by "only" $85 now and the rest in September. Our classroom has been told to be patient through the turnover and our toddlers have acted up and potty training has reverted. I have not seen this additional money go to any substantial teacher merit pay or towards improvement to the classroom setting. Any spanish/karate/swimming/dance classes offered at this facility is in addition to the tuition. There is an activity fee depending upon the curriculum in addition to the tuition. And in May the teacher appreciation week turned less into appreciating the teachers and more about subsidizing the children's classrooms with much needed classroom supplies. There were requests for parents to buy artroom tables. With tuition increases, shouldn't there already be furniture available to the children? The most disturbing, although an unsubstantiated rumor, is that the ownership didn't plan adequately for their 2007 taxes.

Pros: Makes any other childcare facility look good.

Cons: Read on....

Posted 06/02/08

First, I've seen enough daycares to know that the negative reviews (at this and the other location) that complain about curriculum or say "worst ever" are just silly. This place really does have some positives, like facility, and many extra learning opportunities most daycares can't possibly provide (of course, many of them cost extra, too).

Tthat said, the stuff on teacher turnover is spot on. That, plus the fact that the just increased monthly rates by about 20% - which only 30 days' notice to parents, drop it from a three-star to a two-star, in my book, on a value/$ basis. At the "new" prices, just go to Child's Day instead.

Posted 03/03/08

I do not recommend sending your child to The Children's Center of Austin. My infant was only a part of the program two days a week, from Sept to Nov. In that time, management changed three times, and her classroom teacher changed countless times. Promises were made that were never fulfilled. I gave them one to many chances. They jeopardized the education of my child as well as her health and well-being.

Pros: NONE

Cons: There is no curriculum, child is passed from one rocker to the next boppy.

Posted 12/23/07

The new management is horrible. Leigh Ann was so wornderful but she just left. This daycare was one of the best but now is on track to get one of the worst in Austin. Avoid at all costs.

Pros: None right now

Cons: Management

Posted 11/06/07

My oldest two children are Children Center of Austin alumni. We were very excited to return to the Jester location with our newest addition to our family. Unfortunately, we found out through experience that the school is not what it used to be. Our young child's class was consistently out of the advertised ratio and was rarely in their own class when we came to pick up at the end of the day. While patiently waiting for corrections from the new administration, we considered moving to another the facility, but learned that the other facility also had a new director. The familiar faces and comfort that was once this school's greatest assets has been lost.

Pros: Great facility

Cons: Under staffed, Lack of results

Posted 09/30/07

I am a previous poster who loved this school when I first enrolled earlier this year. After touring many other centers in Austin I can't begin to describe the feeling I had when I walked into The Children's Center for my tour with Leigh Ann. She was welcoming and friendly and greeted me and my children warmly. My kids seemed comfortable with her, and in fact did not want to leave when the tour ended. She was largely the reason I choose to enroll my two children, that day, on the spot. All the other parents I have met had wonderful things to say about Leigh Ann as the director, as did the teacehrs. I was happy with my choice.

Since she left I no longer have the same welcoming feeling when I arrive at the center each day. The teachers seem sad, depressed, or grumpy. The management team seems overwhelmed and uncaring. I have heard less than flattering things about the upper management at this company. Until there is a change at the top, I don't think there will be an improvement. I am currently looking for an alternative for my family.

I hope The Children's Center can once again return to the facility it was under Leigh Ann. The facility is beautiful, and combined with caring and nurturing it can be a great place.

Pros: Nice Facility

Cons: Management Turnover, Uncaring Leaders

Posted 08/05/07

I do not recommend this facility to anyone. The Staff isn't very professional and the turn over rate is rediculously high compared to other daycares. Many teachers admit to very harsh treatment and the drama that goes on between staff and parent is not a secret. They may have many things for the kids but they rarely stick to things they promise. Since they have a lack of teachers the quality of care diminishes.The kids simply don't want to be there because they have no one to bond to.I have not seen one teacher there I have known for more that a month.At my new day care I was told the teachers are treated well and have been there for a long time so if you are looking for a good child care ask the teachers THE TRUTH(without their boss) about how they like their job and what they think of their director if they hesitate you know it's questionable if they seem happy and have worked there for years then you know that is a place your kids won't have to worry about losing their teachers very often and trasition will be better. Just ask lots of questions if you really care about the people you expose your kids to. I know for a fact they have lost many wonderful teachers to their unprofessionalism and it makes me sad since this place has so much for the kids to do.

Pros: facility

Cons: management/staff

Posted 04/16/07

We have been at CCOA since it opened with 2 children of different ages. We had only one class through all 7 classes our children have been in that had more than one teacher turnover. That was hard, but it is bound to happen. We have used the teachers as babysitters in our home and used the summer camp for our older children. A great variety of extra activities and wonderful teachers!!

Our kids transitioned well into school partly because of the experience they had here.

Pros: Loving Teachers, Swimming, Playground

Cons: Cost

Posted 10/27/05

I agree with others, the school directors, are very nice, and if you come to the school and see the facilities you will love it. However, the most important thing for a kid in a preschool, is the "routine" and the "confidence" that they develop after bonding with their teachers. I know I am not the only one complaining about so many teacher changes in my child's classroom last school year. Other moms in other classrooms had the same issue. It doesn't matter how nice the place may seem, if the children don't feel comfortable due to so many changes, then it is not worthy. This is one of the most expensive schools too & this shouldn't be happening. Also, most of the teachers are very nice and seem to really care about the children, and others don't so much. If this continues I will go to another school.

Pros: Great Facilities

Cons: Teacher Turnaround

Posted 09/12/05

I had a less than pleasant experience with three of the staff members at this facility. Leigh Ann is wonderful. Maybe the heat got to these young people. They were less than polite and threatening. I will not go back to this facility and I will discourage others from doing the same. I wish Leigh Ann worked somewhere else because she has always been professional and pleasant. It was hot today so that may be the reason these people were less than polite.

Posted 06/29/05

In my experience as a previous employer I think this is a terrific facility they offer an array of extra cirricular activities for children;spanish, exercise program,field trips, they also bring diffrent activities to the school ,and swimming as well as swim lessons in the summer, the parents are treated very well.My main concern is the rate of turnover the employees are at a disadvantage ther are hardly any teachers that have been there since the school opened.It affects the children also going through one teacher after another they don't form very good bonds with anyone and it makes drop off really hard.The teachers can't take off work when needed because of the lack of staff.

Pros: facility

Cons: communication, staffing

Posted 05/12/05

The previous review is largely exaggerated. I work at the Children's Center of Austin, and I can attest that it is a safe place for children to attend preschool/day care. The staff are all very caring, and we follow strict guidelines to ensure the safety and well-being of every child there.

Posted 07/29/02