What is a Cooperative School Anyway?

A cooperative preschool is one started by and run by the parents of the children enrolled. This means that parents sit on the board and make all the decisions for the school. They find and hire the teachers and director. They set the tuition prices. They do the budget. They get the supplies. They prepare the space.

Parents also rotate helping out on a daily basis in the school. They are the janitors, doing all the daily cleaning. They also prepare the snack if one is provided. And they help the teachers in any way they can. They play with the kids. They monitor children on the play ground. They facilitate disagreements among children.

This does not mean a parent will have to do this every day. At our school in Philadelphia, parents can choose to co-op once to three times a month and the tuition for their child goes up or down depending on this decision. Co-oping means coming in for the school day and doing all the cleaning tasks that need to be done while also being with the children when needed. At least a couple of parents, depending on the size of the school, come in together each day.

Parents also choose a job, such as a board position, a fundraiser, the admissions person, the co-oping scheduler, etc. And parents take turns throughout the year doing a deep cleanup of the school on the weekends. At the school my son attends, we only had to do this weekend cleanup two or three times a year and we always cleaned with another family. There are also cleanup "parties" at the beginning and end of the year that everyone participates in for a few hours on a Saturday. Big projects get done on these days, such as painting.

Because there is no need to pay a janitor or extra teaching assistants, the cost of tuition tends to be much less than other preschools.

So, that is the work side of it. And, yes, it is work. But it is also so much fun. During all this work, you get to know everyone so well. And the kids see you cleaning the space and that teaches them how important the school is to you as well. And when you co-op, you are able to sit in the circle with your child and really get to know how she or he interacts with other children. You get to know who their friends are and you know when issues arise. And you are able to hear all the cute comments, sing all the sweet songs, and play all the fun games with your child. And your child has you with him or her on occasion. For a first school experience especially, this makes for a much smoother transition for both of you.

These are just some of the advantages. Don't be scared off by the work. It is a small price to pay for a school and second family for your child.