FAQs
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When may I enroll my child(ren)?
A family may enroll at any point during the year.
How old does my child have to be in order to attend COA?
We offer care from the age of 6 weeks old through 12 years.
Do you offer flexible scheduling?
We offer both part-time and full-time care. Part-time care is defined as anything less than 1-4 hours per day with a minimum of 2 days per week while our full-time care is defined as anything over 5 hours per day also with a minimum of 2 days per week. We offer part-time schedules for all age groups, including infants at all of our locations.
What is the curriculum at your schools?
Do you offer before and after care? What about transportation?
Do you offer a Summer Camp program?
How will I know that my child is safe while I am at work?
COA utilizes one of the most advanced security management software programs in the market today. This starts with security systems at the front door, where parents use a Personal Identification Number (PIN) to gain entry to the building. This records each child in or out of the school and identifies the approved individual picking up or dropping off.
Children are only released to those individuals listed on records in the enrollment package and confirmed by an identification check.
ALWAYS CLOSE BY: AlwaysCloseBy.com is an optional resource that COA provides in an effort to connect parents to their children at any given point throughout the day. By subscribing to this service, parents will receive access to our in-house camera system so you never miss a moment. Access is limited to enrolled parents and is room-specific.
PERIMETERS/ PLAYGROUND SAFETY: All perimeter and playground gates are locked and monitored by employees to ensure that children enjoy outdoor play safely. Our outside play areas use a rubberized surface* or soft synthetic turf instead of wood chips, sand or gravel.
What about drop-in care or temporary care?
While we do provide drop-in care to previously enrolled families and their siblings, COA does not provide this service to families who have not attended our centers in the past.
We do not offer temporary care as we seek to build quality relationships with our families over time.
What dates can I expect your schools to be closed?
We are only closed on the 10 major holidays of the year. These include Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Columbus Day, Dr. Martin Luther King Day [3rd Monday of January], President’s Day [3rd Monday in February]. Schools may close early on Halloween and on the day before the aforementioned national holidays. Families will be alerted to early school closures by notices posted on the front door and by notices distributed to your child (ren)’s cubby box.
In the event of severe weather and/or natural/man-made disasters, decisions to close a school will be made by following state and local restrictions in your area. Standard tuition fees apply.
How do I find out about school closures?
On the top right-hand side of our website you will find a link to School Closures/Delays. If there is an alert symbol displayed it means there are emergency closures, if not, all schools are operating regular hours. In the event a school is closed or closing early, a TEXT message will be sent to the family and the COA Website will be updated. Based on the communication, please make arrangements to pick up your child. Children are safely cared for by staff members until every child is picked up. Tuition is not refunded during such closings. Following a closure please check the website for subsequent updates.
What is COA's tuition?
We know childcare is a big decision. Each family has different needs and COA prides itself on fulfilling those needs. The best way to get tuition information is to speak directly with a school director. They will be happy to help guide you through our invaluable programs and affordable pricing.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer, to what the tuition will be for your family. Child care costs will vary based on your situation and location. Here are some of the things that impact the cost:
- Prices vary regionally. To give you the most accurate information, we need to know your location.
- Cost is based on the number of days per week, and hours per day that your child will be with us.
- Cost will vary depending on your child’s age, and the programs that they are enrolled in.
To learn more about COA tuition, please find a school to get more details. You are also welcome to chat online with one of our enrollment specialists.
Does COA tuition include food?
Yes. We provide healthy items for breakfast, lunch, and two snacks per day. Milk is also provided. Please note that COA only provides formula and baby food at select centers. To see a full description of what COA offers, please click here
Is there a registration fee?
A registration fee for each child is required at the time of enrollment. An annual registration fee is also billed every September. These fees are standard and non-refundable.
Are there any other upfront costs upon enrollment?
We require the first and last week’s tuition payment in order to start at any of our locations. The fee for the last week’s tuition will be held as a deposit and applied to your account for the last week of your child(ren)’s enrollment.
What is the tuition payment policy? Will I be charged late fees?
Tuition payments can be billed out on a weekly or monthly schedule.
WEEKLY: Weekly tuition is billed every Monday. Tuition is due by close the following day.
MONTHLY: Monthly tuition is billed the first business day of each month. Tuition will be due the following business day.
Any family that has not made a payment by their respective due dates will be locked out and subject to a $20 late fee. In order to regain entry to the center, the outstanding balance must be paid in full.
Can I pay biweekly?
You may pay bi-weekly as long as you are paying for childcare services not yet rendered. In other words, you must be paying at least two weeks in advance for this arrangement to be acceptable.
Is there a discount for multiple children?
COA offers a Family Discount of 10% which will be applied toward your eldest child’s tuition.
Are there any other types of discounts are available?
Families, First Responders & Military are eligible for 10% OFF. Certain restrictions apply. Offer valid for new enrollees only. Cannot be combined with any other offers. Annual registration fee not included. Promo does not carry over to additional programs. Families 2 children or more discount applies to oldest.
A corporate discount may be available depending on your place of employment. Please contact center management to determine eligibility.
What is your referral program?
COA offers families the opportunity to receive ONE-WEEK FREE tuition toward their oldest enrolled child when they refer a new family to COA. The referral credit will be issued after the referred child has completed their first month of childcare. In order to receive credit, you must complete the required form at your school. VALID ONLY WHEN THE FORM IS DATED WITH THE REFERRED CHILD’S START DATE AND APPROVED BY THE SCHOOL DIRECTOR. Form must be submitted the first day your referral starts or before. This credit program has no monetary value.
Is there a charge for picking up my child late?
Yes. Charges for COA will be determined based on a standard rate. $15 will be charged to your account for 1-15 minutes late, $30 for 16-30 minutes late, etc.
Do you accept subsidized care?
We accept subsidized care at most of our locations but it is best to check with your desired location to confirm.
Do I need to give notice before withdrawing my child?
Families are subject to a 2 week notice policy when withdrawing a child from enrollment at all Children of America locations. This policy requires a formal, written submission of the Two Week Notice drop form, which must be signed by center management to be valid. A copy of this form may be obtained through center management or found in your copy of the COA family guide. If a family does not submit the appropriate documentation for withdrawal by the associated date, the family will be held financially liable for the two weeks even if they are no longer in attendance.
What is your vacation policy?
Families earn one (1) week vacation credit after one year of continuous enrollment. One vacation credit is equivalent to ONE FREE WEEK of tuition. Vacation credits will not be issued in hindsight for days or weeks missed, particularly if the family is not yet eligible to receive the one week vacation credit. Please note that students may not attend during this week.
For those families who require an extended absence of 2 weeks or more, we allow for a temporary withdrawal. Families must submit the Two-Week Notice form and leave a deposit in order to secure a spot for their child(ren) when they return. Those who utilize a temporary withdrawal will no longer be eligible for the 1 week vacation credit since they will not meet the criteria of continuous enrollment upon their return.
Families will be charged a registration fee when they return from their temporary withdraw.
Will my tuition increase each year?
The initially agreed-upon rate is established during your child’s enrollment. Adjustments to the rates may happen when your child transitions to the next age-appropriate program.
As the cost of living increases nationwide, so too does the operational costs associated with each school; therefore, Children of America reserves the right to adjust standard base rates in response to this fluctuation and with respect to the shifts in demand placed on schools availability. All enrolled families are subject to these outlined conditions upon enrolling.
