Inside Iowa State: Iowa State University

INSIDE IOWA STATE
March 1, 2002

Lab school announces move to year-round services

by Steve Sullivan
The Child Development Laboratory School on campus will be restructured to provide all-day, year-round programming for toddlers, preschoolers and school-age children.

Program changes will begin in the fall. The restructuring is intended to offer more options to parents and enhance educational training for Iowa State students, said Carol Phillips, program coordinator for the lab school.

"Increasing the opportunities our students have to observe and interact with toddlers is essential, and this restructuring will provide those opportunities. There also is a shortage of toddler care in the community," Phillips said.

The lab school is administered by the College of Family and Consumer Sciences and located in the Palmer Building. It is a state-registered child care provider. Currently, it offers only part-day programming during the academic year. It offers no toddler programming.

The restructuring will result in all-day, full-year programming for toddlers and preschoolers. It also will create an all-day summer recreation program for school-age children. An existing all-day kindergarten program will continue to be provided in collaboration with the Ames Community Schools. Each of these programs will provide participation and observation experiences each year for more than 300 Iowa State students in child development and early childhood education courses, Phillips said.

"More than 75 percent of young children under 5 years of age in Iowa are cared for outside the home while their parents are employed or in school. It is vital that our college students learn how to provide early care and education for these children in a safe and healthy environment," said Susan Hegland, faculty coordinator for the lab school.

Additional staff will be hired. The increased costs resulting from the restructuring will come from a new fee structure, which will reflect market rates, Phillips said.

Under the part-time, partial-year structure, families pay a minimum fee per semester and for summer session. A sliding fee scale will be put in place for the full-year, all-day programming. For example, a family with an annual income above $40,000 would pay $747 a month for full-time toddler care and $662 for full-time preschool care. A family earning less than $25,000 would pay $583 a month for toddler care and $540 a month for pre-schooler care. Rates would be lower for full-time Iowa State students who earn less than $25,000 a year.

The Lab School is accredited by the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs. It is one of six accredited childcare programs in Ames. For enrollment information, contact Phillips, 4-7478.