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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.
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Ames, Iowa 50011, (515) 294-4111
Published by: University Relations,
online@iastate.edu
Copyright © 1995-2001, Iowa State University. All rights reserved.
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