Teachers plan and implement a developmentally appropriate curriculum. Parents assist in the classroom and perform administrative duties. Parent educators advise teachers and help parents build parenting skills.
The NSCC co-op preschools follow the Seattle Public School academic year, running from September through May. Co-ops are age-based, with parents working one day each week.
| Type of Co-op | Min. Age by 8/31 | Class Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Infants | less than 1 year old | 1 day/wk for 2 hrs |
| Toddlers | 1 year old | 1 day/wk for 2 hrs |
| Pre-3s | 2 years old | 2 days/wk for 2 hrs/day |
| 3-5s | 3 years old | 3-4 days/wk for 2.5 hrs/day |
| Fives | 5 years old | 4 days/wk - time varies |
Some co-ops share a common location, in which case they alternate class days and share cleaning duties and capital improvement projects. Some co-ops share teachers, too. All co-ops offer a high adult-to-student ratio and tuition that is significantly below that of comparable private preschools, due to parental participation in the classroom.