Child Development Center

The Child Development Center fosters an environment of respect and understanding that supports the development of the whole child. They accomplish this through low adult-child ratios, highly educated teachers, play-based developmentally appropriate learning, and a focus on diversity.

Welcome to the Child Development Center

The mission of the Mission College Child Development Center is to provide an exemplary laboratory for teacher training. It will demonstrate best practices for optimum child development and learning, using a play-based, emerging curriculum.

Currently enrolled students may be eligible for free childcare at either Mission College or West Valley College. It’s part of our District’s commitment to supporting student success by removing financial barriers to high-quality education.

The CDC is staffed by full-time Master Teachers who have degrees in Early Childhood Education. Teachers have training and experience in all areas of child development. Annually, Master Teachers complete a minimum of 21 hours of professional development/continuing education.

Respect and Understanding

The non-profit, on-campus CDC fosters an environment of respect and understanding that supports the development of the whole child. This is accomplished through low adult-child ratios, highly educated teachers, play-based developmentally appropriate learning, and a focus on diversity.

Additionally, this program is part of the Child Development Department, and the CDC serves as its lab school and is uniquely involved in the academic life of the college by serving as a research-based teacher training and observation site for students and parents.

Get Started

Child Development Center's tuition schedule outlines current rates, payment deadlines, and enrollment terms to help families plan for high-quality early childhood education services.

A family is defined as a parent and child(ren), or both parents and child(ren) if the parents are married. If you live with your parents, friends, or relatives, their salaries are not considered family income.

Family income shall be less than $168,500 annually
Student shall enroll in at least nine (9) units with an Ed Plan*
Students shall maintain a minimum of 2.0 GPA
Non-Credit students shall enroll in at least 9 hours per week with an Ed Plan*
District employees and their children are not eligible for the program.

* Students taking less than nine units will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

The District retains the sole discretion to make the final determination of qualification for the free childcare program based on the above criteria and other factors.

The District has two Child Development Centers. The West Valley College CDC serves children 2 to 6 years old. The Mission College CDC serves children 6 weeks to 6 years old. We provide consistent full-time and part-time care Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM.

Enrollment priority is as follows:

Siblings of existing students who already qualify for free childcare
Students who qualify for Title 5 childcare tuition assistance
Active military students
Students with 9 or more units and an ed plan
Community

To be considered for free childcare, submit a preliminary application.

The timeline from application to enrollment will vary depending on whether there are immediate openings or if a waitlist currently exists. To get started, submit an application. The Child Development Center will do a prescreen to determine if you are likely eligible for free childcare. Once you are determined to be eligible, you’ll be contacted to begin the enrollment process.

In addition to the application, you may be asked for:

Class schedule
Child’s birth certificate
Family’s income for the past 30 days – paycheck stubs reflecting 30 days of income
Current Tax Returns Summary Page
Court Orders (if they affect the child in childcare)
Child’s Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) or Individual Education Program (IEP), if applicable

Program Philosophy

Children deserve to be in an aesthetic environment that respects and understands the process of growth and development of the child. We believe play is the natural medium through which growth and development can best be realized for each child. Therefore, we reflect an emergent developmentally appropriate curriculum in a natural setting.

Play and Emergent Curriculum

While children play, they put their ideas into action. They learn to communicate effectively. They discover how to get along with other children. They make things happen and enjoy a sense of competence. Play allows children to experiment, and problem solve. It fosters the ability to focus attention and to concentrate for long periods of time.

Play provides opportunities for children to express their thinking and feelings. It requires authentic learning experiences, fosters imagination, and encourages children to generate creative ideas. Learning experiences are developmentally appropriate and are matched with the age of the child, their individual interests, their abilities, and their temperament.

Workbooks, coloring books, and pre-cut art materials are ready-made adult models for children that provide little or no opportunity for individuality and creativity. A rich array of natural materials and authentic learning experiences enables the child's involvement in a full range of activities.

Learning experiences are child-directed rather than teacher-directed. Children are presented with many opportunities for selecting materials, initiating activities themselves, participating in activities others have chosen, and following through to satisfactory completion.

Children are given ample opportunity and time to discover, invent, create, feel, taste, touch, and enjoy a full range of activities within the classroom and college campus. The curriculum is ethnically diverse, non-sexist, and anti-biased as demonstrated by use of appropriate learning materials, books, pictures, foods, and how teachers respond to children’s individual needs.

Staff

Our staff come from a variety of backgrounds and are often assisted by our parent and student groups in sharing ethnic and cultural experiences, food, dress, and celebrations.

It is our goal to create an environment and foster interactions that provide children with the opportunity to:

Understand differences and similarities among children and adults.
Foster a spirit of inquiry and critical thinking through an emergent, play-based curriculum.
Appreciate nature, the outdoor environment, and the outcomes of sustainable practices.
Develop a positive self-concept and healthy self-image.
Establish and maintain relationships with teachers and peers based on mutual respect and trust through a developing understanding of the social and cultural environment.
Commutate effectively.
Build physical strength, skills, and muscular coordination.
Practice safe and healthy nutritional and self-care habits.
Develop problem-solving skills and to think creatively.
Manage emotions and express feelings appropriately.

Commitment to Diversity

Our curriculum is ethnically diverse, non-sexist, and anti-biased. This is demonstrated in the use of appropriate materials, toys, books, pictures, and foods.

We employ a diverse staff and are often assisted by our parents and Child Development students in providing unique ethnic and culturally relevant experiences.

An Environment Build for Play

We believe play is the natural medium through which growth and development can best be realized for each child.

Therefore, our program reflects an emergent play-based curriculum in a natural setting.

We establish an aesthetically beautiful environment in which children are free to explore, create, learn and grow.

We believe children learn by doing and discovering for themselves, so adults provide opportunities for children to experiment and explore their environment.

Adults serve as guides, facilitators, and co-discoverers, rather than direct instructors.

Curriculum topics emerge out of the interests and needs of the children.

Open to All

The program operates on a non-discriminatory basis, according equal opportunity for access to services and employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sexual preference, or special needs and disabilities. No religious instruction of any kind is provided.

Low staff-child ratio

The CDC maintains low adult-child ratios of:

1:3 – in the infant/toddler rooms ages 6 weeks – 18 months
1:4 – in the toddler rooms ages 24-36 months
1:8 – in the preschool rooms ages 36-60 months

Become a Student Worker

Interested in gaining valuable work experience while supporting your campus community? Apply to become a student worker and build professional skills, strengthen your resume, and connect with faculty and staff across campus.