Programs
We offer three early childhood education program options.
- Our full-day program is open to University of Minnesota students, staff, and faculty.
- Our part-day program is open to the community.
- Our Dakhód’iapi Wahóȟpi | Dakota Language Nest program is open to the community.
Learn more
Want to know more about our programs? We’d love to hear from you. Fill out our brief form, and our team will get back to you.
Full-day program
Hours: Year-round, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Ages served: 3 months to 5 ½ years
Founded in 1974, the full-day program is open to University of Minnesota students, staff, and faculty.
We currently do not have any openings in our full-day program. The average wait to enroll in the Child Development Laboratory School full-day program is 18-24 months from the date of application. You may apply to join the waitlisted applicant pool upon completion of the first trimester of pregnancy.
Staffing
Our full-day program follows NAEYC’s staffing recommendations for high-quality early learning. The adult-child ratios are:
- 1:4 for infants
- 1:6 for toddlers
- 1:10 for preschoolers
Classrooms
Within our full-day program, children are grouped by age to provide developmentally appropriate care for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. The infant area and the toddler area consist of double classrooms we refer to as “bungalows.” Our preschool area consists of two bungalows. Each bungalow has two shared spaces where classrooms merge at different times of day. Each bungalow has a younger classroom and an older classroom. A child transitions to the next classroom once they reach a certain age based on State of Minnesota Department of Health guidelines and when there is space in the next group. These transitions happen year-round and are not dependent on the academic calendar.
Tuition
We charge tuition for the full-day program on a sliding scale based on age and gross annual household income. The range of gross income for each tier is determined by a formula using a percentage of the 2025 federal poverty level (FPL) for a family of three.
To qualify for middle or reduced tuition rates, proof of gross annual household income must be provided upon enrollment. To continue to qualify for middle or reduced tuition rates, you must provide documentation each February, May, and October.
Sliding scale for tuition rates
| Income level | Gross annual household income range | Tuition rate |
|---|---|---|
| Low | Below 200% of Federal Poverty Level (FPL) (<$51,640) | Reduced |
| Middle | 201%-350% of FPL ($51,641-$90,370) | Middle |
| High | Over 350% of FPL (>$90,371) | High |
Tuition rates (billed every four weeks)
| Age | Reduced tuition rate | Middle tuition rate | High tuition rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infants | $1565 | $1819 | $2100 |
| Toddlers | $1490 | $1732 | $2000 |
| Preschool | $1302 | $1560 | $1748 |
Part-day program
Our part-day program traces its roots to the 1925 founding of the Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota. This program is open to the community. It follows the University academic year calendar with winter, spring, and summer breaks. Classrooms meet in the morning or afternoon, two to five days per week during the school year. Enrollment is for the entire academic year. Once admitted, we expect a child to complete a full term in the program. Schedules depend upon the child’s age and classroom placement. Children ages 2 to 5 are eligible.
Classrooms
Our part-day program has four classrooms grouped by age.
Two mornings a week
| Age | 2 (24-29 months old by September 1) |
|---|---|
| Schedule | Tuesdays and Fridays, 8:30-11:30 a.m. |
| Class size | 12 |
Three mornings a week
| Age | 2 1/2 (30-35 months old by September 1) |
|---|---|
| Schedule | Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 8:30-11:30 a.m. |
| Class size | 12 |
Three afternoons a week
| Age | 3-5 (36 months to 4 years 11 months old by September 1) |
|---|---|
| Schedule | Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 12:30-3:30 p.m. |
| Class size | 18 |
Five mornings a week
| Age | 3-5 (36 months to 4 years 11 months old by September 1) |
|---|---|
| Schedule | Monday through Friday, 8:30-11:30 a.m. |
| Class size | 18 |
Tuition
Tuition is charged at an annual rate based on the anticipated number of program days in the school year.
| Classroom | Gross annual household income range |
|---|---|
| Toddlers 2 days/week | $3624 ($402/month) |
| Toddlers 3 days/week | $5463 ($607/month) |
| Preschoolers 3 days/week | $5036 ($560/month) |
| Preschoolers 5 days/week | $8285 ($920/month) |
Dakhód’iapi Wahóȟpi | Dakota Language Nest
Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Ages served: 3 to 5
Class size: 10
Dakhódiapi Wahóȟpi kiŋ ektá owás’iŋna yahípi kiŋ wašté. Dakhóta makhóče ed uŋthípi čha héuŋ iápi kiŋ de takómni uŋhdukínipi kte. Wahóȟpi ektá Dakhóta iápi kiŋ de theúŋȟiŋdapi k’a aŋpétu iyóhina uŋkíapi k’a uŋkúŋspepte. Wahóȟpi ektá thaŋkád uŋškátapi úŋkhaŋ thimáhed uŋškátapi, úŋkhaŋ zaníya waúŋtapi k’a wóyakapi uŋkúŋspepi k’a dená owás ečháuŋk’uŋpi ičhúŋhaŋ Dakhód uŋkíapte. Dakhód iápi kiŋ uŋhdúkinipi awáuŋčhiŋpi.
The University of Minnesota sits on Dakota homelands, home to many Očéthi Šakówiŋ people. The goal of the Dakota Language Nest is to breathe new life into the Dakota language, such that it lives on as the original language of Minnesota. In Dakota, it is said that šičéča kiŋ wakháŋpi—children are sacred. By returning their Dakota language to the children through play, outdoor exploration, art, and loving interactions, we allow the children of Minnesota to lead the way toward a bright Dakota future.
The Dakhódiapi Wahóȟpi is a Dakota language immersion program. It is open to the community. It follows the University academic year calendar with winter, spring, and summer breaks. Enrollment is for the entire academic year. Once admitted, we expect a child to complete a full term in the program.
Waúŋspewičhakhiyapi | Teachers
The Nest is staffed by a lead teacher and an assistant teacher, experienced early childhood educators who implement an emergent curriculum based on the Dakota language and culture. The typical adult-child ratio in the classroom is 1:5.
Wóuŋspe | Curriculum
This program emphasizes outdoor learning and connection with nature. The curriculum is developed based on Minnesota early learning standards and traditional Dakota lifeways. Here are some of the ways we spend our day:
- Hípi ka Yútapi | Arrival and meal
- Wóčekiye ka Azídya | Prayer and smudging
- Dowáŋpi | Singing
- Iyékiyapi | Identifying in nature
- Thaŋkád okábdaya škátapi | Outdoor free play
- Wóyakapi (naȟ’uŋpi) | Storytelling
Thiwáhe ed Uŋkúŋspepi | Family Education Program
When families enroll a child in the Nest, they become part of our language community. Parents are asked to commit to our Thiwáhe ed Uŋkúŋspepi | Family Education Program, which involves in-person activities once per week, and 3-4 hours of independent or online language learning activities. The language is returned to the children within the walls of the Nest, but the goal is for them to have access to it whenever they are in their home, with their siblings, and with their grandparents and wider community.
It is our goal to enroll all families who are committed to Dakota language revitalization, regardless of financial resources. Please do not hesitate to apply; scholarships are available.
Tuition
Tuition for the Dakota Language Nest is $645 per month, thanks to a grant from the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council.
How to apply
- Complete our interest form. Our outreach coordinator will get in touch to arrange a tour.
- After your tour, our outreach coordinator will provide a link to an application form. Fill out and submit the application form. Indicate your preferred start date (day/month/year) on your application. Note whether your preferred start date is flexible.
- Pay the $75 non-refundable application fee in cash or by check payable to the University of Minnesota or to the Child Development Laboratory School.
Note: If paying by check, please put your child’s name in the memo line of your check. The fee can be mailed or dropped off at the address below:
Child Development Laboratory School
921 17th Ave SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
- Our outreach coordinator will contact you with an enrollment offer when it is your turn to enroll.
Important: You’ll have 48 hours to accept or decline the enrollment offer.
At the time of acceptance, you’ll be charged a $200 non-refundable enrollment fee that will be applied to your first billing statement. If you are enrolling a sibling, the enrollment fee will be added along with other charges to your existing account.
Note: The $200 enrollment fee per child is waived for children enrolling in the Dakota Language Nest thanks to grant funding from the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council.
If you accept the offer of enrollment, our outreach coordinator will reach out with next steps. A welcome meeting will also be scheduled with your classroom teacher for you and your child. This will be an opportunity for you to get to know each other before the first day of school.
Enrollment
As a program of the University of Minnesota, we provide equal access to and opportunity in our programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. The date of application, preferred start date, and child’s age are used to place applicants in openings as they occur.
Placement is further determined by these criteria in the following priority order:
- Child of a full-time staff member at the Child Development Laboratory School
- Internal movement: moving a child from a younger classroom to an older classroom. Children may also move from one Child Development Laboratory School program to another (for example, from the full-day program to the Dakota Language Nest or from the part-day program to the full-day program). These moves may take place after one academic year or two semesters of attendance in any program
- Sibling of a currently enrolled child
- Sibling of a previously enrolled child, or the child of a Child Development Laboratory School alum
- New child currently in the applicant pool
Tuition assistance
State of Minnesota tuition assistance programs
We accept payments from the Minnesota Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP).
The Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families offers Early Learning Scholarships directly to families who have a household income at or below 185% of the federal poverty level. Early Learning Scholarships cover 100% of tuition and fees. Apply online here.
- If you need help with your application for an Early Learning Scholarship, and you live in Hennepin and Ramsey counties, contact Think Small.
- Families who live in another county should visit this page to find their local scholarship program administrator.
Alex P. Galle Scholarship
CDLS’s Alex P. Galle Scholarship Fund provides need-based tuition assistance for 20% – 50% of tuition costs for qualifying families. Eligibility is based on household size using the Federal Poverty Guidelines for the most recent tax year.
- Our scholarships are provided through the generosity of donors. Funds are limited, and some families that qualify may not receive assistance.
- Families who apply for a scholarship must also apply for an Early Learning Scholarship if their child qualifies.
Are you interested in applying for a scholarship? Email us at cdls@umn.edu.