Compared to the Seattle median
Ballard Preschool Co-op
The deal
Tuition
$120–$245/mo
Weekly classroom sessions for all age groups. Co-op median: $120/mo
Your time
~10 hrs/mo
One day/week actively participating in classroom as teaching assistant, plus school operations. Co-op median: ~10 hrs/mo
Co-ops trade dollars for hours. Both are real. Whether the math works depends on what your schedule allows — a full-time job with no flexibility makes the time cost expensive in a way the dollar cost doesn’t capture. Families who chose this program typically value the classroom presence as much as the savings.
Strengths
Parent visibility
Weekly teaching assistant role
You see your child’s actual day, not a daily report. Almost no center program offers this.
Missed-shift coverage
On-site sibling care for a small fee
Co-ops vary on how missed shifts get handled; this one has a documented path.
Transparent commitment
Documented on site
The time commitment is published explicitly rather than “varies by family.” Easier to plan around.
Tradeoffs
Schedule fit
Weekly classroom sessions for all age groups
Not full-time care. Families with two working parents typically layer this with a nanny share, grandparent days, or a part-time center.
Age range
Toddler through Pre-K
No infant program. Families using this co-op move on at kindergarten, often to public school.
Not yet answered
Hour flexibility
Shortlist hasn’t sourced this.
Ask at pickup
“Can volunteer hours be done outside school days — weekend cleaning, evening committee, summer prep?”
Board structure
Shortlist hasn’t sourced this.
Ask at pickup
“Who actually decides curriculum and hiring — the board, the lead teacher, a vote?”
Missed shift consequences
Shortlist hasn’t sourced this.
Ask at pickup
“What happens when a family genuinely can’t make a shift — is there a fee, a trade system, something else?”
Ballard Preschool Co-op. with monthly tuition starting around $75. There is currently a waitlist.
Watch this provider — Shortlist will email if anything changes.