Preschools & Pre-K in District of Columbia
Preschool and pre-K programs across District of Columbia take children from about 3 until kindergarten. Full-time preschool-age care at a center costs a median of $392 a week in the middle District of Columbia county (2022).
- preschools and pre-K programs listed
- 347
- town
- 1
- town has its own preschools and pre-K page
- 1
- of all District of Columbia daycares
- 77%
Map of District of Columbia: each dot is a town with preschools and pre-K programs, sized by how many are listed
Preschool and pre-K
What preschool costs in District of Columbia
- Preschool-age care at a center, per week, in the middle District of Columbia county (2022)
- $392
- The median of 1 county medians.
District of Columbia
Largest towns for preschools and pre-K in District of Columbia
Programs
Programs in District of Columbia
Counts come from the state record and what each daycare says it offers. A daycare without a tag may still offer the program; ask.
| Program | Listed |
|---|---|
| All daycares | 452 |
| Take infants | 339 |
| Child care centers | 362 |
| Accept subsidy | 29 |
| In-home daycares | 90 |
| Christian & church daycares | 17 |
| Montessori schools | 31 |
| Preschools & pre-K | 347 |
| Night daycare | 31 |
| Early morning daycare | 76 |
| Part-time daycare | 25 |
| Drop-in daycare | 11 |
| After-school care | 99 |
| Bilingual daycare | 55 |
| Head Start | 39 |
The District of Columbia state record
Office of the State Superintendent of Education, Division of Early Learning licenses daycares in District of Columbia.
- License list
- The state's public list of licensed child care
- Ages served
- The ages on each license
- Inspections
- Every visit the state publishes back to 2023
- Cited rules
- Each cited rule, in the state's own wording
- Corrections
- Correction dates as the state records them
Before you enroll
Choosing a preschool or pre-K in District of Columbia
- 1
Ask about the day
Ask how the day runs: free play, circle time, outdoor time and naps. Ask what children do to get ready for kindergarten.
- 2
Half day or full day
Many preschools run half days or school-year hours. If you work full time, ask about before- and after-care.
- 3
Ask about cost
Ask for the tuition, the registration fee and whether the state's pre-K or child care assistance can pay part of it.
- 4
Check the license record
Open a listing for its state license, the ages it serves and, where the state publishes it, the inspection record.
District of Columbia
Cost, inspections and ratios in District of Columbia
A to Z
The one District of Columbia town with preschools and pre-K
W1 town
- Washington347 preschools
No town on this list matches. Check the spelling, or search by ZIP code above.
Nearby
Nearby states
Questions
Questions about preschools and pre-K in District of Columbia
How many preschools and pre-K programs are in District of Columbia?
347 preschools and pre-K programs are listed in 1 District of Columbia town. A daycare without this tag may still run a preschool room; ask.
Which District of Columbia town has the most preschools and pre-K programs?
Washington, with 347 listed.
What is the difference between preschool and pre-K?
Pre-K is the year before kindergarten, usually for 4-year-olds, and many states fund free or low-cost pre-K. Preschool is the wider term for programs for children of about 3 to 5. Many daycares run both, and this list has both.
Is there free preschool near me?
Head Start is free for children 3 to 5 from families who qualify, and many school districts run free pre-K classes. School-district pre-K is often not on child care license lists, so check with your school district too.
What age is pre-K?
Pre-K is usually for children who turn 4 by a cutoff date in late summer or early fall, the year before kindergarten. Each state sets its own cutoff.
What is the difference between preschool and daycare?
A preschool teaches children of about 3 to 5 before kindergarten, often for part of the day. A daycare looks after children while parents work, often all day, and many daycares run a preschool room. This list has both: places whose state record serves preschool-age children, that offer pre-K on their own website, or that are named a preschool.
Who licenses daycares in District of Columbia?
Office of the State Superintendent of Education, Division of Early Learning licenses daycares in District of Columbia. It publishes its inspections and the rules it cited, and we copy them onto each listing.