Rates & Policies

Please Note

All tuitions are due on the first of each month. Quality child care is costly and we really do rely on your prompt payments. Unless specific arrangements are made, a $20 Late Fee is charged for tuition paid after the fifth of the month. A $20 Check Fee is charged for all checks returned by the bank. We appreciate your cooperation in paying fees on time. Daycare cards are issued as needed and payment is due when the card is first used. There is no expiration date and they may be shared by siblings living in the same household. There are no refunds for portions of cards unused.

We are not able to give credit for holidays or days out of school. Children may not trade days as the classes are full. Please be sure to read the MDS Parent Handbook for all policies and procedures.

Marin Day Schools is committed to serving and supporting family life. We are always willing to work with families experiencing financial difficulties. We offer scholarships and financial aid whenever possible. Applications for scholarship assistance may be obtained through the school or business office. Please feel very welcome to come in and talk to us anytime, regarding these or any other matters. Thank you.

Marin Day Schools "Wait Pool" Policy Statement

Children are accepted from the "Wait Pools" at Marin Day Schools campuses based on a variety of factors. One application and fee enables a child to be placed on the list of multiple MDS campus wait pools. When an opening becomes available, we consider:

1. In employer-sponsored centers, children of employer sponsors are offered places before children from the community, including siblings. In multiple sponsor centers, employer sponsor families are offered appropriate available slots until all their allotted slots are full. New slots are offered to sponsor children on a rotating basis.
2. The schedule that becomes available in a particular class and how it matches the requested schedules for the appropriate age/developmental level applicants.
3. The child's date of birth and how it fits in with the other children in the class.
4. The gender balance of the class. A large imbalance creates a difficult social situation for the minority group.
5. After the above factors are reviewed, acceptance is then first come, first served as determined by the date on the MDS application.
6. The child's developmental, social, emotional and cognitive levels. We believe it is best to place children in classes where they fit in best and feel most comfortable. Sometimes that is not obvious from looking at the paperwork.
7. Marin Day Schools understands and agrees that children from the same family should, as much as possible, attend the same school. Whenever possible we try to accommodate siblings. However, MDS cannot guarantee sibling priority. Sibling consideration refers only to when one child is currently in the program. Once a child graduates and leaves MDS, there is no longer a sibling consideration, although we try very hard to accept children from "alumni" families. In certain situations, where there are employer sponsors, the child of an employer sponsor gets priority over a community based sibling child.
8. Marin Day Schools does not give out specific numbers in the wait pool. Children need to be placed in classrooms that are developmentally appropriate for their age and maturation level. The family with the earliest date on the application, may not have a child that belongs in the particular class where there is an opening. In addition, families have a need for a wide variety of schedules (some want 5 days, some want 3 days, some want full-time, some want AM or PM slots).
9. Marin Day Schools will inform community applicants of the process for acceptance at employer-sponsored programs at the time of initial enrollment. We explain the need and reasons for corporate subsidy and how important it is for the business world to participate in child care. Corporate participation positively impacts everyone enrolled at the center.
10. Parents are notified in writing, approximately every 6 months, regarding the Wait Pool. Please feel free to contact MDS at any time regarding Wait Pool questions.