We're glad you're interested in contributing to Open Door's success!

Our Mission: In pursuit of educational equity, Open Door Preschools nurtures and inspires young children of diverse abilities, circumstances, and backgrounds in a child-led, play-based environment.

Open Door Preschools began in 1975 when a family wanted to send their two children to preschool together. Because their son had a disability, no one would accept them both. So they started their own school so that children with special needs and typically developing children could learn, grow, and thrive together.

Our first location started with just nine children.

Since then…

• We expanded our mission to emphasize socioeconomic and cultural diversity of our families.
• We added infants and young toddlers to our mix.
• We built a strong reputation in the community based on our commitment to high quality early childhood education for all children and our attention to social and emotional development.
• We successfully worked with many children who have been unsuccessful at other programs.
• We were the first program in Austin to be awarded accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), which is the gold standard in the field. Our East Austin and Clarksville campuses are accredited under this standard.
• We established a social work program to help connect families to community resources and to bridge school and home.
• We provided myriad training opportunities for students in the field so we can broaden our reach.
• Our East Austin location at M Station was one of the first preschools to reopen during the COVID-19 pandemic, serving children of essential workers.
• Prior to the COVID pandemic, we had three schools in Austin -- two in East Austin and one in Clarksville -- serving over 201 chilren every day.
• We currently have two locations (East Austin and Clarkeville) and will be opening a new school in North Austin in 2022. We anticipate that we will, once again, be serving over 201 children every day.

Our goal is for all of our children and families to live happily ever after.