Business ProfileforKSS Immersion School of Oakland

The teaching staff are good, but *** managers do not understand families. *** operates 10 campuses in the *********** and ******** under the **** *************, and ***************** brands. This review refers to the *** brand schools operated in Albany, Oakland, Walnut Creek, and ********, **********.With no advanced notice or input from families, *** announced sweeping changes to their program, starting with the 2023-2024 academic year. Notably, they are increasing tuition 50%-60% (e.g., from $1,475/mo to $2,295/mo for 9am-3pm M-F care). Administrators say none of these additional funds will benefit the children or teaching staff *** Albany: no new curriculum, no added teachers, no added teacher compensation, no capital improvements. The way *** communicated these changes constrains families' opportunities to move their children elsewhere. *** was planning these changes for months, but they waited to communicate these changes to families until Feb 13, 2023, three days before re-enrollment at *** opened. In ************, the process of finding appropriate childcare often takes families months or even years, and by now many other preschools have already filled up.The new contract terms oblige parents to pay a full year's tuition no matter what--even if *** expels your child without cause (a power the contract explicitly gives the school). *** refuses to hold a parent forum, instead insisting on communicating with parents individually, which often result in incomplete or contradictory information. *** is refusing to acknowledge basic facts (e.g., claiming $1,475/mo to $2,295/mo is a 16-28% change) and is fabricating claims against families (e.g., saying parents are abusing teaching staff).Leading up to the February 13 announcement, administrators told parents there would not be major changes to the 2023-2024 school year. It is now clear that the contract is the only communication you can trust.Families are now scrambling to find alternative childcare.

While we appreciate the anger and frustration of this parent, the fact is most of these claims are false, and in fact are being spread widely with the goal of smearing our brand. As should be obvious, he is not even in a position to know if many of the allegations he is making are true or false. For example, his claim that none of these additional funds will benefit the children or teaching staff KSS Albany he has no access to our spending information so has no basis to make such a claim, and this is 100% false. Here are the facts, which we are very proud of: Approximately 75% of the Albany centers revenue goes to our entirely Latina staff salaries and benefits; from 2019 to 2022, our average teacher salary increased by 40%; we went from no health benefits offered, to now offering medical, dental, and vision insurance paid for between 80-100% by the company for individuals and 50% for dependents; we now offer a Vanguard 401k, with a 4% company match; teachers now get paid when the school is closed, such as for spring break, and get 2 or more weeks of PTO. During COVID we gave our staff a week or more of extra PTO because teachers were working so hard to care for kids in very trying circumstances, plus also provide monthly professional development opportunities to our teachers and allow their kids to attend the school for free. We are proud to provide some of the best wages and benefits for preschool teachers in the region.He says we are fabricating claims against families (e.g., saying parents are abusing teaching staff) again to point out the obvious how would this writer know what all parents are saying to our staff? The fact is we are now offering hazard bonuses to staff who have been on the front lines of the vitriol spouted by parents bent on smearing us online. We also have had emails from parents offering their support against fellow parents they see as responding "in an inflammatory" manner. The allegation we increased our prices by 50-60% is only true if one is not comparing apples to apples programs, such as taking someone who was attending part time or without extended care program, to a full 5-day program with extended care. While it is true we did increase our prices, that was because many parents were paying less than $10/hour which was not sustainable for the level of program we provide to our students and the quality of life we offer to our staff, and we had not wanted to raise rates during COVID.Next, parents are not forced to accept these prices, nor is there any deadline by which they must decide to enroll. We have a many-week priority re-enrollment window which gives existing parents access to openings before outside families are offered those spots, but we often have students start throughout the year because there are openings, depending on the location and age of the student, because spots are available. Parents can take as much time as they need to find a situation that is right for them, and no one is forcing them do anything. As far as our contract, it is a standard contract for independent preschools.Many preschools closed their businesses during COVID, we stayed open, but did not substantially raise our rates because we knew many families were struggling, despite the many increased costs that all preschools had to incur to keep kids, their families, and the staff safe. But we did have to make a jump in prices this year to keep paying our teachers as they deserve to be paid. Bottom line, we are a high quality, Spanish immersion preschool taught by native speakers following a well-regarded curriculum. We strongly encourage this parent to seek out a daycare center that can supply the flexibility he desires, at the prices he is interested in, but we stand proudly by our program and believe our prices are fair for what is provided.

The response is largely non-responsive or otherwise irrelevant to the specific points in my review. The business asserts "the fact is most of these claims are false, and in fact are being spread widely with the goal of smearing our brand." Yet, the response does not provide any specific evidence that demonstrates my claims as false. Every piece of information I provided in my review can be explicitly connected to communications from the business. The business appears to be upset that the facts and their communications to families do not fit into their preferred narrative. I stand by my review as is. I would be happy to further discuss and provide any supporting evidence as desired.