Mainspring Schools

Mainspring Schools is on a mission to provide children and their families with a community for high-quality early education and holistic support. We are Austin's oldest preschool, and we teach children ages birth to 5 years old. Mainspring is one of only 8% of childcare programs in the nation to have earned accreditation from NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children). Since 1941, Mainspring has been eliminating the school readiness gap: when children start kindergarten behind, they are likely to stay behind for the rest of their lives. 94% of Mainspring graduates start kindergarten at or above the State of Texas’ school readiness level—over twice the regional average—meaning they are primed for better outcomes in high school graduation rates, job attainment, lifelong earnings, and overall stability. Our families come from all over the city and represent different backgrounds, ethnicities, and socio-economic levels; at all times, at least 75% of our students are eligible for tuition subsidies. Mainspring families are offered services including supplemental nutrition resources, financial education, job coaching, life skills training, peer support groups, an onsite social worker, emergency assistance, and referrals to community resources. We believe that early childhood education —alongside a two-generation approach to breaking cycles of poverty and inequity—to be critical for a flourishing society. At Mainspring Schools, we believe there is no such thing as another person’s child.