Enrollment
Our enrollment process each spring begins with re-enrolling children who are currently in care at the Piper Center. After that, we are able to fill vacant spots in each age group based on the capacity of our classrooms and ratio of children to caregivers for each group.
Prospective families must complete the following tasks in order to receive an offer of enrollment:
- Review our Family Handbook
- Submit a Waiting List Application
- Attend a tour of the Piper Center
- We will email tour invitations to families on the Waiting List throughout the year as we schedule tours. Tours tend to fill quickly, so make sure the email addresses included in your Waiting List Application are those you check most frequently!
Waiting List applications are sorted by the child's date of birth (or due date), then further organized into the following priority groups based on the affiliation(s) of the child's legal guardian(s):
- Piper Center Staff
- Families currently enrolled at the Piper Center
- Current Baylor University faculty, staff, and students
- Baylor University alumni
- General community
In support of our mission as a living lab for undergraduate and graduate students in child-development-related fields, our administrative team accounts for balance and diversity in such demographics as age, gender, etc. within each classroom when making enrollment decisions.
The Piper Center for Family Studies and Child Development at Baylor University is an inclusive child development program and university laboratory school in downtown Waco. Committed to fostering diversity and compassion, we reserve at least 10% of our enrollment spots for children with atypical developmental patterns, with priority given to those with Down syndrome. Through our partnership with Baylor’s Center for Developmental Disabilities, Piper educators receive specialized training to enhance their ability to support children who have Down syndrome, their families, and their classmates, supplementing an already comprehensive and individualized professional development program.
We strive to create an environment where every child and Baylor student is welcome to fully participate in our laboratory child development center. Our accommodation process is a collaborative effort involving the student, families, Piper educators and administrators, specialized professionals, and Baylor’s Human Resources and/or Human Sciences and Design faculty. Together, we ensure a supportive, enriching experience for all children, families, students, and staff in our learning community.