Location: Southwest Austin
Students served: Ages 2 (Pre-Primary) through 6 (Kindergarten)
Current enrollment: 100
Model/philosophy: WonderWell is a highly acclaimed private preschool that embraces emergent curriculum and the Reggio Emilia philosophy of early childhood education. The program endorses the belief that children learn best when their learning is personally meaningful and relevant to their own interests and lives. The school's mission is to inspire its students' innate curiosity and instill a deep love of learning. WonderWell passionately serves children ages 2 through 6 years, with its Primary and Pre-Primary programs as well as its exclusive Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten programs.
Special features: WonderWell’s innovative campus is an exemplar of progressive educational design. Each day, students participate in enrichment classes across uniquely tailored spaces, such as “Maker Day” in the Atelier, “Eat the Rainbow” in Health and Fitness, and learning about distinguished authors and children's books in “The Well,” the school's newly unveiled library. A dedicated school nurse and onsite security ensure a safe and nurturing environment. The school's layout also includes a carefully designed Courtyard, concealed from public view, providing a private, protected space for students and staff alike.
Schedule: Monday–Friday, 8am–4pm; closed in June and July; summer camps designed and offered by WonderWell staff
Tuition: See website for WonderWell's tuition and fee structure, payment plans: https://wonderwell.com/investment
Contact: Ashley Ivey, Founder and Director | ashley@wonderwell.com | 512-982-4310
Each listing in this alphabetical directory gives you a snapshot of a small, independent, alternative school in the Austin area.
This frequently updated list spans several pages, with navigation buttons at the bottom. Clicking on the name of a school will take you to its own website. To easily find schools by geographical area, see our Alt Ed Maps page. If you know of a school that’s missing from this directory, please drop a note here, and see Alt Ed Austin’s criteria for “alternative” and “school.” You may also be interested in our directories of other recommended schools (which are mostly larger or more specialized or religiously oriented), as well as special programs for children and adults.
Full disclosure: Alt Ed Austin founder Teri Sperry has ties with several of the schools listed on this site. Her child, now an adult, attended two of them years ago. She has friends who direct, teach at, or are otherwise involved in others. Some programs choose to advertise from time to time on Alt Ed Austin as Sponsoring Partners. She firmly believes that all of the schools featured on this site (including the ones to which she has no personal connection and those from which she receives no advertising fees) are good choices for some kids, each for different reasons.
