Alliance at Merkel

The parent checklist

• Cameras & recordings
  In the reportAre there cameras in classrooms or only hallways, can parents watch, and are recordings kept?
• Food program
  Public recordCooked on site. In the USDA Child & Adult Care Food Program, so meals meet federal nutrition standards.
• Food: kitchen or catering, included or extra
  In the reportIs food cooked on site or catered, and is lunch included in tuition or an extra cost?
• Subsidies & family mix
  Public recordAccepts state childcare subsidies; roughly 1–1 subsidized children (est. from $454/month paid, 2024-04 to 2024-05) — about 2–2% of 65 seats; 100% of enrolled children qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
• Quality rating
  Public recordTexas Rising Star 3-Star, valid to 2029-09. The state’s quality rating (2–4 stars) covers staff qualifications, ratios and curriculum.
• Drop-off & pick-up traffic
  In the reportDrive times at opening and closing from every direction, on a map — same distance can mean a very different drive.
• Teachers: turnover & tenure
  In the reportWhat parents and job postings say about how long teachers stay.
• Tuition & fees
  In the reportPrices by age group as the program publishes them, plus registration, deposit, lunch and late pick-up fees.
• Openings, waitlist & how to enroll
  In the reportCurrent openings by age, whether there is a waitlist and its fee, and the steps to enroll and book a tour.
• Hours
  Public recordMon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri 01:00 PM-06:00 PM (state listing). Closures and early or late care are in the report.
• Discounts & benefits
  In the reportSibling, employer, military or prepay discounts, and vouchers accepted.
• Teaching approach
  In the reportMontessori, Reggio, play-based, language immersion — as the program describes it.

“Public record” rows come from state datasets. Missing information never means there is no issue.