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Children's School Mission Statement
The Children's School
Department of Psychology
College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Carnegie Mellon University
As a university laboratory school, we aim to lead through
excellence and innovation as we:
 Develop and manage laboratories for research in developmental psychology,
The Children's School is the only facility in Pittsburgh where it is possible to study children in the pre-school age range with the control and intensity that is demanded by the research protocols needed to test the theoretical models, particularly the microgenetic theories, being developed by the developmental psychology faculty. Meeting these needs depends on our ability to require research participation of our students, effectively manage the subject needs of multiple research teams according to Institutional Review Board (IRB) guidelines without disrupting the smooth functioning of the school, and communicate clearly with parents to ensure their comfort with the research program.
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Train undergraduate and graduate students in child development
 theory, research, and its applications,
We aim to provide high quality experiences for undergraduates and graduates that encourage a problem solving approach to the analysis of theoretical models, methodology, and application of varied disciplines.
By allowing flexible access to observation and research for courses and individual projects, the Children's School offers the concrete experience that can complement the more abstract reading and discussion in students' university programs.
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Implement a model half-day preschool and full-day kindergarten
 program for children ages 3-6,
The Children's School is accredited by the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs, a division of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
Our tuition-based program is designed to offer developmentally appropriate options for morning or afternoon preschool and full-day kindergarten for children in the community as well as CMU families (constituting approximately 85% and 15% of our enrollment respectively).We offer a high quality program equitably to diverse families.
To this end, we help low-income families connect with agencies offering scholarship resources, and we participate in the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program in Pennsylvania.
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Provide resources to parents, including general information on child
development and parenting, as well as specific assistance in dealing with
developmental difficulties,
In addition to providing a quality educational program, we support our families by providing resources and discussion opportunities that might be of interest to all families, age appropriate family activities (e.g., family festivals, school visits, etc.), and individual counseling and referrals as needed.
We are always looking for ways to expand these services to meet diverse needs.
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Provide resources to the community by welcoming teachers and administrators
to observe our model program and by offering training sessions through our
Early Childhood Professional Development Center,
In addition to serving the community families whose children attend the Children's School, we fulfill our responsibility to society by supporting the advancement of education in our local, national, and international communities. Via training events and consulting, we freely share the approaches and materials we develop (both for children and parents), and we invite colleagues from varied professions to visit our school. We work closely with area private schools, the Pittsburgh Association for the Education of Young Children (PAEYC), the National Association of Laboratory Schools (NALS), and the National Coalition of Campus Children's Centers (NCCCC) on issues related to early childhood practice, research, and training. Since 2000, we have been a Collaborative Partner with three other local accredited programs for Early Childhood Professional Development.
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Train students earning teaching certificates in early childhood and elementary
education (in collaboration with Carlow University, Chatham University,
Duquesne University, and the University of Pittsburgh).
The Children's School is an ideal setting for students with tight schedules to arrange opportunities for observation and practice of excellent early childhood education. Because we have both morning and afternoon preschool sessions, our kindergarten has instructional times both in the morning and the afternoon, and our extended day programs run at lunchtime and in the late afternoon, there are essentially continuous instructional sessions in progress. Because of our existing procedures for observation and research, we are equipped to handle students at all levels in their teaching practica, from pure observation to student teaching.
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We strive to recruit a diverse student population, both ethnically and socio-economically, to provide a diverse subject pool for research, broad experiences for psychology students and student teachers, and an enriched learning environment for our children and their families. By capitalizing on our talents in all of these areas, our high quality laboratory school exemplifies new directions that can be utilized by professionals in various disciplines to meet the changing needs of society.
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