Open Discussion Forum

  • 1.  Managing Wait List

    Posted 04-02-2019 10:07 AM
    ​Hello all,

    I am the Director of a Child Development Center. We have a licensed capacity of 70 with 22 of that being a state funded Pre-K classroom. We are currently managing a wait list of 80+ children. We are a non-profit, and do not charge for our waiting list. However, we do require parents to come in for a tour in order to be placed on the waiting list. How do you manage our wait list? How do you estimate when you will have openings? How do you communicate with parents about their "spot" on the waiting list? Any suggestions, advice, or even opinions would be great. Thanks!

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    Caroline Wood
    Director
    Eagle's Nest Children's Center
    Macon GA
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  • 2.  RE: Managing Wait List

    Posted 04-03-2019 12:34 AM
    We always end up with a waiting list come summer but we do not put them on the waiting list unless they pay enrollment fees so we know they are serious. It a small free basically for fhe applicaiton. This will weed out the parents who just toured but do not really want to enroll their child. If we put everyone who tour on the wait list we would have 80+ but because they have to fill out an application it keeps the numbers down to only serious inquiries.

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    Leah Whitehead
    Director
    Lake Mead Christian Academy Preschool
    Henderson, NV
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  • 3.  RE: Managing Wait List

    Posted 04-03-2019 10:42 AM
    One of the smartest pieces of advice that I received was to structure it as a "wait pool" rather than a "wait list." This gives you the leeway to take all elements of an applicant and your program into consideration.  We are a part of a larger school, so we need to factor sibling, alumni, and faculty connections, but in any program, this gives the ability to consider gender balance, age spread, demographics, retention prospects, and best fit for your program. If you are clear with families about your structure, you can be guided internally by your chronological list of received applications, but also have the option for children with additional connections or that fill needs (ex: a third girl rather than a sixth boy) to "jump the line."
    In this system, we have also found that the families that are truly interested in our program rather than just applying at many places will clearly let us know by periodically checking in to assess openings.  This generally means that this will be a long term family once admitted.

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    Holly Dalferes
    Director
    George Cottage at St Martin's Episcopal School
    Metairie LA
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  • 4.  RE: Managing Wait List

    Posted 04-03-2019 04:59 PM

    We are a school of similar size. We have children from 13 months-pre-k. We also have a long waitlist. We move children twice a year, in June (before our smaller summer program) and in the fall. Existing families and faculty and staff of the college where we are located have priority. We enroll children in March for the fall. After we enroll our priority families, we start offering spots to the families on the waitlist. I give them a week or two to respond and then keep moving down the list. We do not ask the parents to pay a fee to be on the waitlist, but they do need to give a deposit if they commit to registering for the following year.



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    Janet Bauer
    Windy Hill School
    New London, NH
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  • 5.  RE: Managing Wait List

    Posted 04-05-2019 12:29 PM
    Policies/Communication:  Waiting list policies need to be put in place to explain how the waiting list will be managed.  The policies should be communicated as part of the tour and application process.  Let the parent know if they are responsible for anything (calling to update or pay a waiting list fee), and what they can expect the center to do.  Initiate a good channel of communication for parents on the waiting list.  This can be done manually or utilizing technology (see more details below).  All communication prior to enrollment of the child is crucial because it is representative of the professionalism within the entire center. 

    Budget/Fees: Review the overall budget. Although they are NFP, the budget must be studied before making changes in policies.  It might be advantageous and minimize the overload to start charging in order to be on the waiting list; however, prior to initiating this process, reviewing the budget first. Another option that can be added is charging a fee for being placed on the Wait List during pregnancy.  Those who registered during pregnancy should be given priority.

    Methods for Tracking Waiting List:
    Option 1: Spreadsheet or paper documents will both work fine depending on the Director's comfort level with technology, but should be organized by age group.  Estimating openings will depend on how move-ups are done.  There is no exact science to determining when openings will happen, the best the Director can do is give an estimate. Some parents want to know where they are on the list. If the center regularly checks in with applicants for updates, they will have more accurate information to relay.   
    Option 2: Technology/Software is another option.  Utilize a form of technology to keep track of the large waiting list.  Estimations of when openings will become available can also be predicted using the technology.  The selection of the best product or company to utilize, will depend on what all services are being sought and how much is budgeted to spend.  Technology would aid in sorting by age, by application date, and all forms of follow up methods.     

    Tours/Follow Up Procedures: Tours should be defined if they are made by appointments only, walk-ins are welcomed or both. During the tour, the director would explain if children are moved up once a year, several times a year and how follow ups are completed. Perhaps send a postcard  or call 24 hours after the tour to thank them for their interest and remind them of any important waiting list policies.  Follow up regularly with the applicants to see if they are still interested. Explore utilizing a computerized system to ensure follow ups are implemented according to the center policy and in an organized and professional manner. Set a length of time that the application will remain on the list and communicate this with the family.

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    April May
    Director of Innovation and Strategy, Early Childhood Academy
    Mississippi Community College Board
    Jackson MS
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