Start a Nursery School
A Nursery School is a regulated, license-exempt facility where educational child care is provided for any number of preschool-age children operated for no more than four hours per child per day.
Program Evaluation
If you are interested in opening a License-Exempt Nursery School, the first step is to complete the Program Evaluation Questionnaire (PEQ). The purpose of this form is to provide enough information to the department to show that the child care program meets the definition of a nursery school as noted in state statute.
- Educational child care programs provided for preschool children for no more than four hours per day per child are license-exempt under Section 210.211, RSMo. These types of license exemptions require a program to comply with certain child care laws and regulations in accordance with Section 210.252, RSMo.
Review Initial Inspection Checklist
Once you complete the PEQ and receive a determination letter from the Regulation section, carefully read through the Steps to Becoming License-Exempt for Nursery Schools. This is an interactive document, with hyperlinks to resources, forms, and templates, as well as text boxes and check boxes for completion, that outlines each step along your journey to becoming an approved license-exempt program. It will help you stay organized and ensure you complete all the requirements.