What Program Types Does Cadence Education Offer, and How Do They Differ?

Updated

Cadence Education runs two parallel program tracks: a standard age-based path (Infant Care through School-Age) and specialty programs built on specific teaching philosophies (Montessori, Reggio Emilia, Language Immersion, Faith-Based). The right choice depends on your child's age and whether you want a general developmental curriculum or a particular educational approach. Availability varies by school, so the program list on the website is a starting point — you confirm what a specific location actually offers.

The standard age-based path

These programs follow your child's developmental stage and are the core offering across the network.

Program Who it's for What it emphasizes
Infant Care Youngest children Nurturing, home-like care
Toddler Care Toddlers Growth across cognitive, social, physical, and emotional areas
Preschool Preschool-age children Skills-based curriculum preparing for kindergarten
Pre-Kindergarten Children the year before kindergarten Kindergarten readiness
Kindergarten / Private Kindergarten Kindergarten-age children Private elementary-level instruction
Before & After Care School-age children Care wrapping around the school day
School-Age Program Older children Programming for school-age kids

The curriculum across these programs is described as skills-based and tailored to each developmental stage, with teachers and curriculum working together to support cognitive, social, physical, and emotional growth. Cadence states that two-thirds of its students tested at an advanced readiness level for kindergarten.

Specialty programs

These sit alongside the standard path and reflect distinct educational philosophies:

  • Montessori — offered at several levels: Montessori Infant Program, Montessori Toddler Program, Montessori Preschool Program, and Montessori Elementary.
  • Reggio Emilia — an approach centered on the child's interests and environment as a teacher.
  • Language Immersion — instruction delivered in a second language.
  • Faith-Based — programming grounded in a religious tradition.

If you have a strong preference for a specific pedagogy, this is the deciding factor: a standard preschool and a Montessori preschool at Cadence are different products, not different names for the same classroom.

Supplemental and camp programs

Cadence also lists shorter or add-on options: Enrichment Programs, Spring Break Camp, Winter Break Camp, and Summer Programs. These are useful if you need coverage during school breaks or want to add a focused activity rather than enroll full-time.

How to choose between them

Use two questions in order:

  1. What is your child's age? This narrows the field to the relevant standard program (e.g., Toddler Care or Preschool) and tells you which Montessori levels are even possible.
  2. Do you want a specific philosophy? If yes, look for Montessori, Reggio Emilia, Language Immersion, or Faith-Based at your child's age level. If you're neutral, the standard path is the default.

Then check availability. The site's school finder lets you search by city, state, ZIP, or address (or use your location) and filter by program, so you can see which of these options exist at schools near you. A program listed nationally may not be offered at every one of the 350+ locations.

A practical example

Suppose you have a 3-year-old and are drawn to Montessori. You would search your area, filter by the Montessori Preschool Program, and compare those schools against nearby standard Preschool options. If no Montessori preschool exists within a reasonable distance, the standard Preschool program becomes the realistic choice — same age group, different method.