The Child Development Lab (CDL) program is a licensed and accredited play-based, developmentally appropriate, child-centered, teacher-designed early education curriculum in a laboratory school setting.
The CDL operating hours are 7:30 am through 5:30 pm Monday-Friday. Please refer to the School Year Calendar for specific scheduled closure dates. Access the 2017 – 2018 Calendar here.
As a lab school the CDL facilities are open to observation by students, researchers and the interested public. Researchers and Instructors interested in working with the CDL should refer to the information in the Students & Instructors, and Researchers sections of the website.
The school year begins at start of fall semester and runs through the end of summer sessions, or until two weeks prior to the start of the upcoming fall semester. The CDL is closed for two weeks between each school year.
The CDL program operates out of two semi-adjacent buildings, the Child Development Lab and the Early Child Development Lab) referred to as the CDL and ECDL buildings. The ECDL currently houses the infant, toddler and one of the two year old classes. The CDL houses the other two year old and all of the preschool classes.
Applications (insert hyperlink to applications page) are accepted throughout the year. However, the selection and enrollment processes for the upcoming school year begin on April 1 and are usually complete by the end of May.
Families who believe they may qualify for a reduced tuition space should submit a Tuition Determination form at the same time as the application is submitted. Approximately 25% of our spaces are available for reduced tuition enrollments.
Applications received by April 1 for the upcoming school year are given full consideration during the first round of selection when all vacancies are being filled. These families will receive email notification of the status of their application shortly after the Selection Committee completes first-round selections.
Applications received after April 1 are added to the wait pool and families are contacted only if a vacancy occurs and their child is selected to fill the vacancy. After the first round of selection, ALL applications in the wait pool for an age group are considered if a space is declined or another space opens up.
Each school year has a separate application database. Applications are not carried over from school year to school year.
Each child to be considered for selection and enrollment must have a separate application.
Selection of children is based on the full range of demographic information requested on the application, for the purpose of providing students and researchers a diverse child population to work with and to study. Families of children with special needs are encouraged to apply.
Enrolled children are guaranteed re-enrollment until it is time for them to enroll in Kindergarten (the year they are 5 by September 1). Siblings of currently enrolled children are given selection priority. Siblings of past enrolled children are given secondary selection priority.
Children remain in their class grouping for the full school year. Birthdays do not trigger transitions to another classroom.
To request a Parent Tour, please call the CDL at 217-333-2550.
To request a Class Tour please submit the form on-line.