Ranked among the top 3 childcare centers in Duarte across all 11 quality dimensions — placing this center in the very top tier of local options.
Best for Safety
Earned the highest safety score in Duarte. Our safety dimension weighs inspection history, deficiency records, and parent-reported safety culture across reviews.
Best Teachers
Earned the highest teacher quality score in Duarte. This dimension weighs staff tenure, qualifications, warmth reported in parent reviews, and consistency of care across classrooms.
Best Curriculum
Earned the highest curriculum score in Duarte. This dimension evaluates structured learning, developmental programming, and how well daily activities prepare children for each stage.
Best K-Ready
Earned the highest kindergarten-readiness score in Duarte. This dimension reflects pre-literacy, pre-math, and school-readiness preparation reported by parents and visible in the curriculum.
Best Management
Earned the highest management score in Duarte. This dimension reflects director responsiveness, communication, operational consistency, and the overall tone families experience from leadership.
Full Ranking Detail
childcarepreschoolprivate-school
Foothill Oaks Academy is a CCLD-licensed private school on Bradbourne Ave in Duarte, California, serving preschool through 8th grade with a strong institutional heritage of over 100 years. The academy enrolls preschoolers in small classes with a 3:1 student-teacher ratio and offers Transitional Kindergarten alongside PreK programs as part of its PreK–8 setting. With a 5.0 community rating on Niche and 22 Yelp reviews, the academy stands out for Spanish and Chinese language classes, an award-winning art program, engineering coursework, and hands-on science instruction, plus morning and afternoon care and summer school. As a private school with tuition-based enrollment rather than a standalone childcare center, Foothill Oaks serves families seeking a more comprehensive academic environment, though this model may not fit all childcare needs.
Safety6.0
Curriculum8.0
Art / Music6.0
Infant care5.0
Kindergarten readiness8.0
Teacher quality8.0
Compassion7.0
Management7.0
Culture7.0
Extracurriculars7.0
Programs & curriculum
Curriculum & approach: No named curriculum approach is stated. The site describes a well-balanced education that blends an ambitious academic program with varied enrichment activities and aims to make learning a joy.
Programs & activities: Serves preschool through 8th grade. Offers Spanish and Chinese language classes, engineering classes, an award-winning art program, a hands-on science lab, after-school athletics and clubs, morning and afternoon care, and summer school.
What sets it apart: Emphasizes small class sizes for individual attention. Located in Duarte, California; notes that graduates attend selective high schools such as Damien, Flintridge Prep, and Loyola High School. No accreditations, operating hours, meals, ratios, or tuition details are stated.
Recognition of Excellence — Website Badge
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Top 3 in Duarte
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Foothill Oaks Academy -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/california/los-angeles/duarte/foothill-oaks-academy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
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<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Top 3 in Duarte</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Ranked among the top 3 childcare centers in Duarte across all 11 quality dimensions — placing this center in the very top tier of local options.</span>
</span>
</a>
Best for Safety
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Foothill Oaks Academy -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/california/los-angeles/duarte/foothill-oaks-academy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/dim-safety.jpg" alt="Best for Safety - Foothill Oaks Academy - Duarte, CA" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Best for Safety</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Earned the highest safety score in Duarte. Our safety dimension weighs inspection history, deficiency records, and parent-reported safety culture across reviews.</span>
</span>
</a>
Best Teachers
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Foothill Oaks Academy -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/california/los-angeles/duarte/foothill-oaks-academy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/dim-teacherq.jpg" alt="Best Teachers - Foothill Oaks Academy - Duarte, CA" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Best Teachers</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Earned the highest teacher quality score in Duarte. This dimension weighs staff tenure, qualifications, warmth reported in parent reviews, and consistency of care across classrooms.</span>
</span>
</a>
Best Curriculum
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Foothill Oaks Academy -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/california/los-angeles/duarte/foothill-oaks-academy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/dim-curriculum.jpg" alt="Best Curriculum - Foothill Oaks Academy - Duarte, CA" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Best Curriculum</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Earned the highest curriculum score in Duarte. This dimension evaluates structured learning, developmental programming, and how well daily activities prepare children for each stage.</span>
</span>
</a>
Best K-Ready
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Foothill Oaks Academy -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/california/los-angeles/duarte/foothill-oaks-academy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/dim-kinder.jpg" alt="Best K-Ready - Foothill Oaks Academy - Duarte, CA" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Best K-Ready</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Earned the highest kindergarten-readiness score in Duarte. This dimension reflects pre-literacy, pre-math, and school-readiness preparation reported by parents and visible in the curriculum.</span>
</span>
</a>
Best Management
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Foothill Oaks Academy -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/california/los-angeles/duarte/foothill-oaks-academy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/dim-mgmt.jpg" alt="Best Management - Foothill Oaks Academy - Duarte, CA" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Best Management</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Earned the highest management score in Duarte. This dimension reflects director responsiveness, communication, operational consistency, and the overall tone families experience from leadership.</span>
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</a>
This recognition is awarded independently by Creative Minds Montessori based on publicly available parent reviews and public records. Centers do not pay for or request these rankings. Scores reflect editorial synthesis of verified parent experience — not center marketing materials. Rankings are updated periodically as new reviews are analyzed.
