Ranked among the top 10 childcare centers in Tustin. Fewer than half of all centers in the city reach this level across our full 11-dimension scoring.
Best Culture
Earned the highest culture score in Tustin. This dimension captures a sense of community, inclusivity, staff morale, and the feeling families describe when they walk through the door.
Full Ranking Detail
PreschoolToddlerPlay-BasedParent Co-Op
Tustin Community Preschool is a parent participation cooperative preschool serving children ages 21 months through 5 years in Old Town Tustin, California, with over 55 years of continuous community presence. The center operates under a play-based curriculum emphasizing individual growth and parent partnership, offering Parent/Toddler classes, plus 2-day and 3-day programs with optional extended-day sessions and Wednesday STEM classes. Activities include storytimes, garden time, art projects, field trips to local destinations, and special community celebrations. Licensed capacity is 24 under CCLD license 300600989, and the co-op model—where parents volunteer regularly in classrooms—creates a strong family community that Yelp reviewers consistently praise for its enriching, nurturing environment. However, the required parent participation is not suitable for families unable to regularly volunteer in the classroom, and infant care is not available for children under 21 months.
Safety6.0
Curriculum7.0
Art / Music6.0
Infant care3.0
Kindergarten readiness5.0
Teacher quality7.0
Compassion7.0
Management7.0
Culture8.0
Extracurriculars6.0
Programs & curriculum
Curriculum & approach: Play-based learning approach where children learn through play, art, and exploration, aligned with California Preschool & TK Learning Foundations. Cooperative preschool philosophy emphasizing learning through play, individual growth, and parent partnership.
Programs & activities: Storytime, singing, garden time, creative play, and art projects. Field trips (post office, tide pools, train rides, theater), special events (Mother's Day Tea, holiday celebrations, beach days), an optional Wednesday STEM class, and extended-day play sessions.
What sets it apart: Cooperative (co-op) preschool where parents volunteer in classrooms; serves ages 21 months to 5 years with licensed teachers. Programs include Parent/Toddler ($175/session), 2-Day ($200/month) and 3-Day ($255/month) classes at 9:00-11:30 AM, plus extended-day add-ons ($25-30/day).
Recognition of Excellence — Website Badge
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Top 10 in Tustin
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Tustin Community Preschool -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/california/orange-county/tustin/tustin-community-preschool/" 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/rank-10-city.jpg" alt="Top 10 in Tustin - Tustin Community Preschool - Tustin, CA" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
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<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Top 10 in Tustin</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Ranked among the top 10 childcare centers in Tustin. Fewer than half of all centers in the city reach this level across our full 11-dimension scoring.</span>
</span>
</a>
Best Culture
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Tustin Community Preschool -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/california/orange-county/tustin/tustin-community-preschool/" 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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<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Best Culture</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Earned the highest culture score in Tustin. This dimension captures a sense of community, inclusivity, staff morale, and the feeling families describe when they walk through the door.</span>
</span>
</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.
