Rock Spring Cooperative Preschool

Rock Spring Cooperative Preschool is a nonprofit, non-sectarian parent-led preschool founded in 1943 by a group of mothers, and it is the oldest cooperative preschool in Arlington. The half-day program serves children from 18 months to 5 years old, with age-specific classes built around play-based learning under the Reggio Emilia approach.

Parents take an active role in the classroom, which is the defining feature of the co-op model here. Families volunteer in class on a schedule that works for them, and the school is licensed by the county and state and is a member of the Virginia Cooperative Preschool Council. The school sits at Little Falls Road in Arlington, and families often describe a short walk to get there from nearby homes.