WEST CHESTER, PA — Ducklings Early Learning Center plans to expand further across the Mid-Atlantic region through franchising as demand for childcare services grows, the company announced.
The preschool brand, founded in 1994 by former pre-K teacher Jody Thompson, currently operates 20 locations, including 17 franchise centers and three corporate-owned sites, according to the company.
Ducklings began franchising after initially operating four corporate locations. The first franchise was purchased by an employee in 2019, and the company said it has since opened two or three new centers annually.
The company said it is targeting additional growth in Pennsylvania west of Philadelphia, as well as in New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland, citing continued residential development and enrollment waitlists at existing locations.
Kim Collier, chief development officer and one of Thompson’s daughters, said the company is seeking franchise candidates with both business experience and an interest in education. “They have a head for business and a heart for education,” Collier said.
Collier said research on early childhood development and the prevalence of dual-income households support continued demand for preschool services. “With extensive research validating the critical impact of early education on a child’s life-long learning and development, and the prevalence of dual-income households, we are confident in the significant opportunity that Ducklings Early Learning Center offers,” she said.
Thompson said the company aims to maintain a consistent educational environment as it expands. “Throughout our steady expansion, we have ensured that each center provides a nurturing environment for children to learn and grow under the guidance of skilled, caring teachers,” Thompson said.
Ducklings said its curriculum, known as Here We Grow!, focuses on academic, social and emotional development and is delivered by trained teachers in classroom settings designed for early childhood education.
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