Our History

In 1952, two years before the U.S. Supreme Court ruled segregation by race in public schools unconstitutional, a group of pioneering parents sat down together to plan a tri-ethnic cooperative nursery school for their children and the future children of all of Austin. The All Austin Cooperative Nursery School opened in March of the following year, making front page news in the Austin Statesman in May of that year. The school’s beginning was historic. The Co-op, as it is affectionately called, broke ground not only by bringing together Anglo, African-American and Hispanic children, but also by bringing together their parents in a school where parents work side by side with the teaching staff.

The founders “Introductory Letter: 1952-1953” outlines requirements for a good nursery school experience and states the cooperative nature: “We want to educate ourselves concerning techniques in teaching young children, and we want to work together to provide the kind of community most helpful to our children.”

The Co-op founders and members have worked together to see their dreams realized. Beginning with a humble home in a former dormitory at Huston Tillotson College, parents and volunteers bartered with their work of improving the building in lieu of the $35 monthly rent. To gain a perspective consider that tuition was $18/mos. for 3 mornings a week and the first fundraiser was considered a success for reaching the goal of $150.

For 50 years, the Co-op has maintained its secular and cooperative tradition while becoming accredited and providing outstanding and professional opportunities for its staff. In addition, the Co-op has been an effective training ground for numerous involved parents who have moved on to become future PTA presidents, pre-school teachers, school board members, State Representatives, and other child advocates along with happy and confident children.