Primrose Schools
| Company type | Franchising company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Early Childhood Education |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Founder | Paul Erwin, Marcy Erwin |
| Headquarters | , United States |
Number of locations | 550+ schools (2025) |
Key people | David P. Berg, CEO |
| Parent | Roark Capital Group |
| Website | www |
Primrose Schools is a U.S.-based network of franchised accredited private preschools providing early childhood education and child care for children ages infant through Kindergarten. Founded in 1982 in Marietta, Georgia, the company has more than 550 franchised schools across 36 states and Washington, D.C.[1]
History
Primrose Schools was established by Paul and Marcy Erwin in 1982 and began franchising in 1990. It pioneered the concept of combining child care with an educational curriculum, which contributed to its growth into one of the largest early education franchises in the United States.[2]
Curriculum
Primrose offers early childhood education and care for children ages 6 weeks to 6 years and after-school programs for children up to age 12. Primrose schools employ the company's proprietary Balanced Learning curriculum, which combines teacher-guided learning with child-initiated play.[3] The curriculum incorporates research on child development and emphasizes building character in students.[3][4]
Social responsibility
Primrose emphasizes community service and social responsibility at all levels of its organization, from its corporate culture to its curriculum. Defined as one of the corporation's core values, "giving without expecting" is central to the overarching Primrose Promise initiative, which includes programs such as the Primrose Children's Foundation and the Helping Hands Program, as well as numerous independent community service efforts at individual schools.[5] Through the Primrose Children's Foundation, Primrose Schools has supported and partnered with several organizations that focus on the health, welfare, education, and overall support of children, including Children's Miracle Network and Ronald McDonald House Charities.[6] In 2014, Primrose raised over $500,000 for charity, including over $340,000 for its current charitable partners, Reach Out and Read and Save the Children.[4][7]
Primrose Children's Foundation
Founded in 2005, the Primrose Children's Foundation is a non-profit organization that combines the fundraising efforts of Primrose Schools across the country to make a larger national impact through charitable support that advances child advocacy and education efforts.[6] Among the foundation's first partnerships was Reach Out and Read, an organization that focuses on the promotion of early literacy. Since 2005, the Primrose Children's Foundation has donated more than $1.4 million to Reach Out and Read.[7] In 2014, Primrose announced a first-of-its-kind partnership with Save the Children through the Primrose Children's Foundation that focuses on the sponsorship of at-risk children in underserved communities within the United States, providing educational resources to those communities and developing relationships between sponsored children and children in Primrose classrooms.[8]
Accreditation
1996: First childcare and early childhood education company to receive accreditation from:
- the Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation (CITA)
- the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI),
- and the North Central Association Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI).
1998: AdvancED Corporate Accreditation
2012: AdvancED Corporation Systems Accreditation under the new Standards for Quality Early Learning Schools
Quality assurance
Primrose schools undergoes internal reviews three times annually under the company's Service Excellence Assurance (SEA) quality assurance program.[9]
Organization
Locations and franchising
Each Primrose school is independently owned and operated by franchise owners are trained at both the Primrose corporate campus in Georgia.[3][10] Primrose currently operates over 465 Primrose schools in more than 33 states.[11][10] As of 2014, its largest markets include the metropolitan areas of Atlanta, Georgia; Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas; Houston, Texas; and Denver, Colorado.
Primrose primarily targeted suburban markets for franchising until 2010, when the company opened its first urban prototype school in Atlanta's Midtown neighborhood.[12] Primrose has since expanded its urban school concept has since expanded to include a franchise in Houston, Texas, with additional urban locations in Denver, Dallas, and Philadelphia.[13]
In 2014, Primrose opened its first California school in Pleasanton and its first Boston-area school in Burlington.[14][15]
As of July 2022, there are nearly 475 schools operating in 33 states, and the company aims to open its 500th location by early 2023.
References
- ^ "Home". Primrose Schools. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
- ^ "About > History". Primrose Schools. Retrieved 2025-12-23.
- ^ a b c Ayers, Jessamyn (2012-09-28). "The Primrose School". I AM Modern. Retrieved 2013-01-09.
- ^ a b "What is More Important Than Investing in Tomorrow's Workforce and Society?". Franchising USA. 2014-03-10. Retrieved 2015-02-25.
- ^ "Teaching Social Responsibility through Community Service Projects". Primrose Schools. Retrieved 2015-02-24.
- ^ a b "Children's Foundation". Primrose Schools. Retrieved 2015-02-24.
- ^ a b "Primrose Schools® Reports Record-Breaking Fundraising Year". WTVG 13ABC. 2014-12-15. Archived from the original on 2015-02-25. Retrieved 2015-02-24.
- ^ "For A More Promising Future". Primrose Schools. Retrieved 2015-02-24.
- ^ "School Accreditations". Primrose Schools. Archived from the original on 2012-05-17. Retrieved 2012-11-12.
- ^ a b "Primrose Franchise Owner Support". Primrose Schools. Archived from the original on 2013-04-11. Retrieved 2013-02-21.
- ^ "Fall Enrollment Opens at Primrose Schools". Primrose Schools. 2014-07-14.
- ^ Welch, Mary (2010-09-25). "Day care centers find room to grow in city". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on 2014-10-14. Retrieved 2013-05-02.
- ^ "Primrose Schools® Expands Child Care Franchise Opportunity in Major Metropolitan Areas, Opens Second Urban Model in Houston" (Press release). Primrose Schools. 2013-01-30. Retrieved 2013-05-02.
- ^ "Primrose Schools® Reports Record 2013 System Revenue As It Expands Coast-to-Coast with First Primrose California Preschool". Primrose Schools. 2014-02-11. Retrieved 2014-10-08.
- ^ "Primrose Schools® Opens First Location in Boston and Identifies 30 Area Markets for Further Expansion". Primrose Schools. 2014-04-22. Retrieved 2014-10-08.