The Celebree Advantage: How a Proven Childcare Franchise Model Drives Profit and Impact

These days, it’s hard to miss the headlines about the U.S. childcare crisis—parents are desperate for quality options and communities are scrambling for solutions to meet the demand. Celebree School’s franchisees are proving there’s another story to tell as they answer the call for trusted early childhood education with a proven and premier business model that’s both profitable and deeply meaningful.

With over 30 years of expertise, Celebree School has built a Gold Standard franchise model that meets the needs of modern families while giving entrepreneurs a meaningful, scalable business opportunity. Here’s how the proven brand leads the charge with the Celebree Advantage.

A Proven Brand and Modern Child Care Franchise 

Founded in 1994, Celebree School believes that connection and curriculum go hand in hand when it comes to early childhood development.

The Maryland-based provider offers infant and toddler care, preschool, before and aftercare programs, and summer camps—all research-backed and designed to nurture children socially, emotionally, and academically.

For franchisees, it all adds up to a proven franchise blueprint and in-demand business with a competitive edge.

“Owning a school is more than just being an entrepreneur,” says Kimberly Wolff, Celebree School’s Vice President of Franchise Development. “They nurture, educate, enrich, inspire, challenge, develop, advise, guide, instruct, and mentor. They help lay a foundation for lifelong success.”

And it shows in the network’s thriving system. Since launching franchising in 2019, Celebree has expanded to 17 states, with 27 corporate schools, 30 franchise schools, and over 100 more in development—and not a single location has closed or relocated.

Mission-Driven, Franchisee-Focused

Celebree School’s empowering mission-based culture to “Grow People Big and Small” is driven by the brand’s core values: Relationship Focused, Thought Leader, Community, Commitment, Transparent, and Authentic.

“Everything we do is grounded in our mission and values and drives every decision we make at every level of the company,” Wolff says.

Franchise owners can count on high-touch training and support every step of the way, including:

• 100+ hours of pre-opening training (online, in-classroom, and hands-on experience).
• On-site assistance during staff training and school openings.
• A dedicated Franchise Business Consultant to guide operations, marketing, and growth for sustained success.

Primed for an Innovative Future with Committed Leadership

Celebree School isn’t just keeping pace with industry changes—it’s leading them by prioritizing innovative curriculum, comprehensive staff training, and advanced technology integration. Recently, the brand rolled out Interrater Reliability (IRR) Certification, a new training initiative in partnership with Teaching Strategies, to ensure consistency in classroom assessments.

By May 2025, every corporate Celebree School will have at least one IRR-certified lead teacher per classroom—260 educators in total—enhancing lesson planning and student outcomes, followed by plans to launch the initiative across its franchise system.

Under the leadership of CEO Richie Huffman and Chief Development Officer Mark Lubin, Celebree continues refining its systems to support franchisee success.

“At the core of it all is a commitment to listening to franchisees and evolving with them,” Wolff says.

Franchisee FAQs: What You Need to Know

How long does it take to open?  The timeline for opening a Celebree School depends on how quickly you secure a real estate location—and the Celebree team is there every step of the way. Full support includes site selection, center design, recruiting and training, and ongoing personalized guidance to stay on track. Once you’ve committed to a site and signed a lease, your school will typically be ready to open in 10 to 12 months. The Celebree team will also help navigate you through the licensing process to ensure all requirements are met smoothly.

Do I need childcare experience? No. Most franchisees come from other industries. Celebree helps you hire an expert School Director to handle licensing and operational standards.

What about licensing? Regulations vary by state (and sometimes city or county), but Celebree’s team knows the ins and outs to streamline approvals.

Join an Award-Winning Franchise

Celebree School’s growth and continued responsible expansion have earned significant recognition, most recently as the International Franchise Association’s first-ever 2024 Emerging Franchisor of the Year and retaining its spot on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 list for three years straight.

“We're committed to maintaining our high-touch support by hiring in advance of need and constantly improving our processes based on our franchisees' experiences,” says Wolff. Ready to make an impact in your community and build a thriving business?  Start your journey today at franchise.celebree.com.

SPONSORED BY:
Celebree School
At Celebree School, our child care franchise delivers a safe, nurturing, friendly, state-of-the-art learning environment that fosters a solid foundation for lifelong success. Learn More