STATE EMPLOYEE RATE · ALL CA WORKERS
If you work for the State of California, our childcare is discounted from day one.
Growing Mindfully is the mindfulness-based preschool and daycare in Downtown Sacramento with a published State Employee Rate on every age band, infant care from six weeks, toddler care, and preschool through age six, at every schedule we offer. Discount applies to every California state worker, regardless of department or work location. Our deepest discount, the VIP Rate, is exclusive to families employed at four neighbor state buildings within walking distance.
Why this rate exists
Built for the working state of California.
We are a school inside a state-owned building. The discount is part of how we honor that relationship, and it's how we keep our doors a real option for the people whose work the public depends on. The State Employee Rate isn't a promotion. It's structural.
Our school sits five minutes from the California State Capitol. About one in four of our families is a state employee. Many of those families chose us specifically because, in early childhood, proximity to the parent matters as much as the curriculum. We've built around that fact for almost a decade.
Transparently published
State Employee Rate, by age and schedule.
Most Sacramento preschools hide tuition behind a contact form. We don't. Below is the State Employee Rate, exact dollars, every age band, every schedule. If you work at one of the four neighbor buildings (CalPERS, DGS, the Resources Building, or CNRA HQ), you qualify for the deeper VIP Rate instead.
Infant 6 weeks – 12 months · 1:3 ratio target
$455/wk
$358/wk
$291/wk
Toddler 12 – 24 months · 1:4 ratio target
$455/wk
$358/wk
$291/wk
Young Preschool 24 – 36 months
$403/wk
$332/wk
$282/wk
Preschool 36 – 72 months · 1:9 ratio target
$344/wk
$291/wk
$261/wk
↗ deeper VIP Rate at four neighbor buildings
For state workers
What state-employee parents tell us they value most.
Mindfulness, woven through the day. Mindfulness practice begins at six weeks. For state-worker parents, many of whom carry meaningful public responsibility, the early scaffolding to notice, breathe, name, and pause matters. At home, in the room, and in your child's later life.
Hours that fit the State. 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Built around the rhythm of the State workday, including the late-running stakeholder meetings and 4:30 board items.
Transparent pricing. Three tiers, all published, no contact-form gatekeeping. You should know what you'll pay before you tour, not after.
A licensed, state-aligned operator. Licensed by California CDSS, Title 22. We are an eligible DCFSA provider and are exploring listing in CalHR's LifeMart program. If you'd like to be notified when we list, email enrollment@growingmindfully.org.
A school whose doors are a real option
for the people whose work the public depends on.
Field Notes
Questions from state-employee parents, answered.
Who qualifies for the State Employee Rate?
Anyone employed by the State of California, any department, any agency, any work location anywhere in the state. Verification is straightforward: a state-issued ID or a recent pay stub showing your CA state employer.
How does the State Employee Rate compare to standard tuition?
The State Employee Rate is discounted from our standard private tuition. The exact discount varies by age band and is published transparently on our tuition wizard on the homepage. It is less deep than our VIP Rate (which is exclusive to four neighbor buildings), but available to many more families.
What if I work at one of the four neighbor buildings, DGS, CalPERS, the Resources Building, or CNRA HQ?
Do you have to work in Sacramento to qualify?
No. The State Employee Rate is for any California state employee. That said, our school is in Downtown Sacramento, so practically the discount benefits families who can drop off in person. We do not currently offer remote or virtual programs.
What's the verification process?
At enrollment, we verify with either your state-issued ID or a recent pay stub showing California state employment. Done at the time you sign tuition paperwork. No application fee, no separate state-employee application.
Are infant spots actually available?
We are now enrolling infants for fall 2026 (ages 6 weeks through 7 months). Apply to the waitlist as early as possible. State employees do not get the deeper enrollment priority of VIP families, but tuition rates apply equally upon admission.
Do you accept dependent care FSA contributions or LifeMart-related credits?
Yes for DCFSA. We are a licensed California childcare facility (CDSS, Title 22), which qualifies us for both DCFSA contributions and the federal Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit. We provide receipts and EIN documentation at year-end. We are exploring listing in CalHR's LifeMart program, reach out if you'd like to be notified when we are listed.
What's included in the State Employee Rate?
Full-time tuition (Mon–Fri, 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM), two organic snacks daily, weekly yoga and music, monthly gymnastics, all classroom materials, the Brightwheel parent-communication app, and our integrated mindfulness curriculum. Lunch comes from home. We are a nut-free facility.
Is there a part-time State Employee Rate?
Yes. We offer 3-day (Mon/Wed/Fri) and 2-day (Tues/Thurs) schedules at proportional pricing for state-employee families on hybrid arrangements.
How do I start?
Apply to our waitlist at any time. In the application, mention your CA state employer. We'll reach out within a few days to talk schedule, age band, and a tour.
Is there a state employee discount on childcare or daycare in California?
Yes, at Growing Mindfully. We publish a State Employee Rate that discounts our standard tuition for any California state worker. The discount applies to infant care (from 6 weeks), toddler care, and preschool, on every schedule we offer (full-time Mon to Fri, MWF 3-day, or TuTh 2-day). Verification is by state-issued ID or pay stub at enrollment, with no application fee. We're not aware of another Sacramento-area preschool publishing a comparable structural state-worker discount.
How much does childcare cost for California state workers in Sacramento?
At Growing Mindfully, the State Employee Rate is $455 per week for infant or toddler care (Mon to Fri full-time), $403 for young preschool (24, 36 months), and $344 for preschool (36, 72 months). Part-time MWF and TuTh schedules are proportionally less. State employees who work at one of our four neighbor buildings (CalPERS, DGS, the Resources Building, CNRA HQ) qualify for our deeper VIP Rate: $425 / $364 / $332 respectively.
Can I use my dependent care FSA (DCFSA) for preschool tuition?
Yes. Growing Mindfully is a licensed California childcare facility (CDSS, Title 22), which qualifies us as an eligible dependent care provider. State employees can apply DCFSA pretax contributions toward tuition and also claim the federal Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit. We provide W-10 receipts and EIN documentation at year-end for tax filing.
What's the difference between LifeMart, CalHR perks, and your State Employee Rate?
LifeMart is the discount portal CalHR makes available to state employees through the Employee Assistance Program. It aggregates many vendor discounts. Our State Employee Rate is a direct, structural discount published on this page, applied at enrollment without going through LifeMart. We are exploring listing in LifeMart for additional visibility, but the rate itself is offered directly. Email
enrollment@growingmindfully.org if you'd like to be notified when we list there.
Where can I find infant care, toddler care, and preschool in Downtown Sacramento for state workers?
Growing Mindfully is on the top floor of 750 N Street, Downtown Sacramento, 95814. We serve children ages 6 weeks through 6 years (infant care, toddler care, young preschool, preschool) Monday through Friday, 7 AM to 6 PM. We are a five-minute walk from the California State Capitol and within walking distance of CalPERS HQ, DGS, the Resources Building, and CNRA Headquarters. Every California state employee qualifies for our State Employee Rate.