Update — July 2025: Stepping Stone School has now been voted Best in Childcare by Austin Family Magazine for an extraordinary 27th year — a milestone no other childcare provider in Central Texas has achieved. We are deeply grateful to every family, friend, and community partner across Austin, Round Rock, Pflugerville, Kyle, Leander, and Cedar Park who has voted for and trusted us over the decades. This recognition belongs to all of you.

Voted Best Childcare in Austin, TX — 27 Years and Counting

Stepping Stone School is honored to have been recognized as the Best in Childcare by the readers of Austin Familymagazine for 27 consecutive years. After more than 45 years of serving Central Texas families, this award is a reflection not just of our programs and campuses, but of the relationships we’ve built with the thousands of families who have walked through our doors.

The trust and support from our Austin-area families and communities are what drive our commitment to delivering the highest level of early care and education possible — at every one of our locations across Central Texas.

As Stepping Stone School founder and executive director Rhonda Paver, M.A. has shared: “We are excited about the continued support from the local communities we serve. Research has demonstrated that children enrolled in high-quality early care and education programs continue to reap the benefits long into their educational careers. We look forward to a wonderful partnership with each family we enroll and will provide the nurturance, love, and support each child deserves.”

What Makes Stepping Stone School the Best Childcare in Central Texas

Central Texas families choose Stepping Stone School year after year because of what they find on every one of our campuses — environments that are purposefully designed to inspire wonder, learning, and a lifelong love of discovery. Our campuses feature:

• A museum-like environment with naturally lit classrooms that provide an ideal setting for children to flourish and explore
• Our hands-on STREAM curriculum — Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics — designed to pique children’s curiosity and introduce them to the endless possibilities of learning
• The Atelier™ at Stepping Stone School, a unique and innovative concept that expands educational opportunities in the fields of art, design, building, and architecture
• Age-appropriate playgrounds with exciting play and climbing structures for building large motor skills through active, joyful movement

These thoughtfully designed spaces, combined with our culture of genuine care and our research-informed curriculum, are what Austin, Round Rock, Pflugerville, Kyle, Leander, and Cedar Park families experience every single day.

About Stepping Stone School

Stepping Stone School is the largest privately owned childcare provider in Central Texas and has been locally owned and operated since 1979. Founded by Rhonda and Bill Paver, the organization has grown from a single Austin, TXcampus to 20 award-winning locations serving families across Austin, Round Rock, Pflugerville, Kyle, Leander, Cedar Park, and the Bryan/College Station area.

In addition to being voted Best in Childcare in Austin for 27 years, Stepping Stone School has been recognized as Best of the Brazos Valley, and was featured as a cover story in Child Care Exchange magazine — the leading professional journal for the early education profession — as a national model of excellence in early care and education.

Stepping Stone School’s founders and team also exercise a deep philanthropic commitment to Central Texas through ongoing donations, sponsorships, and community partnerships whose missions are to better the lives of children and families throughout the region.

To find a campus near you or to schedule a tour, visit our Find a School page.

 

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