Preschool Space Is at a Premium

The problem is less severe outside the Beltway. "Prince William and Loudoun counties are definitely easier," said Rosemary Burton, director of child-care operations for Minnieland, a company with about 90 centers in Virginia. "But further into the city, yeah, it's pretty tough."

She has been unable to find a place for a preschool in the Falls Church area, inside the Beltway, she said, and a potential partner looking for a place in Fairfax County gave up after two years.

Space requirements for licensing and accreditation make the search harder. The National Association for the Education of Young Children, a private organization that accredits preschools, requires 35 square feet of indoor space per child.

Virginia requires 25 square feet per child to license a site, but in 2008 that will rise to 35 for new schools. Maryland requires 35 square feet per child for preschool programs that are not in public schools. There are additional requirements for outdoor space, as well as general safety regulations.

At the same time, demand is growing. Nursery school attendance nationwide rose 66 percent -- to about 5 million 3- and 4-year-olds -- from the mid-1990s to 2003, according to the most recent census figures available. Some states have begun to consider universal preschool: Georgia has it, and Florida is working toward it.

Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) made expanding preschool access central to his campaign last year. In January, he created a council to develop guidelines for universal preschool for 4-year-olds, and he has asked for $10 million to promote public and private preschools.

In Maryland, school districts will be required by 2008 to offer pre-kindergarten classes for 4-year-olds from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. This month, a task force was appointed to make recommendations by 2008 on how to further expand pre-kindergarten education and look into whether the state should offer universal preschool.

In her search through Montgomery, Torres found many churches that had extra space but were wary about sharing it with a preschool.

"They were very, very protective," she said. "There was a feeling that they were going to give up some control, that there would be too many people coming in and out, that there would be safety issues, that Sunday school would be impacted, that they would be invaded by the center. My position is: 'You guys have all this space. You use it maybe three hours a week, and there's this tremendous need. Can we come to some agreement?' "

Torres finally found space in a Kensington church, which will allow Centro Familia to use rooms there if it pays its own utility and other overhead costs.

In Alexandria, City Council member Rob Krupicka (D), who helped Kaine write a preschool policy proposal, has recommended streamlining the permit process for preschools seeking to open in commercial areas.

Even some well-established programs are having a hard time holding onto space they have. Valley Drive, which is housed in a church, could soon close temporarily or permanently.