🪖 Built for military families

The preschool search that actually understands your life.

PCS orders. Two kids. 60 days. 400 unknown programs. NearBase was built for exactly this.

Start your free search →
40–60
hours average families spend searching
20 min
what NearBase cuts that to
150+
NCR programs mapped
Free
to search, always
How it works

From orders to enrolled — in minutes, not months.

1
Tell us where you're headed

Duty station in, every program within reach out.

2
Set your family's priorities

Ages · curriculum · hours · MCCYN · EFMP · siblings.

3
Get ranked matches

Match Scores + waitlist times verified by real families.

4
Connect and enroll

Contact, track waitlists, get spot alerts.

What makes NearBase different

Other directories show a list.
NearBase shows a plan.

⚡
Apply to the CDC the day orders arrive

On-base CDC waitlists: 12–18 months. You'll know before you waste weeks.

👶
The sibling filter — two kids, one search

Two kids, two age groups — one search that finds schools taking both.

📞
Know the waitlist before you call

Waitlist times reported by families after every call — current, not 2019.

🆓
DC's best preschools are free

Free Montessori charters · DCPS PK3 · Head Start — every free option, surfaced.

🗺️
Preschool drives the housing decision

Schools overlaid with coffee shops, rec centers, and military housing — choose a neighborhood, not just a school.

🪖
Military-specific filters

MCCYN · deployment flexibility · EFMP · early-duty hours · mid-year enrollment.

The two-child insight

Two kids. Two completely different searches. NearBase runs both simultaneously.

A 3-year-old and an 18-month-old are different searches. NearBase runs both at once.

Start searching →
Child 1 — Age 3
~250
programs in Zone 1 DC that serve a 3-year-old
DCPS PK3 (free)Charter lotteryMontessori primaryHead Start
Child 2 — Age 18 months
~180
programs that serve an 18-month-old — a harder, more urgent search
Nido programsLicensed CDCsEarly Head StartFamily homes
The sibling filter unlocks
~120 programs can take both children. Only ~30 are military-family optimized. NearBase finds the right 8 for your specific family.
The Paid-Forward Intelligence Loop

Every family's search makes the next one easier.

"AI won't know what is behind closed doors at these preschools. But military families who inquire will."

After every school contact, one question: "How did it go?" Your answer becomes intel for the next family.

Start your free search →
The PCS preschool timeline

What to do, in what order, from the moment orders arrive.

Day 1
Apply to the on-base CDC immediately
12-18 month waitlists. Apply as insurance even if you prefer a civilian program. This cannot wait.
Day 1–3
Check DC childcare subsidy eligibility
Many E1-E6 families qualify. NearBase's subsidy estimator shows your eligibility before you start touring.
Week 1
Contact the top sibling-friendly programs
Call ToTH, Nido, Gardner School, and top MCCYN-approved CDCs. Ask about sibling availability simultaneously.
Week 2
Register for the My School DC lottery (if timing allows)
Free DCPS PK3 and public charter Montessori. Lottery opens December annually. NearBase flags if your window has passed.
Week 2–3
Tour 3-5 programs for the 18-month-old first
The toddler spot is scarcer. NearBase inverts the typical search — start with the harder placement, then fit the preschooler around it.
Week 3–4
Lock in housing near the chosen programs
Find housing within a mile of your top schools — preschool first, apartment second.
Open the NearBase map →

PCS orders coming? Hear it first.

New schools, waitlist changes, and military discounts near your next base — one short email when it matters, never spam.