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Franchise Opportunity Deep Dive: Celebree School is a 30-year leader in child care and early education offering infant through school-age programs with a high-touch, community-rooted model.
Celebree School provides infant and toddler care, preschool, before/after-care and summer camps. The brand’s philosophy is that early childhood success is equal parts curriculum and connection; each school follows applicable state guidelines and a customized program for children’s physical, social, emotional and academic needs. Celebree is expanding with qualified franchise partners to replicate its corporate center model.
Founded in 1994 by Richard O. Huffman, Celebree School began serving families in Maryland and Delaware and opened franchising in 2019. The company has grown along the East Coast and beyond with a focus on safe, supportive spaces for children and strong community ties.
Mission: “Grow People Big and Small” by empowering franchisees through steadfast support and proven, innovative educational programs that enrich families and communities.
Vision: To be the recognized leader in providing the best care for infants, preschoolers and school-age children.
Celebree is currently expanding across the U.S., with available territories in Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.
Initial Costs: The total initial investment to open a Celebree School varies based on the type of development. For a leased location with landlord-constructed improvements, the investment ranges from $1,023,550 to $1,404,100. A remodel of an existing space requires an investment between $2,778,550 and $3,569,099. The 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) breaks these costs down as follows:
Leased Location
| Type of Expenditure | Min | Max |
| Initial Franchise Fee | $75,000 | $75,000 |
| Site Development Assistance Fee | $30,000 | $30,000 |
| Training Assistance & Opening Support Fee | $30,000 | $30,000 |
| Centralized System Initial Fee | $15,000 | $15,000 |
| Pre-Opening Temporary Welcome Center Expenses | $6,500 | $10,000 |
| Furniture, Fixtures, Equipment & Toys | $200,000 | $235,000 |
| Startup Supplies & Inventory | $19,000 | $25,000 |
| Outdoor Playground Equipment & Surfacing | $190,000 | $225,000 |
| Information Technology Equipment & Software | $45,000 | $65,000 |
| Security & Electronic Access System | $20,000 | $40,000 |
| Exterior & Interior Signs | $23,800 | $30,600 |
| Professional Fees | $40,000 | $50,000 |
| Training Expenses | $2,000 | $5,000 |
| Pre-Opening Enrollment & Grand Opening Marketing | $60,000 | $80,000 |
| Insurance (3 Months) | $4,250 | $13,500 |
| Licenses & Permits | $4,000 | $25,000 |
| Lease/Security Deposit | $26,000 | $52,000 |
| Lease (3 Months) | $0 | $40,000 |
| Utility Deposits | $2,000 | $4,000 |
| Financing Costs | $56,000 | $79,000 |
| Pre-Opening Working Capital | $50,000 | $75,000 |
| Additional Funds (3 Months) | $125,000 | $200,000 |
Remodel
| Type of Expenditure | Min | Max |
| Initial Franchise Fee | $75,000 | $75,000 |
| Site Development Assistance Fee | $30,000 | $30,000 |
| Training Assistance & Opening Support Fee | $30,000 | $30,000 |
| Centralized System Initial Fee | $15,000 | $15,000 |
| Architectural, Civil Design & Permitting | $75,000 | $150,000 |
| Construction & Interior Improvements | $1,575,000 | $1,890,000 |
| Pre-Opening Temporary Welcome Center Expenses | $6,500 | $10,000 |
| Furniture, Fixtures, Equipment & Toys | $200,000 | $235,000 |
| Startup Supplies & Inventory | $19,000 | $25,000 |
| Outdoor Playground Equipment & Surfacing | $190,000 | $225,000 |
| Information Technology Equipment & Software | $45,000 | $65,000 |
| Security & Electronic Access System | $20,000 | $40,000 |
| Exterior & Interior Signs | $23,800 | $30,600 |
| Professional Fees | $40,000 | $50,000 |
| Training Expenses | $2,000 | $5,000 |
| Pre-Opening Enrollment & Grand Opening Marketing | $60,000 | $80,000 |
| Insurance (3 Months) | $4,250 | $13,499 |
| Licenses & Permits | $4,000 | $25,000 |
| Lease/Security Deposit | $26,000 | $52,000 |
| Lease (3 Months) | $0 | $40,000 |
| Financing Costs | $161,000 | $204,000 |
| Utility Deposits | $2,000 | $4,000 |
| Pre-Opening Working Capital | $50,000 | $75,000 |
| Additional Funds (3 Months) | $125,000 | $200,000 |
Initial Franchise Fee: Franchisees must pay an initial franchise fee in a lump sum in the amount of $75,000 when they sign the franchise agreement.
Qualifying veterans are eligible for a $20,000 discount off of the initial franchise fee.
Ongoing Fees: According to the 2026 FDD, Celebree School franchisees are responsible for the following ongoing payments and fees:
| Type of Fee | Amount |
| Royalty | 7% of net revenue/week |
| Brand Fund Contribution | 2% of net revenue/week |
| Local Advertising | 2% of net revenue/week |
| Cooperative Contributions | 0.5% of gross revenue/month |
| Centralized System Fee Currently | $1,450/month |
ROI Potential: According to the 2026 FDD, the 18 Celebree School franchised locations operating for the entirety of FY 2025 reported the following net revenue:
Average | Median | High | Low |
$2,190,264 | $2,260,904 | $2,946,891 | $995,283 |
From the day you sign, you’re paired with a dedicated development lead who guides you through each milestone to opening. Real estate and construction stay on track with biweekly update calls, and the national call center begins acting as a sales touchpoint to spark early inquiries and build your enrollment pipeline.
Owners complete a three-week program that includes one week at Celebree’s training facility in Lutherville, Maryland, followed by two weeks on-site before opening. The team helps design classrooms and provides materials, curriculum tools and hands-on training so you launch with operational confidence.
As opening approaches, you’re assigned a franchise business consultant who remains your ongoing coach for performance and growth. A full-service marketing team supplies branding assets and enrollment playbooks, while the director of real estate supports site selection and approvals. You’ll also receive guidance on staffing, including defining the school director profile and hiring support.
Celebree equips you with CRM and a defined sales process to manage leads and conversions. The national call center integrates directly into your workflow, and classrooms run on established curriculum platforms, including Creative Curriculum for early learners and proprietary resources for school-age programs.
No education degree required for franchisees, but directors require credentials. The brand works with owners to hire a qualified school director and to navigate state/local licensing.
Each Celebree School location requires a dedicated on-site owner or operator to maintain quality and consistency. If a partner fulfills that role, they must go through the full franchise vetting process to ensure alignment with the brand’s values and operational standards.
Multi-unit ownership is encouraged for qualified candidates, but every school must have a designated, qualified on-site operator supported by a capable management team to uphold Celebree’s high standards across all locations.
Celebree offers guidance and resources to help franchisees explore financing solutions that fit their situation. The brand’s development team assists candidates in connecting with preferred lenders and navigating available funding options during the discovery process.
“My father is an entrepreneur. He always talked to me about the benefits of entrepreneurship. As I was getting older, to reach where you want to go you have to get into entrepreneurship — but what? We're in the middle of a pandemic. I am watching my four-year-old and my two-year-old, at the time, interacting and playing for probably the first time that I can honestly remember them really interacting with one another. I was looking at my two-year-old and seeing the wheels turning in his eyes … And this feeling of just calm and happiness just completely overwhelmed me. It was like, This is what you're made to do. You've been so unhappy for so long. This is where you're happy. How do you lean into this?”
- Mike Sapperstein, Multi-Unit Owner — Pennsylvania. Read his story here.
“These are childhood memories that will last a lifetime… we want to be the ones in our community to create them.”
- Katie Young, Franchisee — Nottingham, Maryland. Read her story here.
In the U.S., early childhood education and child care now represent a roughly $65 billion to $75 billion market, with analysts expecting mid–single-digit annual growth that could push revenues toward or above $100 billion by the early 2030s as more parents return to the workforce and policymakers prioritize access and quality. Early childhood education specifically is projected to add several billion dollars in revenue between 2025 and 2029, underscoring steady demand for programs that combine care with structured learning.
Celebree emphasizes state-aligned curriculum, community engagement, comprehensive age coverage, and high-touch operational support, setting it apart in a growing industry. Comparable brands in the child care and early education franchise space include Primrose Schools, The Goddard School, Kiddie Academy, Lightbridge Academy and The Learning Experience, all of which compete for families seeking structured, nurturing educational environments. Celebree’s combination of local ownership and corporate-backed systems gives it a competitive edge among these national leaders.
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