Hilltop Child Development Center INC

Children are not safe and any incidents that could reflect poorly on the organization or admin-level staff are kept from parents, including those involving child harassment and abuse by staff members. Whistleblowers are reportedly intimidated by administration to not follow through with mandated reporting. I strongly advise looking for childcare literally anywhere else in town.

Heartbroken and Deeply Concerned – Hilltop Is Not What It Used to Be As a parent, it’s incredibly hard to write this. We’ve been with Hilltop for two years now. In 2024, when my first child started, we were so happy. The classroom had two dedicated teachers and an additional aide. My child felt safe, supported, and came home learning and growing every day. It truly felt like a nurturing, well-managed place. But in 2025, everything changed—and not for the better. A wonderful, passionate director who genuinely cared about the kids and staff was suddenly let go, and things quickly spiraled. I’m sharing our experience because parents deserve to know what’s really going on: 1. Unsafe teacher-to-child ratios. There were simply not enough adults in the room. My child came home with bumps and bruises far too often, and no one could explain what had happened. 2. Lack of leadership. With no proper director overseeing the center, classrooms felt chaotic. Children weren’t being guided or engaged in meaningful learning the way they had been before. 3. Unprofessional behavior. I personally witnessed a teacher’s aide vaping while the children were playing nearby. That is completely unacceptable in any childcare setting. 4. Serious safety concerns. There was an incident where a child was left behind in a vehicle during a field trip. Thankfully it wasn’t a hot day, but it could have ended in tragedy. That is terrifying. 5. Disorganized administration. I had to go back and forth multiple times to fix an error in our tuition billing. The finance staff seemed either overwhelmed or unwilling to take responsibility. As much as it pains me to say it, I can no longer trust Hilltop with my children. We’ve made the difficult decision not to return. I hope they are able to turn things around, but right now, I would urge any parent to ask serious questions before enrolling their child.

Wonderful teachers. My kids love it there. My oldest is going on 7 years there and youngest is going in to preschool. I give credit to Hilltop for their advanced language and social skills. Not just a daycare, but a structured learning environment.

We had a great experience with Hilltop last year, but feel like the quality is sliding this year. They went from two full-time teachers per classroom to one teacher and a rostering cast of undergraduate interns. The Executive Director is suddenly put on leave and no one knows what’s going on. Parents deserve some answers.

We lived in Iowa, Kansas, and now Texas. Our kids have been in several daycares as we have moved around, and I will say without a doubt — nothing compares to Hilltop. It was the absolute best daycare that we have ever seen by far! They blow away Montessori and other much more expensive prep schools. It was the only daycare where my kids didn’t get sick every other week. The teachers are all excellent. Staffing was more than adequate. They gave discounts to students and I paid even less because of financial need. I will forever remember Hilltop, the amazing staff, and the clean facility! Our son attended five years ago, but we still visit when we drive through Lawrence.