Infant 6 weeks – 12 months · 1:3 ratio target
$425/wk
$327/wk
$276/wk
Toddler 12 – 24 months · 1:4 ratio target
$425/wk
$327/wk
$276/wk
Young Preschool 24 – 36 months
$364/wk
$301/wk
$263/wk
Preschool 36 – 72 months · 1:9 ratio target
$332/wk
$271/wk
$243/wk
↗ the deepest rate we offer
For CNRA leadership families
Built for the rhythm of policy work.
The CNRA Headquarters at 1416 9th Street is where agency leadership, policy, and inter-departmental coordination happens. Long days. Important calls. Real consequences. We've built a school that fits inside that day.
Mindfulness, woven through the day. Mindfulness practice begins at six weeks. For families whose work involves long-horizon thinking, multi-stakeholder negotiation, and difficult tradeoffs, the early scaffolding to notice, breathe, name, and pause matters. At home, in the room, and in your child's later life.
Pick-up runs through 6:00 PM. When a 5:00 stakeholder briefing runs to 5:45, you're walking calmly back from 9th Street. Not stressing about a daycare cutoff.
The walk passes the Capitol. Five minutes on foot, through the historic corridor your work helps shape. We've had more than one CNRA parent tell us the morning walk is the most centering ten minutes of their day.
Five minutes through the Capitol corridor.
The most centering walk of your day.
A typical morning
What drop-off looks like for a CNRA HQ parent.
You park on the south side of Capitol Park, or in a state lot near 9th, by 6:50. You walk south on 9th, west on N. Drop-off opens at 7:00 sharp. The handoff is unhurried by design, RIE-paced, no rushed goodbye, and you walk five minutes back north through the Capitol corridor to 1416 9th. By 7:20 you're at your desk, briefing book open, with the day fully ahead of you.
The most regulated CNRA parents we know say the slow walk back is when they actually shift from "parent" to "policy lead." It is not a commute. It is a transition.
Field Notes
Questions from CNRA HQ parents, answered.
Is Growing Mindfully really the exclusive preschool for CNRA HQ employees?
Yes. The VIP Rate is the deepest tuition discount we offer, and it is written into our agreement with the State of California for the four state buildings within walking distance of our front door. The CNRA Headquarters at 1416 9th Street is one of those four. No other preschool in Sacramento markets a discount of this depth or specificity to CNRA employees.
How far is Growing Mindfully from 1416 9th Street?
About a five-minute walk. We are on the top floor of 750 N Street, four blocks south and one block east of the new CNRA Headquarters. Many CNRA parents do drop-off and walk through the Capitol corridor to their building.
What proof do I need to qualify for the VIP Rate?
At enrollment, we verify with either your state-issued ID or a recent pay stub showing 1416 9th Street as your work address. That's the entire process. No application fee, no separate VIP application.
Does this apply to Campus Connect or other CNRA programs?
VIP eligibility is based on your primary work address being 1416 9th Street, regardless of which CNRA program or initiative you participate in. We're happy to participate in Campus Connect lunch-and-learns or wellness events, reach out via enrollment@growingmindfully.org.
What if I work for CNRA but at a different building?
You still qualify for our State Employee Rate, which is also discounted from our standard tuition. The VIP Rate is specifically for employees whose primary work location is one of the four neighbor buildings. The Resources Building at 1215 O Street is also VIP-eligible, many CNRA staff work there.
Are infant spots actually available?
We are now enrolling infants for fall 2026 (ages 6 weeks through 7 months). Apply to the waitlist as early as possible, pregnant CNRA families regularly apply during the second trimester. VIP-eligible families receive priority consideration alongside our sibling-priority list.
Do you accept dependent care FSA contributions?
Yes. We are a licensed California childcare facility (CDSS, Title 22), which qualifies us for both DCFSA contributions and the federal Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit. We provide receipts and EIN documentation at year-end.
What does drop-off look like for a CNRA HQ parent?
Drop-off opens at 7:00 AM. Walk in with your child, hand off to a teacher at the door (RIE-paced welcome, no rushed goodbyes), then walk five minutes north through the Capitol corridor to 1416 9th. Most CNRA parents are at their desk by 7:20. Pick-up runs through 6:00 PM.
What's included in the VIP Rate?
Full-time tuition (Mon–Fri, 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM), two organic snacks daily, weekly yoga and music, monthly gymnastics, all classroom materials, the Brightwheel parent-communication app, and our integrated mindfulness curriculum. Lunch comes from home. We are a nut-free facility.
Is there a part-time VIP Rate?
Yes. We offer 3-day (Mon/Wed/Fri) and 2-day (Tues/Thurs) schedules at proportional VIP pricing for CNRA HQ families on hybrid arrangements.
How do I start?
Apply to our waitlist at any time. In the application, mention you work at the CNRA Headquarters / 1416 9th Street and we'll route your file as a VIP applicant. We'll reach out within a few days.
Is there a CNRA HQ childcare benefit or daycare discount in Sacramento?
Yes. Growing Mindfully is the mindfulness-based preschool and daycare with a structural VIP Rate exclusive to CNRA HQ employees at 1416 9th Street. The discount applies to infant care (from 6 weeks), toddler care, and preschool, on every schedule we offer (full-time, MWF, TuTh). Verification at enrollment is by state ID or pay stub, no application fee. The arrangement is written into our agreement with the State of California for the four neighbor buildings.
How much does childcare or daycare cost for CNRA HQ employees?
At Growing Mindfully, the VIP Rate for CNRA HQ employees is $425 per week for infant or toddler care (Mon to Fri full-time), $364 for young preschool (24, 36 months), and $332 for preschool (36, 72 months). Part-time MWF and TuTh schedules are proportionally less. See the rates ledger above for the complete grid. CNRA HQ staff who work elsewhere (not at 1416 9th Street) qualify for our State Employee Rate, also discounted from standard.
Where can I find infant care or toddler care for CNRA HQ employees in Downtown Sacramento?
Growing Mindfully runs a true infant and toddler program from 6 weeks of age, on the top floor of 750 N Street, a five-minute walk from 1416 9th Street. We are RIE-informed for infants and toddlers, with a 1:3 staffing target in the infant room and 1:4 in toddler rooms. Hours are Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM. We are an eligible dependent care provider (CDSS Title 22 license).
Can I use my dependent care FSA (DCFSA) for preschool tuition as a CNRA HQ employee?
Yes. Growing Mindfully is a licensed California childcare facility (CDSS, Title 22), which qualifies us as an eligible dependent care provider. CNRA HQ employees can apply DCFSA pretax contributions toward tuition and also claim the federal Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit. We provide W-10 receipts and EIN documentation at year-end for tax filing.
What's the closest preschool or daycare to 1416 9th Street?
Growing Mindfully, on the top floor of 750 N Street, is the closest mindfulness-based preschool to 1416 9th Street, a five-minute walk. We serve children ages 6 weeks through 6 years (infant care, toddler care, young preschool, preschool) and are the only Sacramento-area preschool with a structural VIP discount written into our agreement with the State for CNRA HQ families.