Running a school is hard work. Every dollar matters. Every staff member matters even more.
In early childhood education, whether practiced like Montessori, Waldorf or others, benefits are not just a nice-to-have. They are the difference between keeping great teachers and losing them to other jobs. The right benefits strategy helps you manage costs, keep your people, and give families the consistency they expect.
The Challenge Schools Face
This is the reality. But there are solutions that actually work.
What We See Working
Consortium and level-funded plans for small groups
Most schools have fewer than 200 employees. That usually limits buying power. By joining a consortium or moving to a level-funded plan, schools can pool risk, lower costs, and unlock coverage options usually reserved for big districts. The result is stability, better benefits, and less financial shock at renewal.
Straightforward communication and care
Most staff will not read a long benefits guide. They want to know three things. What is covered? How much does it cost? Who do I call for help? When benefits are explained clearly and supported by real people, staff feel cared for and use their benefits the right way. This lowers frustration and raises the value of your investment.
Flexible solutions that grow with you
Growth is part of early childhood education. One year you are running one campus. The next year you are adding another site or taking on a new program. A rigid benefits plan cannot keep up. Flexible programs scale with you, making it easy to add locations, merge groups, or handle new staff without creating chaos.
GLP-1 cost containment
New weight-loss drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound can cost more than $12,000 per person each year. For a small school, one or two prescriptions can wreck the health plan budget. The solution is not to deny care but to set guardrails. Schools that manage access, connect members to lower-cost alternatives when possible, and put protection in place can support teachers without draining the budget.
Why DSP
We know schools. We have children in Montessori and early education programs. We see the same challenges you face, and we bring that perspective to every plan we design. Our team builds benefits strategies that keep your people supported and your budget steady.
This is not a generic plan. This is customization built for your culture, your size, and your future.