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 DGS parents
The closest school to your desk. Not down the block. Straight up.
Of the four neighbor buildings, DGS at 751 N Street is the nearest, because Growing Mindfully is built on its roof. For a DGS parent, drop-off is a ride up, not a commute. That's the difference between "convenient" and "structural." Three things this proximity actually changes.
Drop-off doesn't subtract from your day. Park in your usual DGS lot, ride up to the rooftop school, hand off, and be at your desk inside ten minutes from leaving the car. Most DGS parents save the equivalent of a hearing-block per week compared to commuting to a freeway-adjacent daycare.
The 12:30 nursing visit is a five-minute total trip. If you're nursing or just want ten minutes with your infant in the middle of the day, you ride up, sit on a low stool in the infant room, and head back down. By 12:50 you're in your conference room with a sandwich.
Pick-up has a real cushion. Pick-up runs through 6:00 PM. When a 4 PM agenda item runs to 5:30, you're not driving across town hoping to make the daycare's 6 PM cutoff. You're already in the building.
Your desk and your child's classroom.
One building. The whole proximity thesis.
A typical morning
What drop-off looks like for a DGS parent.
You park in the DGS structure at 6:55. You ride up to the rooftop school. You hand off your child to a teacher at the door, RIE-paced, no rushed goodbye, and ride back down. By 7:10 you're at your DGS desk, coffee in hand, with the day fully ahead of you. No weather, no crosswalk, no second commute.
It's the same building you already work in, so a heavy-rain morning changes nothing. Drop off upstairs, head to your floor, and let the rain be the rain. The whole ritual is five minutes.
Field Notes
Questions from DGS parents, answered.
Is Growing Mindfully really the exclusive preschool for DGS 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 closest to us. DGS at 751 N Street is one of those four, and our school is built right on its roof. No other preschool in Sacramento markets a discount of this depth or specificity to DGS employees.
How far is Growing Mindfully from 751 N Street?
It's the same building. Growing Mindfully is built on the rooftop of 751 N Street, so for a DGS employee it's a ride up rather than a walk. Most DGS parents drop off on their way in and pick up on their way out.
What proof do I need to qualify for the VIP Rate?
At enrollment, we verify with either your DGS-issued state ID or a recent pay stub showing DGS as your employer. That's the entire process. No application fee, no separate VIP application.
What if I work for a department housed inside DGS but report elsewhere?
If your primary work address is 751 N Street, you qualify for the VIP Rate, regardless of which agency or division you formally sit under. If you split locations, contact enrollment and we'll work it out fairly.
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 DGS families regularly apply during the second trimester. VIP-eligible families receive priority consideration alongside our sibling-priority list.
Does my dependent care FSA work here?
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's the morning routine for a DGS 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), and you can be at your DGS desk by 7:10. Pick-up runs through 6:00 PM, which gives you a real cushion when a project meeting runs long.
Can I do lunch visits?
Yes. We built the school so a parent at any of the four neighbor buildings can lunch with their child and still make a 1:30 meeting. For DGS, a school on your own rooftop makes daytime visits genuinely workable.
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 DGS families on hybrid arrangements.
How do I start?
Apply to our waitlist at any time. In the application, mention you work at DGS / 751 N Street and we'll route your file as a VIP applicant. We'll reach out within a few days.
Is there a DGS childcare benefit or daycare discount in Sacramento?
Yes. Growing Mindfully is the mindfulness-based preschool and daycare with a structural VIP Rate exclusive to DGS employees at 751 N 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 DGS employees?
At Growing Mindfully, the VIP Rate for DGS 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. DGS staff who work elsewhere (not at 751 N Street) qualify for our State Employee Rate, also discounted from standard.
Where can I find infant care or toddler care for DGS employees in Downtown Sacramento?
Growing Mindfully runs a true infant and toddler program from 6 weeks of age, built on the rooftop of the DGS building at 751 N 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 DGS employee?
Yes. Growing Mindfully is a licensed California childcare facility (CDSS, Title 22), which qualifies us as an eligible dependent care provider. DGS 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 751 N Street?
Growing Mindfully, built on the rooftop of 751 N Street, is the closest mindfulness-based preschool to DGS, a ride up rather than a 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 DGS families.