Maria Dominguez, founder of Cielito Lindo Spanish Immersion Preschools, has grown her program to three locations across Greater Austin.
Maria Dominguez knew she wanted to be a teacher since she was 9. Sitting outside her apartment with an easel and folding table, she helped neighborhood kids with their homework, her first makeshift classroom.
That spark grew each year. Maria earned her degree in bilingual education, taught pre-K and first grade, and became a school counselor. When her daughter was born, a new dream took root: creating a safe, nurturing early learning environment so more children could access the same high-quality care she wanted for her daughter.
The seed for Cielito Lindo, her Spanish immersion preschool, was planted.
Living Room to Lifelong Learning
Maria opened Cielito Lindo out of her living room. Five years later, the center has grown to three Austin locations. Two schools have received the highest quality rating in Texas, with the third on the way. Today, 95 children are enrolled in Cielito Lindo schools, learning in language-rich environments with small class sizes and nurturing teachers.
Obstacles Face Families and Providers
Building a small business has brought hurdles. Maria navigated complex city permits, licensing, and leasing requirements while striving to reach more families. Families across Greater Austin face their own barriers to accessing care: 6,171 children under age 6 are on the waitlist for high-quality subsidized child care.
Partnering for a Stronger Early Childhood System
That’s where United Way steps in.
Maria joined United Way’s Pre-K Partnerships and Shared Services Alliance, gaining access to professional development, marketing support, and sustainable public child care funding. She also became a member of the Success By 6 coalition, led by United Way, that brings together more than 750 community partners, early childhood professionals, and parents across the region to share early childhood expertise and resources to bring change for children in our region.
“The administrative requirements of owning a small business were all new to us,” Maria said. “United Way’s programs are walking beside us to get it all done. It’s amazing.”
Advocacy, Resources, and Impact
An early childhood force in our community for more than 20 years, United Way understands the barriers families and providers face. By convening the professionals and families at the heart of our early childhood sector, we’re co-building creative solutions through resource connection.
“Even $100 to develop teacher badges makes a huge difference,” Maria said.
Beyond materials, we’re strengthening the foundation of early care through advocacy. Our efforts contributed to a $75 million annual increase in local funding for early care in last year’s tax-rate election, supporting 10,000 children. Other United Way-backed legislation helped reduce permit restrictions for new centers and advocated for policy to centralize support for preschools, allowing more centers, school districts, teachers, and children to benefit.
Focus on What Matters Most
With this kind of support, Cielito Lindo can offer scholarships for children from low-income families, military families, and Spanish-speaking households. Her team focuses on what matters most: helping children thrive in joyful, high-quality environments, with singalongs, self-care spa days, and community visitors who inspire big dreams.
Building Early Education, One Family at a Time
With children and educators at the center of the solution, United Way supports providers like Maria by growing the capacity and quality of early education, one center, one family at a time.