Primrose Schools, a high-quality early education and care leader with more than 450 schools operating in 32 states, had significant growth and achievements during the first half of the year. With the need for child care soaring, the company began expansions in two new states, while experiencing a 418% increase in inquiries from individuals seeking to become Primrose franchise owners from June 2020 to June 2021. Primrose also recently celebrated the opening of its milestone 450th school and looks to build on that momentum for the remainder of the year, with six more locations slated to open by the end of 2021 and a total of 150 in its overall pipeline.

Much of this growth is fueled by Primrose Schools' positive financial trajectory throughout the pandemic. As detailed in the company's 2021 Franchise Disclosure Document, it saw schools' average gross revenues increase every quarter from Q2 2020 to Q1 2021 by a total of over 67% over that period. Enrollment has remained high as well, with many of its schools continuing to have waitlists for students. To help meet that demand, Primrose Schools has signed 16 new franchise agreements in 2021 and continues to see a spike in the number of entrepreneurs exploring opportunities to open new school locations.

"At a time of uncertainty for the country, Primrose Schools is proud to have provided economic opportunity to many new franchise owners seeking a fulfilling business venture, while also giving peace of mind to the countless families who sought the quality early education and care experience we offer their children," said Steve Clemente, President of Primrose Schools. "Our success over the last several months affirms the hard work of both the local franchise owners and staff of each Primrose school and the efforts of Primrose Schools Support Center team members. Our shared vision and dedication to excellence in early education has positioned Primrose Schools to take advantage of the growth prospects before us and continue advancing local communities through education."

Development Updates and Milestones
As the critical need for high-quality early education and care continues, Primrose Schools is helping lead the industry's charge to meet demands across the nation and in key markets.

Celebrating 450^th School Milestone

• In April, Primrose Schools opened its 450th school, a milestone that has been over 30 years in the making and a testament to the company's proven franchise model which launched in 1990.

Planning Entry into Nevada and Idaho

• Primrose has begun plans to enter Nevada and Idaho for the first time, where it will commence efforts to identify locations offering entrepreneurs in Reno, Las Vegas and Boise an opportunity to provide an essential service to their communities based on a proven high-quality education model. One Primrose school is already in progress and set to open by the end of this year in Reno, while in Boise, a new franchise agreement was just signed.

Awards and Recognitions
In addition to reaching these development milestones in 2021, Primrose Schools has continued to be recognized for its dedication to franchise owners as well as the families and children it serves.

Top Rankings

• Entrepreneur's Franchise 500® awards, the world's first, best and most comprehensive franchise ranking, named Primrose Schools No. 1 in the child care category and No. 67 on the overall list of best franchises for 2021. This is the fifth consecutive year Primrose Schools received the honor of claiming the top spot in the child care category.

Exceeding Literacy and Math Standards

• The Spring 2021 Star Early Literacy Assessment found that 96% of Primrose Schools kindergarten students met or exceeded kindergarten literacy and math standards during the 2020-2021 school year. More information on how the Primrose Schools Balanced Learning® approach is applied to its kindergarten students can be found here.

Civic Engagement and Thought Leadership
As a pioneer in early education and care, Primrose Schools and its leadership are sought by decision makers in the child care industry and beyond for their advocacy and expertise. With access to child care being a major, bi-partisan issue for legislators, Primrose Schools is also forming cross-sector partnerships with leaders throughout the country to advocate for a mixed delivery child care model benefitting all children.

"More than half of U.S. families live in a child care desert. While the efforts of Primrose Schools and our Franchise Owners are helping provide the invaluable service of quality early education and care to hundreds of communities, millions more families continue to face substantial challenges accessing child care," said Jo Kirchner, CEO of Primrose Schools. "Children are our future. We have a responsibility to help ensure every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential, which is why we are helping lead a nationwide coalition to advocate for a mixed-delivery system that ensures access to a quality early education for all children."

Making a Difference on Capitol Hill

• The Early Care & Education Consortium (ECEC), co-founded and co-chaired by Primrose Schools CEO Jo Kirchner, recently participated in a joint congressional briefing to inform policy makers on the urgent need for federal investment in a quality early child care and education system for all Americans.

Finding Meaningful Solutions for All Families

• In addition to its continued advocacy for the child care industry, ECEC helped develop a white paper, Solutions to Achieve a More Equitable and Sustainable Early Care and Education System, in partnership with the Boston Consulting Group, that discusses child care's importance to the nation's economy and the role of federal funding in deploying a robust, mixed delivery system for all children and families.

"While the need for quality child care has always existed, there is now a much greater understanding of the positive impact entrepreneurs can have on their communities with the help of an established, premium early education and care offering like Primrose Schools," added Clemente. "Our mission has never been more critical and we invite anyone who shares our passion in providing a premier learning experience for children, regardless of their business experience, to consider becoming a Primrose Schools Franchise Owner."

Primrose Schools has a proven franchise model for educational child care that offers a fundamentally sound business opportunity, paired with the ideal blend of tools, resources and expert guidance. From veteran educators seeking re-careering opportunities to aspiring entrepreneurs, this formula has attracted numerous individuals and families around the nation to become school owners and make a difference in their communities.

Visit Primrose Schools online or call 800-PRIMROSE (774-6767) to learn more about franchise opportunities today.

Primrose Schools is the leader in providing premier early education and care to children and families in the United States. Founded in 1982, there are more than 450 Primrose schools in 32 states today. Ranked the No. 1 child care franchise by Entrepreneur for five consecutive years and named as one of the best franchises to buy in America by Forbes, Primrose offers Franchise Owners the opportunity to invest in a financially rewarding and emotionally satisfying business that delivers an unparalleled early learning experience for children and families in their community. Each school is independently owned and operated by Franchise Owners who are provided a proven and time-tested business model and exclusive approach to early education, called Balanced Learning®. Through Primrose on Premise?, Primrose Schools and Franchise Owners enable companies to provide employer-sponsored early childhood education and care at or near their worksites. Primrose has franchising opportunities available in markets throughout the U.S., and is seeking qualified potential Franchise Owners to join the brand's rapid expansion and mission to transform the future of early education. For more information, visit www.Franchise.PrimroseSchools.com, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter, and explore our news site.