CEFA Early Years School franchise
2026 filing · April 22, 2026
CEFA Early Years School at a glance
A private early learning school for young children that teaches core subjects and fine arts.
The business
- Franchisor
- CEFA Systems, LLC
- The company that sells the franchises
What you pay
- Cost to open
- $1.9M–$2.64M
- An 8,000–10,000 square foot school
- Franchise fee
- $70,000
- Paid once, when you sign
- Royalty
- 7%
- 7% of gross sales, paid monthly, plus 2.5% to the brand fund
- Brand fund
- 2.5%
- 2.5% of gross sales, paid monthly
- Agreement length
- 10 years
Where it is
- US locations, 2025
- 0
- Franchised and company-owned
- Franchised
- 0
- Company-owned
- 0
- Change in 3 years
- 0
- Franchised locations, 2023–2025
From CEFA Systems, LLC’s 2026 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
Where it ranks
CEFA Early Years School among all franchises with the same figure.
| Figure | CEFA Early Years School | Among all franchises |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, midpointHalfway between the low and high estimate | $2,265,250 | Costs more than 93% of franchises |
| Franchise feePaid once, when you sign | $70,000 | Higher than 95% of franchises |
| RoyaltyShare of sales paid to the franchisor | 7% | Higher than 70% of brands with a set rate |
| US locationsFranchised and company-owned | 0 | Fewer than 97% of franchises |
How much a CEFA Early Years School franchise costs
Opening an 8,000–10,000 square foot school costs an estimated $1,895,300 to $2,635,200. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
Source: CEFA Systems, LLC, 2026 filing, page 24
CEFA Early Years School franchise fee
The franchise fee is $70,000. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: CEFA Systems, LLC, 2026 filing, page 17
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 7% of gross sales, paid monthly, plus 2.5% to the brand fund. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | 2.5% of gross sales, paid monthly. |
| Software Subscription | Maximum $2 per child per month |
| Transfer fee | $10,000 plus any broker fees and other out-of-pocket costs we incur |
| Replacement/Additional Training fee | Currently, $200-$500 per day |
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: CEFA Systems, LLC, 2026 filing, page 18
Other fees as filed, from pages 19–21. The filing lists every fee, including late fees and audit costs.
Sales and earnings
No figures CEFA Early Years School does not share sales or profit figures for its locations. Talking to current and former franchise owners is the usual way to learn what a location earns.
Source: CEFA Systems, LLC, 2026 filing, page 56
How CEFA Early Years School compares
Of the 40 daycare franchises on this site, CEFA Early Years School is the 37th cheapest to open and the 38th largest by number of locations.
| Figure | CEFA Early Years School | Typical daycare brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $1.9M | $737K | $222K |
| Cost to open, high end | $2.64M | $1.44M | $477K |
| Franchise fee | $70K | $65K | $40K |
| Royalty | 7% | 7% | 6% |
| Brand fund | 2.5% | 2% | 2% |
| US locations | 0 | 10 | 21 |
| Shares earnings figures | No | 29 of 40 | 2,147 of 3,352 |
Typical is the median across the 40 brands in daycare franchises; typical franchise, across every brand here.
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.
See which brands grew most in the fastest-growing franchises rankings.
More in the guides: daycare franchise costs and franchise failure rates.
Source: CEFA Systems, LLC, 2026 filing, page 60
Who owns CEFA Early Years School?
CEFA Early Years School franchises are sold by CEFA Systems, LLC.
From CEFA Systems, LLC’s 2026 filing.
Lawsuits and bankruptcy
| Lawsuits and regulatory actions | Yes. The filing describes past or pending cases involving the franchisor, its affiliates or its executives on pages 16–17. |
|---|---|
| Bankruptcy | None. The filing says no bankruptcy has to be disclosed. |
Franchisors must disclose lawsuits and bankruptcies involving the company, its parents and affiliates, and its executives. Many cases are routine disputes with franchisees over fees or contracts; read the descriptions in the filing and ask current owners about anything that worries you.
Source: CEFA Systems, LLC, 2026 filing, litigation on pages 16–17, bankruptcy on page 17
CEFA Early Years School filings
The figures on this page come from CEFA Systems, LLC’s 2026 filing, issued April 22, 2026, on record with the NASAA Electronic Filing Depository.
| Filing | Issued | Registry | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 filing | April 22, 2026 | NASAA depository | Costs, fees and locations, 2023–2025 |
Each link opens the filing as a PDF. See the newest filings across all brands.
Other daycare franchises
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CEFA Early Years School is also on these lists: education franchises.