At the Louise and Brett Samsky Preschool, our high teacher-to-student-ratio, as well as our personal approach to teaching, means we’re equally successful in supporting children with autism as those without developmental concerns.

Our preschool:

• Develops individualized instruction for each student.
• Has leading early childhood researchers monitor student progress. 
• Provides ongoing training for teachers.
• Values empathy and acceptance.
• Has an open-door policy and works closely with families.

Louise and Brett Samsky Preschool, now offering Georgia Pre-K, is a collaboration of Marcus Autism Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University. We operate as both a school and a place of research on preschool education. Because of this unique relationship, our program continuously creates new and better ways of supporting families and meeting the learning needs of all children.

We are open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and located on Briarcliff Road near Emory University. We offer tuition-based classrooms for 2- to 4-year-olds and a lottery-funded Georgia Pre-K classroom for children who are 4 years old by September 1.

We operate on a year-round schedule from August through July. Louise and Brett Samsky Preschool is licensed as a Child Care Learning Center by Georgia’s Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL; CCLC-47864).

Our unique approach

Our classrooms allow children with and without autism to learn together. Our teachers create flexible classroom environments that accommodate and embrace each child’s individual way of learning. By enrolling in our preschool, your child will discover that all children have their own unique ways of playing, thinking, feeling, relating and learning.

Advancing Research

Louise and Brett Samsky Preschool at Marcus Autism Center is a living research lab where children actively engage with peers in an enriching and inclusive environment while having the opportunity to participate in research studies offered through the Education Sciences Research Core. If you are interested in enrolling your child in a research study, and want to learn more about the Eye Tracking and Social Mapping research that we conduct in our lab, please visit our Education Sciences Research Core page for more information.

Learning alongside a child with autism

To better understand how our school works, it helps to have a basic understanding of autism. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects a child’s social skills, communication or behavior. It often means that a child’s brain develops and works a little differently and can affect how that child understands and relates to others. True to its name, autism is a spectrum. No two children with autism are exactly alike.

Toddlers and preschoolers who have autism may face some unique challenges, but overall they have more in common with their typically developing friends than not. Most differences tend to be subtle and are best understood as part of the range of personalities and learning styles. All children with autism admitted to our program are ready to learn and contribute to their friend’s learning as well.

Learn about our classrooms and curriculum

Have more questions?

View our Louise and Brett Samsky Preschool frequently asked questions. 

Contact Us 

Email our team or call 404-785-6511 if you'd like to connect with our team directly.