25 years in Irving.
Still family-owned.
Roots Prep School started in 2000 with one idea: children learn better when adults don't rush them. That idea still runs everything we do.
Built to stay independent. Built to stay accountable.
In 2000, Shahzad opened what would become Roots Prep School in Valley Ranch, Irving. The goal was clear — build a school that doesn't cut corners on how young children learn, doesn't franchise the curriculum out to a corporate playbook, and stays accountable because its owners are there every day.
Twenty-five years later, that's still the model. Shahzad runs operations and knows every family by name. Lata Nathani — Co-Owner and Educational Director — runs the curriculum. Between them, they've built the only early childhood program in Irving that combines three distinct frameworks no other local school uses together.
We're not a franchise. There's no regional manager, no standardized script, no rotating staff hired off a temp roster. When you have a question, you talk to the people who own the school.
The people behind the school
Lata Nathani
Lata brings 35+ years of early childhood education experience to Roots Prep. She previously led four Montessori schools across DFW and has used the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework — a UK-origin curriculum covering all 7 areas of early learning — in DFW Montessori settings for over a decade.
Lata designed the curriculum that makes Roots Prep the only school in Irving combining Montessori, the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), and Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) in a single program.
Three frameworks.
One school.
No other school in Irving does this.
Most schools pick one curriculum approach and call it done. We built a program around three frameworks that complement each other — because no single approach covers everything a young child needs.
This wasn't an accident. Lata spent decades in Montessori education before introducing EYFS to DFW schools. TEKS alignment ensures nothing is left out when children transition to Texas public school kindergarten.
Self-directed, uninterrupted work time. Hands-on materials. Child-led pace. The 3-hour morning work cycle in preschool is the foundation everything else builds on.
Early Years Foundation Stage covers all 7 areas of early learning from birth to age 5. A UK-origin framework Lata has used in DFW Montessori schools for 10+ years.
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills. Every child leaving our preschool program is aligned to Texas kindergarten readiness standards — no gap when they transition.
What you can count on
A few things that distinguish a family-run school from a managed one.
5 Days a Week
We're open Monday through Friday, every week of the year. No exceptions, no surprises.
6:30am to 6:30pm
Monday through Friday, all year. We understand working parent schedules. Extended hours aren't an add-on — they're the baseline.
Valley Ranch, Irving TX
2750 Ranch Trail, Irving TX 75063. Easy access off 635/LBJ and MacArthur Blvd — serving Valley Ranch, Las Colinas, and surrounding DFW communities.
CCR Licensed Since 2000
Child Care Regulation licensed from the day we opened. Not acquired later. Not grandfathered in. We've met state standards for 25 years running.
Not a Franchise
There's no regional manager, no corporate curriculum kit. The owners make the decisions. When something goes wrong, you talk to the people accountable for it.
Daily Updates
Infant Care families get daily updates — photos, notes, feeding and sleep times. You always know what your child's day looked like.
Come see it for yourself
A 45-minute tour will answer every question on this page and a dozen you haven't thought of yet. Tours are free, low-pressure, and run by the people who own and teach here.