My 3 yr old attends Lutheran General Hospital Children's Daycare's preschool program. No, u don't have to be an employee for Lutheran. The rates are comparable to other preschool programs (ie Kindercare) programs that we had looked at in Des Plaines/Niles area.
I heard the Des Plaines Park District Preschool program is not good. I have a friend whose son attends it full time and she says the teachers don't really care much and there is no real structure or emphasis on the program.
My daughter has been at Lutheran since she was 2 and we can't say enough good things about it. Not only are they accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (not all daycare/preschools in USA are), but they are very structured, caring, and enriching and the teachers are themselves master-certified or undergoing studies to become one. My daughter who is introverted and shy by nature, has really jumped by leaps and bounds in terms of development since being there. She used to attend part time but with the loss of my home sitter she now attends full time.
Their website is: http://www.advocatehealth.com/luth/services/other/daycare/
Good luck and feel free to ask any more q's