Children's Choice - School-age
Children's Choice - School-age is a licensed child care center in El Cajon, CA, licensed for up to 28 children and serving school-age children. It has held its California license since 2003. Since February 2021, state licensing staff have inspected it 4 times and investigated 2 complaints, 2 of them substantiated. The state issued 3 citations, 1 of them Type A (the most serious), most often for caregiver conduct (2 of 3). 2 citations came in the last 12 months. Measured by weighted citations per inspection, it is #24 of 39 centers in El Cajon and has more citations per inspection than 68% of California licensed centers.
Inspection record
Every state visit
What inspectors cited most
Citations, newest first
Based on interview with third party, it was disclosed that the facility was late picking up children from a school several times during the period of August 2025 through Decemeber 2025, which poses a potential health, safety and personal rights risk to children in care.
... 1 The Vice President of Operations refuses to come up with a plan of correction. The Vice President of Operations does not agree with the citation and intends to appeal. LPA advised the Vice President of Operations her appeal rights and was provided a physical copy. Based upon staff file reviews conducted, LPA determined that staff member (S2) is not qualified to be alone with children. During staff interviews, it was disclosed that unqualified aide (S2) has been transporting children without supervision of a teacher since Janurary 2026 which poses a potential health, safety and personal rights risk to children in care.
Based on review of documentation and interviews, Staff #1 tapped on the breaks while children were in the school van, to show what can happen if they were not seated properly resulting in an injury to Child #1. This is a form of intimidation/threat and is a immediate risk to the heath and safety of children in care. 8 been reminded of proper procedures to take to protect the health and safety of children during transport.
Complaint investigations
Staff was late to pick up day care children from school
Staff do not have the required qualifications.
How often are complaints about daycares in San Diego County substantiated? See the county-by-county report →
About this center
Other licenses at this address
Common questions
Does Children's Choice - School-age take infants?
Not under this license, which covers school-age children. An infant center is licensed separately at the same address (listed below).
Has Children's Choice - School-age had any serious violations?
California issued 1 Type A citation since 2021, its most serious category. The most recent was on Aug 31, 2022, for personal rights. Each citation is listed in full above.
Have there been complaints about Children's Choice - School-age?
California investigated 2 complaints since 2021 and substantiated 2. Allegations are shown only for substantiated complaints.
How does Children's Choice - School-age compare with other daycares in El Cajon?
It is #24 of 39 centers in El Cajon by weighted citations per inspection, and has more citations per inspection than 68% of California licensed centers with enough inspection history to compare.
When was Children's Choice - School-age last inspected?
Jul 16, 2026. No citations were issued during that visit.
How much does Children's Choice - School-age cost?
California does not publish individual centers’ prices, so ask Children's Choice - School-age for its current tuition. For comparison, the median full-time price at licensed centers in San Diego County, which includes El Cajon, was $800 a month for school-age children (about $1,010 today) in the state’s 2021 Regional Market Rate Survey.
Who runs Children's Choice - School-age?
The licensee is Children's Choice Learning Connection, INC., and the administrator listed with the state is Freda Simmons.
Licensed centers nearby
1465 East Madison Avenue, El Cajon · under 0.1 mi away · 82 spotsAmong the most citedChildren's Choice - Infant
1465 East Madison Avenue, El Cajon · under 0.1 mi away · 19 spotsAmong the most citedCajon Valley Madison Elementary State Preschool
1615 East Madison Avenue, El Cajon · 0.3 mi away · 24 spotsMore citations than mostEl Cajon Wesleyan Preschool & Infant Care
1500 East Lexington Avenue, El Cajon · 0.5 mi away · 25 spotsMore citations than mostEl Cajon Wesleyan Preschool
1500 East Lexington Avenue, El Cajon · 0.5 mi away · 65 spotsMore citations than mostTaproot Montessori Preschool
1431 East Broadway, El Cajon · 0.5 mi away · 58 spotsToo few inspections to compare
Citations are quoted from California Department of Social Services inspection and complaint reports. Type A citations are the state’s most serious category (an immediate risk to children’s health, safety or personal rights); Type B citations are a potential risk. A citation is a finding about one rule, not a judgment about a center overall. Complaint allegations appear here only when the state substantiated them.
To read the full state reports, search facility number 376600966 on the California Care Facility Search. Data refreshed Oct 3, 2026.