The Children's Pre-school Center · Infant Center, Palo Alto
The Children's Pre-school Center is a licensed child care center in Palo Alto, CA, licensed for up to 45 children and serving infants and toddlers. It has held its California license since 1997. Since February 2021, state licensing staff have inspected it 4 times and investigated 2 complaints, 1 of them substantiated. The state issued 4 citations, 1 of them Type A (the most serious), most often for training & qualifications (2 of 4). None of them came in the last 12 months. Measured by weighted citations per inspection, it is #52 of 56 centers in Palo Alto and has more citations per inspection than 72% of California licensed centers.
Inspection record
Every state visit
What inspectors cited most
Citations, newest first
Based on observation and interview, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above as there were presence of pests in the facility but measures have been increased in the past month, which poses a potential health, safety, and/or personal rights risk to persons in care. 8 LPA determined the information obtained is sufficient to clear the deficiency. Moving forward, Director will ensure continued increased measures will be taken with the goal of keeping the facility free of pest.
Based on observation and interview, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above as 25 infants were in care with no assistant director on site, which poses a potential health, safety, and/or personal rights risk to persons in care. 8 Director will send written statement to LPA via email at jialing.zhu@dss.ca.gov on or before 09/26/2025.
Based on observation and interview, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above as a child was left unsupervised in the classroom, which posed an immediate threat to the health and safety of the child in care.
Based on observation and record review, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above in which poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care. LPA observed 4 staff members have an expired mandated dated reporter certificate. Director stated that staff members forgot that it needed to be renewed.
Complaint investigations
One (1) allegation of Physical Plant: Staff do not keep the facility free of pests.
How often are complaints about daycares in Santa Clara County substantiated? See the county-by-county report →
About this center
Other licenses at this address
Common questions
Does The Children's Pre-school Center take infants?
Yes. It is licensed by California as an infant center.
Has The Children's Pre-school Center had any serious violations?
California issued 1 Type A citation since 2021, its most serious category. The most recent was on Sep 26, 2024, for care and supervision. Each citation is listed in full above.
Have there been complaints about The Children's Pre-school Center?
California investigated 2 complaints since 2021 and substantiated 1. Allegations are shown only for substantiated complaints.
How does The Children's Pre-school Center compare with other daycares in Palo Alto?
It is #52 of 56 centers in Palo Alto by weighted citations per inspection, and has more citations per inspection than 72% of California licensed centers with enough inspection history to compare.
When was The Children's Pre-school Center last inspected?
Apr 3, 2025. No citations were issued during that visit.
How much does The Children's Pre-school Center cost?
California does not publish individual centers’ prices, so ask The Children's Pre-school Center for its current tuition. For comparison, the median full-time price at licensed centers in Santa Clara County, which includes Palo Alto, was $1,940 a month for infants (about $2,450 today) in the state’s 2021 Regional Market Rate Survey.
Who runs The Children's Pre-school Center?
The licensee is Children's Pre-school Center, INC., and the administrator listed with the state is Mayra Howard.
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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 434400297 on the California Care Facility Search. Data refreshed Oct 3, 2026.
Comparing centers? See how to choose a daycare: 30 questions to ask and a printable checklist.