Daycare RecordChild care inspection records

La Petite Academy

12668 Sabre Springs Parkway, San Diego, CA 92128 · San Diego County
2 substantiated complaintsChild care center (preschool)

La Petite Academy is a licensed child care center in San Diego, CA, licensed for up to 123 children and serving preschool-age children. It has held its California license since 1994. Since February 2021, state licensing staff have inspected it 2 times and investigated 3 complaints, 2 of them substantiated. The state issued 9 citations, 3 of them Type A (the most serious), most often for caregiver conduct (4 of 9). None came in the last 12 months. Measured by weighted citations per inspection, it is tied for #300 of 307 centers in San Diego and has more citations per inspection than 98% of California licensed centers.

Inspection record

More citations than 98%of 10,948 California licensed centers, per inspection, weighted by severity. Among the most cited
Tied for #300 of 307 centers in San Diego
3Type A citations
6Type B citations
2Inspections
2 of 3Complaints substantiated
9 citations from 14 state visits since Feb 8, 2021 · 0 in the last 12 months · last inspected Dec 2, 2024

Every state visit

20222023202420252026INSPECTIONS (top) · REPORTS & INVESTIGATIONS (bottom)Jul 21, 2026 · Report/investigation · no citationJun 6, 2025 · Report/investigation · citation foundMay 20, 2025 · Report/investigation · citation foundApr 25, 2025 · Report/investigation · no citationDec 2, 2024 · Inspection · citation foundApr 17, 2024 · Report/investigation · no citationJan 11, 2024 · Report/investigation · no citationJan 5, 2024 · Report/investigation · no citationMay 24, 2023 · Report/investigation · no citationMay 22, 2023 · Report/investigation · no citationApr 18, 2023 · Report/investigation · citation foundApr 12, 2023 · Report/investigation · no citationApr 12, 2023 · Report/investigation · citation foundNov 15, 2021 · Inspection · no citation
Citation issuedNo citationTop row: inspections · bottom row: complaint investigations and other visits

What inspectors cited most

Caregiver conduct4
Health & medication3
Training & qualifications1
Other standards1

Citations, newest first

Type AJun 6, 2025Case management visit (deficiencies)Caregiver conduct
Personal rights §101223(a)(3)
Based on interview and video evidence, staff member S1, was observed continuously pulling child C2 across the classroom floor by the hand – an incident captured by cameras. This posed an immediate health, safety, and personal rights risks to the children in care. 8 communicate this deficiency to the center director. Deficiency cleared during visit.
Plan of correction due Jun 6, 2025
Type BMay 20, 2025Complaint investigationCaregiver conduct
Personal rights §101223(a)(1)
Based on staff interviews and record review, several staff heard and witnessed another staff member yell at children in a forceful manner. This poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to the children in care.
Plan of correction due Jun 19, 2025
Type BMay 20, 2025Complaint investigationCaregiver conduct
Personal rights §101223(a)(2)
101223(a)(2) Personal Rights: The licensee shall ensure that each child is accorded the following personal rights (2) To be accorded safe, healthful and comfortable accommodations, furnishings and equipment to meet his/her needs. Interim center director, Ms. Herrera, stated she will conduct a training on Personal Rights and submit the training agenda with list of all preschool staff attendees to the Dept by 6/19/25. Email: Gerald.Poindexter@dss.ca.gov Based on staff interviews and record review, several staff have heard and witnessed other staff members arguing in the classroom, in front of children in care. This poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to the children in care. 8
Plan of correction due Jun 19, 2025
Type BDec 2, 2024InspectionTraining & qualifications
Mandated reporter training §1596.8662(b)(1)
Based on record review, the facility did not comply with the section cited above. The facility did not maintain current mandated reporter certification for 1 of 6 staff present. This poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Plan of correction due Dec 12, 2024
Type BDec 2, 2024InspectionHealth & medication
Staff immunizations §1596.7995(a)(1)
Based on record review, the facility did not comply with the section cited above. Staff S2 was missing immunization for pertussis which poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Plan of correction due Dec 12, 2024
Type AApr 18, 2023Complaint investigationCaregiver conduct
Personal rights §101223(a)(2)
Based on director and staff interviews , child sustained an allergic reaction due to staff negligence while in care. This poses an immediate/potential health, safety or personal rights risk to children in care. 8 Request Denied
Plan of correction due Apr 18, 2023
Type AApr 18, 2023Complaint investigationHealth & medication
Health-related services §101226(b)
Based on director and staff interviews, staff did not seek medical attention in a timely matter. This poses an immediate/potential health, safety or personal rights risk to children in care.
Plan of correction due Apr 18, 2023
Type BApr 12, 2023Case management visit (deficiencies)Other standards
Rule §376600083(d)(1)
Director has provided correction on today's visit. She will ensure that in the future incidents are reported on the duty line (619)767-2248 and submit an incident report by email to SDIncidentReports@dss.ca.gov or by Fax at (619 767-2203 within 24 hours of occurring. Licensee will also provide written statement explaining that she will submit future reports per the required time frames to LPA Annette.Sutherland@dss.ca.gov This requirement was not met as evidenced by the department did not receive an incident report within 24 hours. This poses a potential health and safety risk to children in care.
Plan of correction due Apr 14, 2023
Type BApr 12, 2023Case management visit (deficiencies)Health & medication
Health-related services §101226(3)(A)
Director will provide a written statement to explain procedures and how medication dates will be tracked. This requirement was not met as evidenced by medication has expired. This poses a potential health and safety risk to children in care.
Plan of correction due Apr 14, 2023

Complaint investigations

Not substantiatedJul 21, 2026Complaint investigationreceived May 4, 2026
The state did not substantiate this complaint, so its allegations are not shown.
SubstantiatedMay 20, 2025Complaint investigationreceived Apr 7, 2025
Substantiated allegations:
Staff yelled at the daycare children while in care
Staff behavior poses a risk while daycare children are present
2 citations issued during this investigation, listed under Citations.
SubstantiatedApr 18, 2023Complaint investigationreceived Apr 10, 2023
Substantiated allegations:
1. Day care child sustained allergic reaction due to staff's negligence while in care.
2. Staff did not seek medical attention in a timely manner.
2 citations issued during this investigation, listed under Citations.

About this center

Licensed capacity123 children
License typeChild care center (preschool)
License statusLicensed
Licensed sinceNov 16, 1994
LicenseeLa Petite Academy Incorporated
AdministratorHeidy Balderas
Phone(858) 486-7197
State facility #376600083

Other licenses at this address

Common questions

Does La Petite Academy take infants?

Not under this license, which covers preschool-age children. An infant center is licensed separately at the same address (listed below).

Has La Petite Academy had any serious violations?

California issued 3 Type A citations since 2021, its most serious category. The most recent was on Jun 6, 2025, for personal rights. Each citation is listed in full above.

Have there been complaints about La Petite Academy?

California investigated 3 complaints since 2021 and substantiated 2. Allegations are shown only for substantiated complaints.

How does La Petite Academy compare with other daycares in San Diego?

It is tied for #300 of 307 centers in San Diego by weighted citations per inspection, and has more citations per inspection than 98% of California licensed centers with enough inspection history to compare.

When was La Petite Academy last inspected?

Dec 2, 2024. The state issued at least one citation during that visit.

How much does La Petite Academy cost?

California does not publish individual centers’ prices, so ask La Petite Academy for its current tuition. For comparison, the median full-time price at licensed centers in San Diego County, which includes San Diego, was $1,013 a month for preschoolers (about $1,280 today) in the state’s 2021 Regional Market Rate Survey.

Who runs La Petite Academy?

The licensee is La Petite Academy Incorporated, and the administrator listed with the state is Heidy Balderas.

Licensed centers nearby

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 376600083 on the California Care Facility Search. Data refreshed Oct 2, 2026.