Pajaro Valley Children's Center
Pajaro Valley Children's Center is a licensed child care center in Watsonville, CA, licensed for up to 24 children and serving preschool-age children. It has held its California license since 1995. Since February 2021, state licensing staff have inspected it twice and investigated 1 complaint, and it was substantiated. The state issued 5 citations, none of them Type A. None of them came in the last 12 months. Measured by weighted citations per inspection, it is #16 of 18 centers in Watsonville and has more citations per inspection than 85% of California licensed centers.
Inspection record
Every state visit
What inspectors cited most
Citations, newest first
The Site Director is now attending the facility from 8:00AM-4:00PM. A signed letter shall be submitted from the Site Director indicating that she understands she shall be present at the faciltiy during operating hours and submitted to the Department by 7/19/2024. The Site Director has not been at the faciltiy during the hours of operation (as she is arriving after the center opens), which poses a potential risk to the health, safety, and personal rights of children in care.
Based on observation, interview, and record review, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above as rusted toys were located in the sandbox and playground structure has visible dirt/staining, which poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Based on observation, interview, and record review, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above during outside play time when a child entered the kitchen unannounced, which poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Based on observation, interview, and record review, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above for one staff member out of four present today, which poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Based on observation, interview, and record review, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above as the kitchen fridge and pantry possessed expired food products, which poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Complaint investigations
Director not present during hours of operation
How often are complaints about daycares in California substantiated? See the county-by-county report →
About this center
Other licenses at this address
Common questions
Does Pajaro Valley Children's Center take infants?
Not under this license, which covers preschool-age children. An infant center is licensed separately at the same address (listed below).
Has Pajaro Valley Children's Center had any serious violations?
No Type A citations since 2021. It has 5 Type B citations, listed above.
Have there been complaints about Pajaro Valley Children's Center?
California investigated 1 complaint since 2021 and substantiated 1. Allegations are shown only for substantiated complaints.
How does Pajaro Valley Children's Center compare with other daycares in Watsonville?
It is #16 of 18 centers in Watsonville by weighted citations per inspection, and has more citations per inspection than 85% of California licensed centers with enough inspection history to compare.
When was Pajaro Valley Children's Center last inspected?
Jul 3, 2025. No citations were issued during that visit.
How much does Pajaro Valley Children's Center cost?
California does not publish individual centers’ prices, so ask Pajaro Valley Children's Center for its current tuition. For comparison, the median full-time price at licensed centers in Santa Cruz County, which includes Watsonville, was $1,183 a month for preschoolers (about $1,490 today) in the state’s 2021 Regional Market Rate Survey.
Who runs Pajaro Valley Children's Center?
The licensee is Pajaro Valley Children's Center, and the administrator listed with the state is Rosa Mendoza.
Licensed centers nearby
234 Montecito Street, Watsonville · under 0.1 mi away · 8 spots Among the most cited Watsonville Children's Center
32 Madison Street, Watsonville · 0.5 mi away · 90 spots More citations than most La Casita Early Head Start
412 E Lake Ave, Watsonville · 0.5 mi away · 8 spots Too few inspections to compare H.a. Hyde Preschool Migrant & Seasonal Head Start
125 Alta Vista Ave., Watsonville · 0.7 mi away · 24 spots No citations H.a. Hyde Infant Migrant & Seasonal Head Start.
125 Alta Vista Ave., Watsonville · 0.7 mi away · 16 spots No citations Starlight Children's Center
360 Arthur Road, Watsonville · 0.7 mi away · 16 spots Too 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 440709560 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.