Daycare RecordChild care inspection records

Smart Start Preschool

2882 O'hara Ave, Brentwood, CA 94513 · Contra Costa County
2 substantiated complaintsChild care center (preschool)

Smart Start Preschool is a licensed child care center in Brentwood, CA, licensed for up to 30 children and serving preschool-age children. It has held its California license since 2014. Since February 2021, state licensing staff have inspected it 3 times and investigated 5 complaints, 2 of them substantiated. The state issued 14 citations, 1 of them Type A (the most serious), most often for building & playground safety (8 of 14). 6 citations came in the last 12 months. Measured by weighted citations per inspection, it is #35 of 37 centers in Brentwood and has more citations per inspection than 96% of California licensed centers.

Inspection record

More citations than 96%of 10,948 California licensed centers, per inspection, weighted by severity. Among the most cited
#35 of 37 centers in Brentwood
1Type A citations
13Type B citations
3Inspections
2 of 5Complaints substantiated
14 citations from 13 state visits since Feb 8, 2021 · 6 in the last 12 months · last inspected Feb 25, 2026

Every state visit

20222023202420252026INSPECTIONS (top) · REPORTS & INVESTIGATIONS (bottom)Mar 17, 2026 · Report/investigation · no citationMar 6, 2026 · Report/investigation · no citationFeb 25, 2026 · Inspection · citation foundOct 24, 2023 · Report/investigation · no citationOct 20, 2023 · Report/investigation · no citationOct 20, 2023 · Inspection · citation foundOct 20, 2023 · Report/investigation · citation foundApr 6, 2022 · Report/investigation · no citationMar 10, 2022 · Report/investigation · no citationMar 10, 2022 · Report/investigation · citation foundMar 10, 2022 · Report/investigation · citation foundMar 10, 2022 · Report/investigation · no citationMar 10, 2022 · Inspection · citation found
Citation issuedNo citationTop row: inspections · bottom row: complaint investigations and other visits

What inspectors cited most

Building & playground safety8
Records & paperwork3
Caregiver conduct2
Health & medication1

Citations, newest first

Type BFeb 25, 2026InspectionBuilding & playground safety
Buildings and grounds §101238(a)
The facility has three toilets for children. During the inspection, one toilet was not in operable condition which poses a potential risk to the health and safety of children in care,
Plan of correction due Mar 25, 2026
Type BFeb 25, 2026InspectionBuilding & playground safety
Outdoor activity space §101238.2(d)(1)
During the inspection LPA observed a large metal car, which is designed to be a stationary bouncing car, that was flipped on its side on the play yard and accessible to children which poses a potential risk to the health and safety of children in care.
Plan of correction due Mar 11, 2026
Type BFeb 25, 2026InspectionBuilding & playground safety
Outdoor activity space §101238.2(e)
During the visit, the facility did not have sufficient material to absorb falls under and around the climbing equipment which is a potential risk to the health and safety of children in care.
Plan of correction due Mar 25, 2026
Type BFeb 25, 2026InspectionBuilding & playground safety
Fixtures, furniture, equipment and supplies §101239(o)(1)
LPA observed the wooden play structure to have sharp, splintering wood which poses a potential risk to the health and safety of children in care.
Plan of correction due Mar 11, 2026
Type BFeb 25, 2026InspectionHealth & medication
Staff immunizations §1596.7995(a)(1)
S1 did not have proof of immunization for measles during the visit which poses a potential risk to the health and safety of children in care
Plan of correction due Mar 25, 2026
Type BFeb 25, 2026InspectionRecords & paperwork
Reporting requirements §101212(b)
The facility failed to report director changes to CCL within the required 10 days which poses a potential risk to the health and safety of children in care.
Plan of correction due Mar 25, 2026
Type BOct 20, 2023InspectionBuilding & playground safety
Outdoor activity space §101238.2(d)(1)
LPAs observed the wooden play structure to wobble when pressure was applied. LPAs also observed exposed nails on the play structure which poses a potential risk to the health and safety of children in care.
Plan of correction due Oct 27, 2023
Type BOct 20, 2023Case management visit (incident)Caregiver conduct
Personal rights §101223(a)(2)
staff engaed in a verbal altercation with a parent in the presence of children which poses a potential risk to the health and safety of children in care. 8 • Failure to correct will result in a $100 per day civil penalty until corrected. Repeat violations are $250 per violation and $100 per day until corrected.
Plan of correction due Oct 27, 2023
Type AMar 10, 2022Complaint investigationCaregiver conduct
Personal rights §101223(a)(2)
staff rinse towels that are soaking in bleach water and use the towels to clean children's hands. which poses an immediate risk to the health and safety of children in care. 8 • Failure to correct will result in a $100 per day civil penalty until corrected. Repeat violations are $250 per violation and $100 per day until corrected.
Plan of correction due Mar 11, 2022
Type BMar 10, 2022Complaint investigationBuilding & playground safety
Buildings and grounds §101238(a)
LPA observed the border around the play structure to be broken and a gate to be rusty which poses a potential risk to the health and safety of children in care. 8 Failure to correct will result in a $100 per day civil penalty until corrected. Repeat violations are $250 per violation and $100 per day until corrected.
Plan of correction due Mar 31, 2022
Type BMar 10, 2022InspectionBuilding & playground safety
Outdoor activity space §101238.2(e)
Based on observation, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above. There is not sufficient cushion material to absorb falls which poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Plan of correction due Mar 31, 2022
Type BMar 10, 2022InspectionRecords & paperwork
Personnel records §101217(d)
Based on record review the licensee did not comply with the section cited above. Rosa Garcia's file was not available during the inspection which poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Plan of correction due Mar 31, 2022
Type BMar 10, 2022InspectionRecords & paperwork
Children's records §101221(a)
Based on record review the licensee did not comply with the section cited above. C5 did not have a complete file available during the inspection which poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Plan of correction due Mar 31, 2022
Type BMar 10, 2022InspectionBuilding & playground safety
Fixtures, furniture, equipment and supplies §101239(0)(1)
Based on observation , the licensee did not comply with the section cited above. LPA oberserved the play structure to have slight movement when force was applied to it which poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Plan of correction due Mar 31, 2022

Complaint investigations

Not substantiatedOct 20, 2023Complaint investigationreceived Oct 11, 2023
The state did not substantiate this complaint, so its allegations are not shown.
Not substantiatedMar 10, 2022Complaint investigationreceived Mar 1, 2022
The state did not substantiate this complaint, so its allegations are not shown.
SubstantiatedMar 10, 2022Complaint investigationreceived Mar 1, 2022
Substantiated allegation:
Facility playground is in disrepair
1 citation issued during this investigation, listed under Citations.
SubstantiatedMar 10, 2022Complaint investigationreceived Mar 1, 2022
Substantiated allegation:
Staff expose children to hazardous cleaning products
1 citation issued during this investigation, listed under Citations.
Not substantiatedMar 10, 2022Complaint investigationreceived Mar 1, 2022
The state did not substantiate this complaint, so its allegations are not shown.

About this center

Licensed capacity30 children
License typeChild care center (preschool)
License statusLicensed
Licensed sinceMar 14, 2014
LicenseeRosa Garcia
AdministratorPatricia Cochran
Phone(925) 949-8557
State facility #073407432

Common questions

Does Smart Start Preschool take infants?

Not under this license, which covers preschool-age children.

Has Smart Start Preschool had any serious violations?

California issued 1 Type A citation since 2021, its most serious category. The most recent was on Mar 10, 2022, for personal rights. Each citation is listed in full above.

Have there been complaints about Smart Start Preschool?

California investigated 5 complaints since 2021 and substantiated 2. Allegations are shown only for substantiated complaints.

How does Smart Start Preschool compare with other daycares in Brentwood?

It is #35 of 37 centers in Brentwood by weighted citations per inspection, and has more citations per inspection than 96% of California licensed centers with enough inspection history to compare.

When was Smart Start Preschool last inspected?

Feb 25, 2026. The state issued at least one citation during that visit.

How much does Smart Start Preschool cost?

California does not publish individual centers’ prices, so ask Smart Start Preschool for its current tuition. For comparison, the median full-time price at licensed centers in Contra Costa County, which includes Brentwood, was $1,287 a month for preschoolers (about $1,620 today) in the state’s 2021 Regional Market Rate Survey.

Who runs Smart Start Preschool?

The licensee is Rosa Garcia, and the administrator listed with the state is Patricia Cochran.

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 073407432 on the California Care Facility Search. Data refreshed Oct 2, 2026.