South Dos Palos Head Start
South Dos Palos Head Start is a licensed child care center in Dos Palos, CA, licensed for up to 42 children and serving preschool-age children. It has held its California license since 2006. Since February 2021, state licensing staff have inspected it 5 times. The state issued 3 citations, 0 of them Type A (the most serious), most often for building & playground safety (2 of 3). 1 citation came in the last 12 months. Measured by weighted citations per inspection, it is tied for #67 of 98 centers in Merced County and has more citations per inspection than 53% of California licensed centers.
Inspection record
Every state visit
What inspectors cited most
Citations, newest first
Based on observation, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above which poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care. Licensing Program Analyst (LPA) observed a small section of the chain link fence in the children's playground was in disrepair as two holes (one large, one small) toward the bottom of the fence were observed.
Based on interview and record review, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above Licensee has not tested the water at the facility, which poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Based on interviews with teachers room 1 has the Home Base program utilizing half of the room for an hour and a half for up to 12 children which include, pregnant parents, infants and toddlers ages 0-36 months twice a month. This space is licensed for preschool and as a toddler option for 4 toddler children ages 18-36 months, therefore operating outside limitations of the capacity of the license, which poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
How common are lead-in-water citations in California? See the county-by-county report →
About this center
Common questions
Does South Dos Palos Head Start take infants?
Not under this license, which covers preschool-age children.
Has South Dos Palos Head Start had any serious violations?
No Type A citations since 2021. It has 3 Type B citations, listed above.
How does South Dos Palos Head Start compare with other daycares in Merced County?
It is tied for #67 of 98 centers in Merced County by weighted citations per inspection, and has more citations per inspection than 53% of California licensed centers with enough inspection history to compare.
When was South Dos Palos Head Start last inspected?
Jan 27, 2026. The state issued at least one citation during that visit.
How much does South Dos Palos Head Start cost?
California does not publish individual centers’ prices, so ask South Dos Palos Head Start for its current tuition. For comparison, the median full-time price at licensed centers in Merced County, which includes Dos Palos, was $730 a month for preschoolers (about $920 today) in the state’s 2021 Regional Market Rate Survey.
Who runs South Dos Palos Head Start?
The licensee is Merced Co. Office Of Education Regional Head Start, and the administrator listed with the state is Araceli Tovar.
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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 243808259 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.