Special Explorers Center
Special Explorers Center is a licensed child care center in Bakersfield, CA, licensed for up to 30 children and serving school-age children. It has held its California license since 2016. Since February 2021, state licensing staff have inspected it 3 times. The state issued 6 citations, 0 of them Type A (the most serious), most often for building & playground safety (2 of 6). 2 citations came in the last 12 months. Measured by weighted citations per inspection, it is tied for #104 of 122 centers in Bakersfield and better than 17% of licensed centers statewide.
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. LPA observed in the boy’s bathroom there is crumbing of a wall that looks to be damaged by water to the Sheetrock Which poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care. General Manager has reached out to owner to have wall fixed.
Based on interview and record review the licensee did not comply with the section cited above. The damaged wall in the boy's bathroom was not reported to CCLD. Which posed a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care. Per staff wall has been damaged for about 4 to 5 months.
Based on record review, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above in which Staff #1 and Staff #2 are missing required immunization's. Staff #1 is missing influenza, pertussis, and measles. Staff #2 is missing influenza which poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Based on record review, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above in which Staff #1 and Staff #2 are missing mandated reporter training which poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Based on interview and record review, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above in which no staff have current pediatric first aid/CPR completed which poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Based on record review, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above in which last fire/disaster drill was conducted and documented on April 2022 which poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
About this center
Common questions
Does Special Explorers Center take infants?
Not under this license, which covers school-age children.
Has Special Explorers Center had any serious violations?
No Type A citations since 2021. It has 6 Type B citations, listed above.
How does Special Explorers Center compare with other daycares in Bakersfield?
It is tied for #104 of 122 centers in Bakersfield by weighted citations per inspection, and is better than 17% of licensed centers statewide (out of 10,948 California centers with enough inspection history).
When was Special Explorers Center last inspected?
Feb 11, 2026. The state issued at least one citation during that visit.
How much does Special Explorers Center cost?
California does not publish individual centers’ prices, so ask Special Explorers Center for its current tuition. For comparison, the median full-time price at licensed centers in Kern County, which includes Bakersfield, was $717 a month for school-age children (about $900 today) in the state’s 2021 Regional Market Rate Survey.
Who runs Special Explorers Center?
The licensee is Bowcor, INC. DBA Special Explorer Center, and the administrator listed with the state is Damian Bowden.
Licensed centers nearby
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1130 17th Street, Bakersfield · 0.5 mi away · 72 spotsAmong the most citedGarden Pathways Downtown Education Center
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609 E California Ave, Bakersfield · 0.7 mi away · 42 spotsMore citations than mostBright Futures Preschool LLC
608 Kentucky St, Bakersfield · 0.8 mi away · 9 spotsMore citations than mostBright Futures Preschool LLC
608 Kentucky St, Bakersfield · 0.8 mi away · 32 spotsAmong the most cited
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 153808928 on the California Care Facility Search. Data refreshed Oct 2, 2026.