Step One School
Step One School is a licensed child care center in Berkeley, CA, licensed for up to 108 children and serving preschool-age children. It has held its California license since 1985. Since February 2021, state licensing staff have inspected it 3 times. The state issued 2 citations, 2 of them Type A (the most serious). 1 citation came in the last 12 months, including 1 Type A. Measured by weighted citations per inspection, it is tied for #44 of 58 centers in Berkeley and better than 17% of licensed centers statewide.
Inspection record
Every state visit
What inspectors cited most
Citations, newest first
Based on interviews, the licensee did not comply with the section cited 1 By 05/15/2026, Executive Director and Program Director stated they will submit a written statement on how facility will come back into compliance. 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. above when S1 placed their hands under C1's under arm in an attempt to bring C1 closer to S1 to talk, leaving a red mark on C1 which poses an immediate risk to the health, safety or personal rights of children in care.
Based on staff interviews and records review it was determined that a child was able to leave the facility and go up the street without adult supervision; which poses an immediate risk to the health, safety, and Personal Rights of the children in care.
About this center
Common questions
Does Step One School take infants?
Not under this license, which covers preschool-age children.
Has Step One School had any serious violations?
California issued 2 Type A citations since 2021, its most serious category. The most recent was on May 14, 2026, for personal rights. Each citation is listed in full above.
How does Step One School compare with other daycares in Berkeley?
It is tied for #44 of 58 centers in Berkeley 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 Step One School last inspected?
Jun 3, 2026. No citations were issued during that visit.
How much does Step One School cost?
California does not publish individual centers’ prices, so ask Step One School for its current tuition. For comparison, the median full-time price at licensed centers in Alameda County, which includes Berkeley, was $1,547 a month for preschoolers (about $1,950 today) in the state’s 2021 Regional Market Rate Survey.
Who runs Step One School?
The licensee is Step One School, and the administrator listed with the state is Susana Casher.
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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 010209297 on the California Care Facility Search. Data refreshed Oct 2, 2026.