Daycare Record Child care inspection records

Tri-city Christian Preschool

302 North Emerald Drive, Vista, CA 92083 · San Diego County
1 substantiated complaint Child care center (preschool)

Tri-city Christian Preschool is a licensed child care center in Vista, CA, licensed for up to 111 children and serving preschool-age children. It has held its California license since 1974. Since February 2021, state licensing staff have inspected it 3 times and investigated 1 complaint, 1 of them substantiated. The state issued 2 citations, 1 of them Type A (the most serious). None of them came in the last 12 months. Measured by weighted citations per inspection, it is tied for #30 of 53 centers in Vista and has more citations per inspection than 70% of California licensed centers.

Inspection record

More citations than 70% of 10,948 California licensed centers, per inspection, weighted by severity. More citations than most
Tied for #30 of 53 centers in Vista
1 Type A citations
1 Type B citations
3 Inspections
1 of 1 Complaints substantiated
2 citations from 6 state visits since Feb 8, 2021 · 0 in the last 12 months · last inspected Aug 28, 2025

Every state visit

2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 INSPECTIONS (top) · REPORTS & INVESTIGATIONS (bottom) Aug 28, 2025 · Inspection · no citation May 7, 2024 · Report/investigation · no citation Mar 12, 2024 · Report/investigation · no citation Feb 27, 2024 · Report/investigation · citation found Aug 11, 2023 · Inspection · no citation Aug 16, 2022 · Inspection · no citation
Citation issued No citation Top row: inspections · bottom row: complaint investigations and other visits

What inspectors cited most

Supervision 1
Records & paperwork 1

Citations, newest first

Type A Feb 27, 2024 Complaint investigation Supervision
Care and supervision §101229(a)(1)
(a) The licensee shall provide care and supervision as necessary to meet the children's needs. (1) No child(ren) shall be left without the supervision of a teacher at any time, except as specified in Sections 101216.2(e)(1) and 101230(c)(1). Supervision shall include visual observation. This requirement was not met as evidence by... Center has already implemented a new “Name to Face” policy where a full walk through of the area or classroom will be conducted prior to staff and children leaving the classroom. In addition, attendance is called by calling the children’s names one by one. The Director immediately implemented a training for all staff to incorporate counting and time stamps at transitions. Proof of training was provided to LPA during the investigation. Based on five of six interviews and records reviewed, C1 was left alone in the classroom for approximately thirty minutes without supervision. C1 was found by S4 and S6 upon their return to the classroom, which poses an immediate health, safety and/or personal rights risk to children in care. 8 A $500 CIVIL PEANLTY WAS…
Plan of correction due Mar 6, 2024
Type B Feb 27, 2024 Complaint investigation Records & paperwork
Reporting requirements §101212(d)(1)(C)
Reporting Requirements (d) Upon the occurrence, during the operation of the child care center of any of the events specified in (d)(1) below, a report shall be made to the Department by telephone or fax within the Department's next working day and during its normal business hours. In addition, a written report containing the information specified in (C)Any unusual incident or child absence that threatens the physical or emotional health or safety of any child. This requirement was not met as evidence by... 1 Director will read and review 101212(d)(1)(C) and sign a written declaration of understanding regarding Reporting Requirements. Director will also agree to call Duty officer with 24 hours. On 2/21/24, C1 was left unsupervised in classroom the entire duration of music class and not found until classroom and teachers returned. No UIR was called in or reported to CCL within 10 days of the occurrence. This poses a potential health, safety and/or personal rights risk to the children in care. 8
Plan of correction due Mar 6, 2024

Complaint investigations

Substantiated Feb 27, 2024 Complaint investigation received Feb 21, 2024
Substantiated allegations:
Staff left child in care unsupervised
Staff did not follow reporting requirements
2 citations issued during this investigation, listed under Citations.

How often are complaints about daycares in San Diego County substantiated? See the county-by-county report →

About this center

Licensed capacity 111 children
License type Child care center (preschool)
License status Licensed
Licensed since Sep 6, 1974
Licensee Tri-city Church
Administrator Laura (Katie) Donahue
Phone (760) 630-8227
State facility # 372000597
Parent reviews Google Maps reviews
Not checked by Daycare Record

Common questions

Does Tri-city Christian Preschool take infants?

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

Has Tri-city Christian Preschool had any serious violations?

California issued 1 Type A citation since 2021, its most serious category. The most recent was on Feb 27, 2024, for care and supervision. Each citation is listed in full above.

Have there been complaints about Tri-city Christian Preschool?

California investigated 1 complaint since 2021 and substantiated 1. Allegations are shown only for substantiated complaints.

How does Tri-city Christian Preschool compare with other daycares in Vista?

It is tied for #30 of 53 centers in Vista by weighted citations per inspection, and has more citations per inspection than 70% of California licensed centers with enough inspection history to compare.

When was Tri-city Christian Preschool last inspected?

Aug 28, 2025. No citations were issued during that visit.

How much does Tri-city Christian Preschool cost?

California does not publish individual centers’ prices, so ask Tri-city Christian Preschool for its current tuition. For comparison, the median full-time price at licensed centers in San Diego County, which includes Vista, was $1,013 a month for preschoolers (about $1,280 today) in the state’s 2021 Regional Market Rate Survey.

Who runs Tri-city Christian Preschool?

The licensee is Tri-city Church, and the administrator listed with the state is Laura (Katie) Donahue.

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 372000597 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.