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Ucsd Early Childhood Education Center - Main Site

3815 Mesa Park Ct, La Jolla, CA 92093 · San Diego County
Child care center (preschool)

Ucsd Early Childhood Education Center - Main Site is a licensed child care center in La Jolla, CA, licensed for up to 376 children and serving preschool-age children. It has held its California license since 1996. Since February 2021, state licensing staff have inspected it twice and investigated 1 complaint, which was not substantiated. The state issued 4 citations, 1 of them Type A (the most serious), most often for supervision (2 of 4). 1 citation came in the last 12 months. Measured by weighted citations per inspection, it is #15 of 15 centers in La Jolla and has more citations per inspection than 88% of California licensed centers.

Inspection record

More citations than 88% of 10,948 California licensed centers, per inspection, weighted by severity. Among the most cited
#15 of 15 centers in La Jolla
1 Type A citations
3 Type B citations
2 Inspections
0 of 1 Complaints substantiated
4 citations from 9 state visits since Feb 8, 2021 · 1 in the last 12 months · last inspected Dec 11, 2025

Every state visit

2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 INSPECTIONS (top) · REPORTS & INVESTIGATIONS (bottom) Sep 9, 2026 · Report/investigation · no citation Dec 11, 2025 · Inspection · no citation Oct 22, 2025 · Report/investigation · citation found Apr 23, 2025 · Report/investigation · citation found Sep 25, 2023 · Report/investigation · no citation Aug 7, 2023 · Report/investigation · no citation Aug 2, 2023 · Inspection · no citation Jun 21, 2023 · Report/investigation · citation found May 25, 2023 · Report/investigation · citation found
Citation issued No citation Top row: inspections · bottom row: complaint investigations and other visits

What inspectors cited most

Supervision 2
Health & medication 1
Building & playground safety 1

Citations, newest first

Type B Oct 22, 2025 Case management visit (deficiencies) Health & medication
Health-related services §101226(e)(1)(A)
… Director will conduct a meeting with all staff to review and discuss medication storage procedures and staff self- reporting requirements and provide a copy of meeting agenda by email to Annette.Sutherland@dss.ca.gov Based upon facility self reporting, Tylenol pills were left on the cot of child. Pills were found on the ground which poses a potential health, safety and personal rights risk to children in care.
Plan of correction due Nov 12, 2025
Type A Apr 23, 2025 Case management visit (deficiencies) Supervision
Care and supervision §101229(a)(1)
Based on self reported incident C1 was able to leave the classroom and get through several doors and run into the parking lot which poses an immediate risk to the health, safety and personal rights of children in care.
Plan of correction due Mar 27, 2025
Type B Jun 21, 2023 Complaint investigation Supervision
Care and supervision §101229(a)(1)
… 1 Director will provide written plan to LPA how staff is properly supervising children and staff training with sign in sheet by 6/28/23 via email to Annette.Sutherland@dss.ca.gov Based upon facility documents, interviews with multiple parties, the facility did not insure that children were supervised at all times which poses a potential health, safety and personal rights risk to children in care.
Plan of correction due Jun 23, 2023
Type B May 25, 2023 Case management visit (lead testing/exceedance) Building & playground safety
Lead in drinking water §101700.3(b)(2)
Ms. Santa Maria reported, the drinking fountains in exceedance were permanently removed on 4/24/23. Prior to removal, the drinking fountains were covered to make them inaccessible to children and staff. On 12/16/2022, licensee failed to maintain a lead value at or below the Action Level for water lead testing resulting with values of 5.5 ppb or greater for: Building D, room 6, sink drinking fountain; Building C, room 7, sink drinking fountain; Building 2, drinking fountain, outside; and Building 3, drinking fountain, outside. Water testing results identified with Action Level Exceedance as defined in WD section 101700.3. are not deemed safe to drink.” 8 The children bring water bottles from home and the facility provides filtered water to the children when refills are needed. Food preparation takes place in the kitchen using filtered water. Deficiency has been corrected.
Plan of correction due May 25, 2023

How common are lead-in-water citations in San Diego County? See the county-by-county report →

Complaint investigations

Not substantiated Jun 21, 2023 Complaint investigation received May 22, 2023
The state did not substantiate this complaint, so its allegations are not shown.
1 citation 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 376 children
License type Child care center (preschool)
License status Licensed
Licensed since Jul 2, 1996
Licensee Ucsd Early Childhood Education Center
Administrator Lucia Santa Maria
Phone (858) 246-0900
State facility # 372006398
Parent reviews Google Maps reviews
Not checked by Daycare Record

Other licenses at this address

Common questions

Does Ucsd Early Childhood Education Center - Main Site take infants?

Not under this license, which covers preschool-age children. An infant center is licensed separately at the same address (listed below).

Has Ucsd Early Childhood Education Center - Main Site had any serious violations?

California issued 1 Type A citation since 2021, its most serious category. The most recent was on Apr 23, 2025, for care and supervision. Each citation is listed in full above.

Have there been complaints about Ucsd Early Childhood Education Center - Main Site?

California investigated 1 complaint since 2021 and substantiated 0. Allegations are shown only for substantiated complaints.

How does Ucsd Early Childhood Education Center - Main Site compare with other daycares in La Jolla?

It is #15 of 15 centers in La Jolla by weighted citations per inspection, and has more citations per inspection than 88% of California licensed centers with enough inspection history to compare.

When was Ucsd Early Childhood Education Center - Main Site last inspected?

Dec 11, 2025. No citations were issued during that visit.

How much does Ucsd Early Childhood Education Center - Main Site cost?

California does not publish individual centers’ prices, so ask Ucsd Early Childhood Education Center - Main Site for its current tuition. For comparison, the median full-time price at licensed centers in San Diego County, which includes La Jolla, was $1,013 a month for preschoolers (about $1,280 today) in the state’s 2021 Regional Market Rate Survey.

Who runs Ucsd Early Childhood Education Center - Main Site?

The licensee is Ucsd Early Childhood Education Center, and the administrator listed with the state is Lucia Santa Maria.

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 372006398 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.