Daycare RecordChild care inspection records

Whistle Stop, The

3801 Miranda Avenue #T6b, Palo Alto, CA 94304 · Santa Clara County
Child care center (preschool)

Whistle Stop, The is a licensed child care center in Palo Alto, CA, licensed for up to 53 children and serving preschool-age children. It has held its California license since 1995. Since February 2021, state licensing staff have inspected it 3 times. The state issued 1 citation, 0 of them Type A (the most serious). None came in the last 12 months. Measured by weighted citations per inspection, it is tied for #30 of 56 centers in Palo Alto and better than 55% of licensed centers statewide.

Inspection record

Better than 55%of 10,948 California licensed centers, comparing weighted citations per inspection. About typical
Tied for #30 of 56 centers in Palo Alto
0Type A citations
1Type B citations
3Inspections
0 of 0Complaints substantiated
1 citation from 3 state visits since Feb 8, 2021 · 0 in the last 12 months · last inspected Jul 17, 2025

Every state visit

20222023202420252026INSPECTIONS (top) · REPORTS & INVESTIGATIONS (bottom)Jul 17, 2025 · Inspection · no citationJun 14, 2024 · Inspection · citation foundDec 1, 2022 · Inspection · no citation
Citation issuedNo citationTop row: inspections · bottom row: complaint investigations and other visits

What inspectors cited most

Building & playground safety1

Citations, newest first

Type BJun 14, 2024InspectionBuilding & playground safety
Lead testing of drinking water §1597.16(a)(1)
Based on interview, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above as the facility has not met the requirement to perform lead testing on all faucets used for drinking and food preparation which poses/posed a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Plan of correction due Jul 15, 2024

About this center

Licensed capacity53 children
License typeChild care center (preschool)
License statusLicensed
Licensed sinceNov 29, 1995
LicenseePalo Alto Va Child Development, INC.
AdministratorValerie Routt
Phone(650) 852-3497
State facility #434400202

Other licenses at this address

Common questions

Does Whistle Stop, The take infants?

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

Has Whistle Stop, The had any serious violations?

No Type A citations since 2021. It has 1 Type B citation, listed above.

How does Whistle Stop, The compare with other daycares in Palo Alto?

It is tied for #30 of 56 centers in Palo Alto by weighted citations per inspection, and is better than 55% of licensed centers statewide (out of 10,948 California centers with enough inspection history).

When was Whistle Stop, The last inspected?

Jul 17, 2025. No citations were issued during that visit.

How much does Whistle Stop, The cost?

California does not publish individual centers’ prices, so ask Whistle Stop, The for its current tuition. For comparison, the median full-time price at licensed centers in Santa Clara County, which includes Palo Alto, was $1,599 a month for preschoolers (about $2,020 today) in the state’s 2021 Regional Market Rate Survey.

Who runs Whistle Stop, The?

The licensee is Palo Alto Va Child Development, INC., and the administrator listed with the state is Valerie Routt.

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 434400202 on the California Care Facility Search. Data refreshed Oct 2, 2026.