Chesterbrook Academy · 2301 Harrisburg Pike, Lancaster
Chesterbrook Academy is a certified child care center in Lancaster, PA, with capacity for 179 children. It holds a Keystone STAR 4 (accredited) rating. Since August 2021, Pennsylvania certification staff have inspected it 8 times and confirmed violations in 3 complaint investigations. The state cited 76 violations, 9 of them core-safety (supervision, staff ratios, discipline, background checks, child protection or safe sleep), most often for building & playground safety (19 of 76). 16 citations came in the last 12 months, including 2 on a core-safety topic. Measured by topic-weighted citations per inspection, it is tied for #65 of 73 centers in Lancaster and has more citations per inspection than 88% of Pennsylvania certified centers.
Inspection record
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Documentation of updated PA state police clearance and child abuse clearance was not available for staff #2. The most recent state police clearance was dated 3/30/21 and the child abuse clearance was dated 3/26/21. Staff #5 has not completed mandated reporter training within the last 60 months. This is evidenced by the previously documented mandated reporter training on file being dated 3/16/21. Documentation that staff #6 had completed mandated reporter training within 90 days of service was not available. The mandated reporter training was dated 2/28/24. See LIS for date of hire.
Food stains were observed on the wall by the trash can in the Pre-K A classroom. Unidentified substance was observed on the walls of the bathroom shared by Pre-K classrooms. Unidentified substance was observed on the wall of the bathroom in the Pre-school classroom.
Documentation that child #4 had received Hepatitis A vaccination in accordance with the schedule recommended by the ACIP was not available. Documentation that child #5 had received Hepatitis A vaccination in accordance with the schedule recommended by the ACIP was not available.
Written consent from a parent to administer medication was not available for child #1, child #2, or child #3.
Documentation showed that Staff #1 had a health assessment on 8/31/23 and again on 3/1/26, exceeding the requirement that staff health assessments be conducted every 24 months. Documentation showed that Staff #2 had a health assessment on 1/3/24 and again on 3/10/26, exceeding the requirement that staff health assessments be conducted every 24 months. Documentation showed that Staff #3 had a health assessment on 8/28/23 and again on 3/9/26, exceeding the requirement that staff health assessments be conducted every 24 months.
Documentation of the date of the TB test for staff #7 was not available.
Documentation showed that a fire system test was conducted on 2/4/26 and again on 3/17/26, exceeding the requirement that the fire detection system be tested every 30 days.
Documentation showed that staff #1 completed Pediatric First Aid and CPR on 10/9/23 and again on 11/11/25, exceeding the requirement that CPR training be completed prior to the expiration of the certificate. Documentation showed that staff #4 completed Pediatric First Aid and CPR on 9/14/23 and again on 11/11/25, exceeding the requirement that CPR training be completed prior to the expiration of the certificate.
Documentation showed that staff #2 completed fire safety training on 1/3/25 and again on 2/24/26, exceeding the requirement that fire safety training be completed annually (within 12 months of previous completion). Documentation showed that staff #3 completed fire safety training on 1/14/25 and again on 2/25/26, exceeding the requirement that fire safety training be completed annually (within 12 months of previous completion). Documentation showed that staff #5 completed fire safety training on 1/14/25 and again on 2/25/26, exceeding the requirement that fire safety training be completed annually (within 12 months of previous completion).
Documentation that staff #5 received a staff evaluation within 12 months was not available. The most recent staff evaluation was dated May 2025 with no evidence that an evaluation had been conducted in 2024.
Documentation of education was not available for staff #6.
Staff person #2's record did not include a complete disclosure statement.
Fire drills were not conducted at least once every 60 days (10/6/25, 1/13/26)
The testing of the fire detection system was not conducted at least every 30 days (10/6/25, 1/9/26).
Staff person #1, #2, and #3's files did not include the required verification of child care experience.
Staff person #3 and #4's records did not include verification of education. Staff person #4's education is from another country and the document on file which provides the evaluation was obtained from an agency that our department does not accept.
Show 60 older citations
Staff person #1 required an out-of-state Sex Offender Registry clearance, and it was not on file (corrected during inspection).
It was observed, in Rm 127, that one of the toilets was not functioning (corrected during inspection).
It was observed, in the 2-3 yr classroom (Rm 124) that Bingo chips and Unifix cubes (smaller than 1" diameter) were accessible to children (corrected during inspection).
The time between Staff person #6's health assessments exceeded the permitted every 24 months' timeframe (11/29/22, 1/2/25).
Staff person #7's initial health assessment was conducted more than 12 months prior to providing initial service (5/4/23) See Code Sheet
Staff person #2, #3, and #4, #5, and #6's time between staff evaluations exceeded the permitted annual timeframe (4/20/23, 7/25/24) and (4/19/23, 7/25/24), (5/16/23, 7/25/24), (5/18/23, 7/4/24), (4/14/23, 7/25/24) respectively.
Staff person #4's record did not contain the verification of child care experience needed to be utilized as an Assistant Group Supervisor, but was being used as an AGS.(corrected during inspection).
Staff person #1's file did not contain the NSOR clearance. See Code Sheet
Staff person #1's record did not include verification of education.
Staff person #1's file did not contain an FBI clearance and had been working beyond the 45 days provisional permitted timeframe. Staff person #4's file did not contain and NSOR clearance and had been working beyond the 45 days provisional permitted timeframe. Staff person #7's file did not contain a completed Disclosure Statement.
Staff person #8 did not receive emergency plan training and has been employed for greater than 90 days. Staff person #13 did not receive emergency plan training within one year of the previous emergency plan training (most current is 9/26/22). SEE CODE SHEET
It was observed that the following toxins were accessible to children in the Teachers' Lounge (to left of main office): Raid, Air Freshener spray can, and hand sanitizer bottles. (corrected during inspection)
It was observed that one of the toilets in the bathroom in Room 123 was non-functional, covered with a plastic bag. There is a broken Bye Bye Buggy, with missing wheels, positioned against the building outside of the Toddler classroom. The playground covering ("turf") at the bottom of the slide has an approximately 9 inch tear, and the material under the turf is exposed.
Child #7's record did not contain an updated health report at least every 6 months: Most current health assessment dated 3/21/23 SEE CODE SHEET
Child #1's current health assessment does not include a statement that the child is able to participate in child care and appears to be free from contagious or communicable disease.
It was observed, in the Infant A room, that a staff person discarded the soiled diaper by using her hands to open the hands-free covered can and did not clean the diaper changing surface with a sanitizing solution after changing a child's diaper (corrected during inspection).
Staff person #8's file contained health assessments that were beyond the permitted every 24 months' timeframe (8/18/21, 2/29/24).
Emergency drills were not conducted annually. The most recent documented emergency drill was dated 5/13/22.
The facility's fire detection system was not tested at least every 30 days. (4/18/23, 6/18/23), (6/18/23, 8/6/23), (8/6/23, 9/12/23), (9/12/23, 10/16/23), (11/13/23, 2/28/24).
Staff person #2 has not completed the following required pre-service training within 90 days of their date of hire: 10 hour Health and Safety training. Staff person #7 has not completed the following required pre-service training within 90 days of their date of hire: Pediatric First-Aid and CPR (see LIS code sheet)
There is no proof of annual written staff evaluations for staff persons #5 and #13 (staff evaluations not dated).
The agreements of child #2, #4, #5, #6, #7, #9 and #10 did not specify the amount of the fee to be charged per day or per week.
Child #7 and #10's records did not contain an updated child service report within 6 months of the previous one (Child #7's most current 8/8/23; Child #10's most current 8/12/23)
Child #2's agreement does not specify the child's arrival and departure times. The agreements of child #2 through #10 did not specify the date of the child's admission.
Child #8's emergency contact information did not include the enrolling parent's work telephone number.
Staff person #7's record did not contain the proof of experience working with children that is required to be unsupervised, yet had been working unsupervised (Group Supervisor). Staff persons #9 and #10's records did not contain the proof of experience working with children that is required to be an Assistant Group Supervisor (unsupervised), and both had been working unsupervised. (Corrected during inspection for staff person #9).
Staff person #7' and #12's records did not contain two written, nonfamily references from individuals attesting to the person's suitability to serve as a facility person.
The facility's current certificate of compliance was not posted in a conspicuous location used by parents (corrected during inspection).
Staff person #1 was not aware that child #1 had remained in the classroom, for a few minutes, after taking the class onto the facility's outdoor playground.
The time between documented testing of the fire detection system was greater than the permitted at least every 30 days' timeframe. (4/18/23, 6/18/23).
Staff person #3's record contained a NSOR clearance dated 9/7/22 which was after the first day working with children (see code list) and there was no proof of applying for the NSOR in the staff file.
Staff person #1 and #2 in Rm 124 (Int B) took three attempts to correctly name the children in their primary care groups.
The facility's emergency plan does not contain a Continuity of Operations plan.
The facility's emergency plan does not provide for a method for facility persons to inform parents that the emergency has ended and to provide instruction as to how parents can safely be reunited with their children.
It was observed that there were toxins (air freshener spray) accessible to children in the staff bathroom across from the Beginner B classroom, in a cabinet (corrected during inspection). It was observed in Rm 124 (Int B) that the class bathroom contained a cabinet with A&D ointment, Aquaphor, and Desitin (keep out of reach of children) accessible to children. Two bottles of hand sanitizer were accessible to children on a classroom shelf in this room. (corrected during inspection). The facility's kitchen was accessible to children and had Germicide and sanitizing spray (bleach/H2O) accessible to children (corrected during inspection).
It was observed that the water temperature of the sink in the bathroom shared by the Beginner A and Beginner B child care rooms measured 111.9 degrees F (exceeding the permitted maximum temperature of 110 degrees F). Corrected during inspection
It was observed that the first-aid kit in the 1 yr old Toddler Rm (119B) did not contain soap (corrected during inspection). It was observed that Room 126 (not currently used by children) did not contain a first-aid kit (corrected during inspection).
It was observed that the facility's kitchen was accessible to children and contained a variety of potential hazards: oven, large freezer, large refrigerator, knives, etc. (Corrected during inspection).
It was observed, in the Beginner B classroom, that the diaper changing pad had 3 tears with foam exposed (corrected during inspection).
It was observed, in the Beginner B classroom (on a shelf), that there were pompoms (less than 1 inch diameter) accessible to children who are still putting objects in their mouths. It was observed, in Room 123, that there were Unifix Cubes (less than 1 inch diameter) accessible to children who are still placing objects in their mouths (both corrected during inspection).
It was observed in Beginner A, Beginner B, Rm 119A, Rm 123, and Rm 124, that the rest equipment was not labeled for the use of a specific child (corrected during inspection).
It was observed, in Rm 124 (Int B) that rest equipment while the mats were in use did not have at least 2 feet of space on three sides (corrected during inspection).
Child #2, #4, and #7 did not have current Influenza vaccinations on record: Most current #2 10/6/21, #4 1/11/22, #7 11/1/21.
The exemption letter for the Influenza vaccination on record for child #9 did not include the parent's reason for the exemption.
It was observed that there was no med log for a child in Room 124 (Int B) classroom for the medication for this child.
It was observed that there were crumbs/debris under the diaper changing pad, in the Infant room (corrected during inspection)
The fire detection system was not tested at least every 30 days. It was last tested on 1/2/23 and no documentation of testing in February 2023 (tested the system during this renewal inspection).
The operator did not notify local traffic safety authorities annually (in 2023) in writing of the location of the facility and the program's use of pedestrian and vehicular routes around the child care facility.
Staff person #5's record did not contain proof of participating in fire safety training conducted by a fire protection professional staff in 2022.
Staff person #5's most recent staff evaluation on record is dated 3/8/21.
At the time of enrollment, parents did not receive in writing the facility's supervision policy.
The parents of child #1 through #10 did not receive the original agreements. Originals were in children's files.
It was observed that, in every child care space, there was no written plan identifying the means of transporting a child to emergency care and staffing provisions in the event of an emergency situation displayed conspicuously.
Staff person #4 did not obtain 12 clock hours of child care training between 12/19/21 and 12/19/22.
Staff person #1 fed child #1 part of another child's bottle, even though both bottles were labeled.
There was a container of white-out was accessible to children, as it was in the top desk drawer in the KDG/Summer Camp classroom (Corrected during inspection). The door to the Janitorial Room was unlocked with a can of paint on the floor and a cart of cleaning supplies (corrected during inspection).
In the Intermediate classroom, a magic eraser in the cabinet above the sink was not labeled as such.
In the Beginner's (2's) classroom, a broken, small piece of crayon (small enough to fit into a choke tube) was accessible to the children (corrected during inspection). In the same classroom, plastic bags hanging from cubbies were accessible to children (also corrected during inspection).
In the Beginner's (2's) Room, there was no Emergency Contact Form for Child #1, who was in attendance in the classroom (corrected during inspection).
Staff person #1 pulled chair out from child #1 and child fell to the floor.
“Core safety” marks citations about supervision and staff ratios, discipline and caregiver conduct, background checks, child protection and safe sleep, the topics our score weights most. Pennsylvania’s records don’t grade violations by severity. “Follow-up” marks a violation re-cited at a follow-up visit, counted once. How scores work.
Complaint investigations and reported incidents
Pennsylvania’s search lists complaint investigations in which the state found at least one violation (“verified complaints”). It does not say what a complaint alleged, or whether every violation relates to it. Incident investigations look into something that happened at the center; self-reported violations are ones the center reported to the state itself.
Daily rates
| Age group | Full time, per day | Part time, per day |
|---|---|---|
| Infant (6 Weeks-12 mos.) | $70.80 | $70.80 |
| Young Toddler (13-24 mos.) | $66.80 | $66.80 |
| Older Toddler (25-36 mos.) | $64.80 | $64.80 |
| Preschool (37 mos.- Entering K) | $56.60 | $56.60 |
| Young School-Age (K-3rd gr.) | $57.80 | $57.80 |
| Older School-Age (4th gr.-15 yrs.) | $57.80 | $57.80 |
The daily price the center lists in Pennsylvania’s COMPASS search for families paying privately. The state notes that rates are subject to change and programs don’t have to share them, so confirm with the center. See what daycare costs in Pennsylvania.
About this center
Common questions
Has Chesterbrook Academy had any serious violations?
Pennsylvania cited 9 violations since 2021 on the topics Daycare Record treats as core safety (supervision, staff ratios, discipline, background checks, child protection or safe sleep). The most recent, on Mar 27, 2026 (background checks): “Documentation of updated PA state police clearance and child abuse clearance was not available for staff #2. The most recent state police clearance was dated 3/30/21 and the child abuse clearance was dated 3/26/21.…” Pennsylvania’s records don’t grade violations by severity; each citation is listed in full above.
Have there been complaints about Chesterbrook Academy?
Pennsylvania lists 3 complaint investigations since 2021 in which it found at least one violation; the violations are listed above. Its search shows these “verified complaints” but not what a complaint alleged, or whether every violation relates to it.
What is Chesterbrook Academy’s Keystone STARS rating?
STAR 4 (accredited), effective Jun 27, 2026. Keystone STARS is Pennsylvania’s quality rating program for child care, from STAR 1 to STAR 4. It measures program quality, not inspection results, so read both.
How does Chesterbrook Academy compare with other daycares in Lancaster?
It is tied for #65 of 73 centers in Lancaster by topic-weighted citations per inspection, and has more citations per inspection than 88% of Pennsylvania certified centers with enough inspection history to compare.
When was Chesterbrook Academy last inspected?
Mar 27, 2026 (renewal). The state cited at least one violation during that visit.
How much does Chesterbrook Academy cost?
It reported full-time daily rates of $70.80 for infant, $66.80 for young toddler, $64.80 for older toddler, $56.60 for preschool in Pennsylvania’s COMPASS search. Rates can change; confirm with the center.
Who runs Chesterbrook Academy?
The legal entity on its Pennsylvania certificate is Spring Education INC.
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Citations are quoted from Pennsylvania Department of Human Services inspection records (Office of Child Development and Early Learning, Bureau of Certification Services), including each finding and the center’s plan of correction. Rule numbers refer mostly to 55 Pa. Code Chapter 3270, the rules for child care centers; a few cite Chapter 20, which covers every certified facility. Pennsylvania’s records don’t grade violations by severity; the “core safety” label and the score are Daycare Record’s.
To check the state’s own record, search the center’s name on COMPASS Child Care Provider Search and open its inspection history. Data refreshed Oct 16, 2026.
Comparing centers? See how to choose a daycare: 30 questions to ask and a printable checklist.
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