Academy for Artistic Development and Early Learning
Academy for Artistic Development and Early Learning is a licensed child care center in Waco, TX, licensed for up to 40 children and serving infants through school-age children. It has held its Texas license since 2019. Since October 2021, state inspectors have visited 25 times and investigated 5 reports. Inspectors recorded 42 citations, 12 of them high-risk, most often for records & paperwork (10 of 42). 25 citations came in the last 12 months, including 6 high-risk. 43% were corrected during the inspection itself. Measured by risk-weighted citations per inspection, it is #50 of 61 centers in Waco and better than 11% of licensed centers statewide.
Inspection record
Every state visit
What inspectors cited most
Citations, newest first
One child's mat was not labeled. This was corrected during the inspection when the director labeled the child's mat.
One infant did not have feeding instructions on file, and another infant had feeding instructions that were last updated in July. The parent of the child who was missing feeding instructions provided the operation with signed and dated instructions during the inspection.
A two-month-old infant was wearing a bib while sleeping in a play yard. This was corrected during the inspection when the infant caregiver removed the bib.
An infant who was sitting in a bounced was not buckled in. This was corrected during the inspection when the infant was buckled in.
Two employees did not have a background check, and another employee who was in charge of the daycare had an inactive background check. This was corrected during the inspection when the employees were sent home.
There were no records available for a child who had disenrolled from the center a month ago. This was corrected during the inspection as the child no longer attends the daycare.
Two caregivers had nineteen children with a specified age of three years old, and one of the caregivers went into the kitchen to plate lunch for the children. A three-year-old group can only have fifteen children to one caregiver, so this left the group out of ratio. This was corrected during the inspection when the caregiver returned to the classroom.
There were two outlets that did not have covers. This was corrected during the inspection when outlet covers were placed in the outlets.
During the investigation, there was sufficient evidence to determine that children were allowed more than an hour of screen time daily during the summer.
Two caregivers took a class of 21 children with a specified age of four years old outside, and one of the caregivers stepped back inside to get the class water, leaving the class out of ratio. A group with a specified age of four years old can only have eighteen children to one caregiver. This wsa corrected during the inspection when the caregiver returned to the class outside.
A caregiver placed an infant in the wrong play yard despite the play yards being labeled. This was corrected during the inspection when the infant was removed from the wrong play yard and placed in their own play yard.
The most recent inspection letter and the permit renewal letter were not posted. This was corrected during the inspection when both were printed out and posted.
The parent handbook was missing multiple policies that are required by minimum standards.
A child was observed using the bathroom and not washing their hands afterwards. This was corrected during the inspection when the child was reminded to wash their hands and they did so.
A seven-week-old infant was observed sleeping in a play yard with a blanket, and later during the inspection was observed being placed in another play yard that had a stuffed animal attached to the side. This was corrected both times when the infant was removed from the play yard and infant safe sleep was discussed with the caregiver and the director.
Three of the children's cots were not labeled. This was corrected during the inspection when the caregiver added labels to the cots.
There was a cloth cover on the diaper-changing table in the infant room. This was corrected during the inspection when the cover was removed.
The operation was not doing daily reports for the two infants in care.
The smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, and carbon monoxide detectors had not been tested in January, and the smoke detector in the infant room was beeping and needed replacement batteries.
Out of the four children's records reviewed, one child was missing a health statement and needed an updated immunization record.
The operation had 14 children in care, and two infants (a 15-month-old and a 17-month-old) were combined with children up to four years old. This was corrected during the inspection when the infants were separated into their own classroom.
Evacuation diagrams were not posted in the two infant rooms. This was corrected when evacuation diagrams were printed out and posted in these rooms.
The director was missing training in emergency preparedness, communicable diseases, preventing and handling allergic reactions, building and physical premises safety, and handling hazardous materials.
Out of four staff files reviewed, one was missing proof of education, and three were missing employment affidavits.
One caregiver was missing 1.5 hours of annual training and needed training in emergency preparedness, communicable diseases, building and physical premises safety, and handling hazardous materials.
During the investigation, it was found that two infants in care who were still on formula did not have written feeding instructions. One of the infants is no longer enrolled.
Two slides on the playground were next to each other without adequate use zones in between.
During the inspection, the caregiver in the main room stepped into the office, leaving the children unsupervised for a brief period of time.
There was a garbage can without a lid with a dirty diaper in it in the bathroom that the children use. This was corrected during the inspection when the garbage can was removed from the bathroom.
The operation did not have a certification form signed to verify that the recall list had been reviewed. This was corrected during the inspection when a certification form was signed by the director.
The operation did not have a list of current employees posted. This was corrected during the inspection when an employee list was created and posted.
The operational policies were missing the following: benefits of physical activity, criteria for determining extreme weather that will prohibit outdoor play, a plan for physical activity to occur indoors when the children can't go outside, procedures for parents to communicate with the director, information on how the minimum standards can be viewed online, information on how mothers can breastfeed their child if they desire, policies for doing health checks, information on staff vaccinations, and information on parents' rights.
The children's mats were not labeled. This was corrected during the inspection when the mats were labeled.
The children's sleeping mats were not labeled with their names. This was corrected during the inspection when the assistant director labeled the mats.
There was a bottle of Lysol wipes sitting on top of a trash can within the reach of children in the pre-k room. This was corrected during the inspection when the Lysol wipes were moved up out of the reach of children.
The operation reduced the space for children 18 months and up and increased the space for infants 0-17 months by opening up a one-year-old room in a space that was licensed for children 18 months and older without prior approval from licensing. This was corrected when the infants being cared for in the space not licensed for infants were sent home and the operation informed licensing of their plans to open up a second infant room.
The operation exceeded their infant capacity when they had seven infants in care and are licensed for four infants. This was corrected during the inspection when the additional infants were sent home.
Children were observed playing on an outdoor space that is not part of the operation's usable space. This was corrected at inspection when the caregiver moved the children to the usable playground space.
During the inspection the infant bottles were observed without a label. This was corrected by the bottles being labeled by the caregiver.
During the inspection two infants ages 4-6 months were observed sleeping in cribs with blankets. This was corrected by the caregiver removing the inspector.
During the inspection a caregiver in training was observed having access to children in care without a cleared background check. This was corrected by the caregiver leaving the operation.
During the inspection children in care were served lunch without washing hands. This was corrected by the children being allowed to wash hands.
About this center
Common questions
Does Academy for Artistic Development and Early Learning take infants?
Yes. Texas licenses it to care for infants through school-age children.
What are Academy for Artistic Development and Early Learning’s hours?
7 AM to 5:30 PM, Monday through Friday, according to its state licensing record. Confirm holiday and summer hours with the center.
Does Academy for Artistic Development and Early Learning accept child care subsidies?
Yes, according to its state licensing record.
How much does Academy for Artistic Development and Early Learning cost?
Texas does not publish individual centers’ prices, so ask Academy for Artistic Development and Early Learning for its current tuition. For comparison, the median full-day price at licensed centers in the Heart of Texas area, which includes Waco, is $31.60 a day for infants, $30.60 a day for toddlers and $29.80 a day for 3-year-olds (2025 Texas Child Care Market Rate Survey).
Has Academy for Artistic Development and Early Learning had any serious violations?
Inspectors recorded 12 high-risk citations since 2021. The most recent was on Sep 10, 2026: “AP Cribs - Only Snug Fitting Sheet and Crib Mattress Cover Allowed if Infant Younger than 12 Months of Age.” Each one is listed in full above.
How does Academy for Artistic Development and Early Learning compare with other daycares in Waco?
It is #50 of 61 centers in Waco by risk-weighted citations per inspection, and is better than 11% of licensed centers statewide (out of 9,147 Texas centers with enough inspection history).
When was Academy for Artistic Development and Early Learning last inspected?
Sep 10, 2026. Inspectors cited at least one rule during that visit.
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612 N 3rd St, Waco · 1.1 mi away · 150 spotsAbout typical
Citations are quoted from Texas HHS inspection records. Many are corrected the same day, and a citation is a finding about one rule, not a judgment about a center overall.
To see the official record, search operation 1681365 on Search Texas Child Care. Data refreshed Sep 30, 2026.