Charlotte · Licensed center
Oakcrest Preparatory Academy
- Large Montessori–inspired center, licensed for 246 children.
What the state has found
The state cited rules at 8 of its 18 licensing inspections since December 2023.
Of the 256 Charlotte-area centers with 10 or more licensing inspections, more than 99% had rules cited at some but not all of them, as this center did. Fewer than 1% had rules cited at all of them.
Licensing inspections
Oct 8, 20261 citation
“Children were not adequately supervised at all times. A one (1) year old child was left unattended in a bathroom in a classroom unsupervised for 13 1/2 minutes during transition time.”
Violation pending provider response
Jun 16, 20263 citations
“Medications including prescription and non-prescription items were not stored in a locked cabinet or other locked container. Benadryl was not stored in a locked cabinet or container.”
Violation confirmed corrected by follow-up visit made by consultant on 6/25/2026
“All vehicles used to transport children were not free of hazards. The upholstery on the seat on the 2nd row of van two (2) was torn with exposed foam. It was reported during interviews that water leaks from the roof of van two (2) and the seats get wet and children being transported have gotten wet. There is evidence of water marks on the children's car seat. It was reported that the roof of the van has been leaking for three (3) years.”
Violation confirmed corrected by follow-up visit made by consultant on 6/25/2026
“For each child, there was not at least 30 sq. ft. inside space per the total licensed capacity and 100 sq. ft. outside space for each child using the outdoor learning environment at any one time. Fourteen (14) school age children were observed in the tech lab that has a capacity of eleven (11) based on 30 sq. ft. inside space per child..”
Violation confirmed corrected by follow-up visit made by consultant on 6/25/2026
Jun 2, 20262 citations
“Parent's medication authorization did not include required information. Two (2) medication authorization forms had expired.”
Violation corrected during visit
“When children 3 years and older were in care, screen time was not used to stimulate a developmental domain; was not limited to 30 minutes a day and no more than a total of two and a half hours per week, per child; and/or was not documented on a cumulative log or the activity plan that is available for review. Screen time activities for children 3 years and older in care was not documented on the activity plan.”
Violation corrected during visit
Apr 20, 20262 citations
“Each child was not attended to in a nurturing and appropriate manner, or in keeping with the child's developmental needs. On numerous occasions, a staff member spoke harshly to multiple two-year-old children. In addition, on one of those occasions, the staff member slammed a two-year-old child's drink while speaking harshly in the child's face.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 5/5/2026
“A child was handled in a rough way, including shaking, pushing, shoving, pinching, slapping, biting, kicking, or spanking. On April 15, 2026, a staff member pushed a two-year-old child's head into the bathroom floor for approximately five seconds.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 4/22/2026
Jun 10, 20251 citation
“Electrical outlets and power strips, not in use, which were located in space used by children did not have safety outlets or were not covered with safety plugs unless located behind furniture or equipment that cannot be moved by a child. Electrical outlets not in use, which were located in spaces one (1) and two (2) used by children did not have safety outlets or were not covered with safety plugs unless located behind furniture or equipment that cannot be moved by a child.”
Violation corrected during visit
Oct 23, 20242 citations
“Screen time was offered to children under three years of age. On October 21, 2024, a one-year-old child was provided screen time when a staff member propped a tablet up for the child to view it.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/14/2025
“A safe indoor and outdoor environment was not provided for the children. On October 21, 2024, a staff member pulled a chair away from a one-year-old child resulting in the child falling headfirst onto carpet.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/14/2025
Sep 10, 20243 citations
“Incident reports were not completed each time a child was injured, it did not include all the information required in rule, it was not signed by the parent and/or it was not maintained in the child's file. On September 3, 2024, an infant sustained multiple scratches on the arms and back. Multiple staff members observed the red marks and failed to complete an incident report.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 9/26/2024
“Child was handled roughly. On September 3, 2024, a staff member handled an eleven-month-old infant in a rough manner by grabbing/pulling on the child's arm and legs as the child attempted to move independently in the classroom, which resulted in marks and/or scratches on the child's body.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 9/26/2024
“There was a substantiation of child maltreatment. Pursuant to its investigation, The Division has confirmed sufficient information to determine child maltreatment.”
Violation confirmed corrected by follow-up visit made by consultant on 5/21/2025
Jun 13, 20242 citations
“Staff/child ratios applicable to a classroom, were not posted in each classroom. Staff/Child ratios applicable to classroom twelve (12) was not noted.”
Violation corrected during visit
“All equipment and furnishings were not in good repair. A bolt was missing on the wall of the sliding board on the small playground causing a gap and pinching hazard.”
Violation corrected during visit
Read every record and the state’s reports
State record — North Carolina DCDEE
- Last visit
- October 8, 2026
- On file
- 18 visits since December 2023 — 10 cited nothing, 9 of those unannounced
- Fixed?
- 15 of 16 record a correction, in the licensor’s own words.
- Most serious
- North Carolina DCDEE does not publish a severity level for a citation, so there is no most-serious to name.
North Carolina DCDEE describes every citation in the licensor’s own words and records the correction in that same text — the only one of the six states that publishes whether a violation was fixed. It attaches no rule number and no report document.
Oct 2026 Unannounced visit 1 finding
Unannounced visit · October 8, 2026
Children were not adequately supervised at all times. A one (1) year old child was left unattended in a bathroom in a classroom unsupervised for 13 1/2 minutes during transition time.
Violation pending provider response
DCDEE facility lookup On that page, enter license number 60003938 in the License Number box, choose Search and open the result; the record is listed under Visits.
Jun 2026 Unannounced visit 3 findings
Unannounced visit · June 16, 2026
Medications including prescription and non-prescription items were not stored in a locked cabinet or other locked container. Benadryl was not stored in a locked cabinet or container.
Violation confirmed corrected by follow-up visit made by consultant on 6/25/2026
All vehicles used to transport children were not free of hazards. The upholstery on the seat on the 2nd row of van two (2) was torn with exposed foam. It was reported during interviews that water leaks from the roof of van two (2) and the seats get wet and children being transported have gotten wet. There is evidence of water marks on the children's car seat. It was reported that the roof of the van has been leaking for three (3) years.
Violation confirmed corrected by follow-up visit made by consultant on 6/25/2026
For each child, there was not at least 30 sq. ft. inside space per the total licensed capacity and 100 sq. ft. outside space for each child using the outdoor learning environment at any one time. Fourteen (14) school age children were observed in the tech lab that has a capacity of eleven (11) based on 30 sq. ft. inside space per child..
Violation confirmed corrected by follow-up visit made by consultant on 6/25/2026
DCDEE facility lookup On that page, enter license number 60003938 in the License Number box, choose Search and open the result; the record is listed under Visits.
Jun 2026 Unannounced visit 2 findings
Unannounced visit · June 2, 2026
Parent's medication authorization did not include required information. Two (2) medication authorization forms had expired.
Violation corrected during visit
When children 3 years and older were in care, screen time was not used to stimulate a developmental domain; was not limited to 30 minutes a day and no more than a total of two and a half hours per week, per child; and/or was not documented on a cumulative log or the activity plan that is available for review. Screen time activities for children 3 years and older in care was not documented on the activity plan.
Violation corrected during visit
DCDEE facility lookup On that page, enter license number 60003938 in the License Number box, choose Search and open the result; the record is listed under Visits.
Apr 2026 Unannounced visit 2 findings
Unannounced visit · April 20, 2026
Each child was not attended to in a nurturing and appropriate manner, or in keeping with the child's developmental needs. On numerous occasions, a staff member spoke harshly to multiple two-year-old children. In addition, on one of those occasions, the staff member slammed a two-year-old child's drink while speaking harshly in the child's face.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 5/5/2026
A child was handled in a rough way, including shaking, pushing, shoving, pinching, slapping, biting, kicking, or spanking. On April 15, 2026, a staff member pushed a two-year-old child's head into the bathroom floor for approximately five seconds.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 4/22/2026
DCDEE facility lookup On that page, enter license number 60003938 in the License Number box, choose Search and open the result; the record is listed under Visits.
Jun 2025 Unannounced visit 1 finding
Unannounced visit · June 10, 2025
Electrical outlets and power strips, not in use, which were located in space used by children did not have safety outlets or were not covered with safety plugs unless located behind furniture or equipment that cannot be moved by a child. Electrical outlets not in use, which were located in spaces one (1) and two (2) used by children did not have safety outlets or were not covered with safety plugs unless located behind furniture or equipment that cannot be moved by a child.
Violation corrected during visit
DCDEE facility lookup On that page, enter license number 60003938 in the License Number box, choose Search and open the result; the record is listed under Visits.
Oct 2024 Unannounced visit 2 findings
Unannounced visit · October 23, 2024
Screen time was offered to children under three years of age. On October 21, 2024, a one-year-old child was provided screen time when a staff member propped a tablet up for the child to view it.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/14/2025
A safe indoor and outdoor environment was not provided for the children. On October 21, 2024, a staff member pulled a chair away from a one-year-old child resulting in the child falling headfirst onto carpet.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/14/2025
DCDEE facility lookup On that page, enter license number 60003938 in the License Number box, choose Search and open the result; the record is listed under Visits.
Sep 2024 Unannounced visit 3 findings
Unannounced visit · September 10, 2024
Incident reports were not completed each time a child was injured, it did not include all the information required in rule, it was not signed by the parent and/or it was not maintained in the child's file. On September 3, 2024, an infant sustained multiple scratches on the arms and back. Multiple staff members observed the red marks and failed to complete an incident report.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 9/26/2024
Child was handled roughly. On September 3, 2024, a staff member handled an eleven-month-old infant in a rough manner by grabbing/pulling on the child's arm and legs as the child attempted to move independently in the classroom, which resulted in marks and/or scratches on the child's body.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 9/26/2024
There was a substantiation of child maltreatment. Pursuant to its investigation, The Division has confirmed sufficient information to determine child maltreatment.
Violation confirmed corrected by follow-up visit made by consultant on 5/21/2025
DCDEE facility lookup On that page, enter license number 60003938 in the License Number box, choose Search and open the result; the record is listed under Visits.
Jun 2024 Unannounced visit 2 findings
Unannounced visit · June 13, 2024
Staff/child ratios applicable to a classroom, were not posted in each classroom. Staff/Child ratios applicable to classroom twelve (12) was not noted.
Violation corrected during visit
All equipment and furnishings were not in good repair. A bolt was missing on the wall of the sliding board on the small playground causing a gap and pinching hazard.
Violation corrected during visit
DCDEE facility lookup On that page, enter license number 60003938 in the License Number box, choose Search and open the result; the record is listed under Visits.
Shortlist replaces people’s names in the state’s text with initials. This is done by rule, not by hand, so it can miss a name or shorten a word that isn’t one. The state’s report, linked on each row, has the original.
Openings, child care subsidies, cost, hours and late pickup, ratios and staff, a typical day, and sick and biting policies aren’t on this page.
How they teach
Montessori–inspired and academic
“Learn Every Day was developed based on the latest research of how children learn best.”
Details
- Website
- oakcrestprep.com
- Address
- 13755 Steele Creek Road
- License
- 60003938, active
- Quality program
- One Star License
- Ages they serve
- 6 weeks to Pre-Kindergarten, plus a school age program for elementary school children
Run Oakcrest Preparatory Academy? Correct or add anything here, free.
Add what is missingSources and dates
Where every fact on this page came from, and when Shortlist last checked it against that source. Anything Shortlist could not source is named here rather than left blank.
All checked July 2026.
How they teach
- Approach oakcrestprep.com/about
- Approach oakcrestprep.com/curriculum
State record
From North Carolina DCDEE’s published reports, last checked October 10, 2026.
Details
- Phone, Address, License, Quality program ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. To check it, open ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/childcaresearch, enter licence 60003938 under License Number, and open the result.
- Website oakcrestprep.com
- Ages they serve oakcrestprep.com
Large means the biggest quarter of Charlotte-area’s 591 licensed centers by state-licensed capacity: 163 to 528 children. Small is 11 to 50; medium is 51 to 162.