Gastonia · Licensed center
Rankin Head Start
- Medium center, licensed for 60 children.
- Run by a nonprofit. A board oversees it, and there are no owners taking profit.
- Shortlist has found no website for it yet.
What the state has found
The state cited rules at 4 of its 7 licensing inspections since September 2023.
Of the 86 Charlotte-area centers with 7 licensing inspections, 21% had rules cited at 4 of them, as this center did. 2% had rules cited at all 7, 3% at none.
Licensing inspections
Apr 28, 20261 citation
“A child care operator did not notify the Division of any new child care providers, as defined in G.S. 110-90.2(a)(2), who were hired or moved into the child care facility within five business days. One staff member employed on September 2, 2025, and one staff member employed on July 8, 2025, were not listed on the ABCMS Provider Portal roster for this facility.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 5/7/2026
Dec 10, 20251 citation
“The child care administrator and all staff did not complete the Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training within 90 days of employment. One staff member employed on July 8, 2025 was due to complete the Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training by October 8, 2025.”
Violation corrected during visit
May 15, 20248 citations
“A child's file did not have a statement with parent signature acknowledging receipt and explanation of the Prevention of Shaken Baby Syndrome and Abusive Head Trauma policy and/or the acknowledgement did not have all the required information. The Prevention of Shaken Baby and Abusive Head Trauma policy acknowledgement for one child enrolled on 9/5/2023 was not signed by the child's parent until 9/11/2023.”
Violation corrected during visit
“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. In space #3, one electrical outlet not in use was uncovered and accessible to children in the power strip attached to the back of the portable HATCH smart board. The back of the smart board was adjacent to the writing center accessible to children.”
Violation corrected during visit
“A summary of the NC Child Care Law was not given to a parent of every child enrolled in the center. The NC Summary of the Law acknowledgement for one child enrolled on 9/5/2023 was not signed by the child's parent until 9/11/2023.”
Violation corrected during visit
“Daily records of arrival and departure times for children enrolled at the center were not maintained as children arrive and depart and/or were not made available for review. In space #1, one child was not signed in on 5/7/2024 and two children were not signed out on 5/6/2024 and 5/14/2024. In space #2, one child was not signed in on 5/1/2024 and two children were not signed out on 5/6/2024.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 5/21/2024
4 more from this inspection
“Before children were transported, written permission from a parent was not obtained that included when and where the child was to be transported, expected time of departure and arrival, and the transportation provider. Routine transportation permission for one child enrolled on 9/5/2023 in space #1 did not include when and where the child was to be transported, expected time of departure and arrival, the transportation provider, and the permission form was not signed by the child's parent. Routine transportation permission for one child enrolled on 9/5/2023 in space #3 did not include expected time of departure and arrival and the transportation provider.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 5/21/2024
“Operational policies were not discussed with parents on or before the child's first day and/or they were not notified in writing of all changes. Operational policy acknowledgement for one child enrolled on 9/5/2023 was not signed by the child's parent until 9/11/2023.”
Violation corrected during visit
“Medical exam or health assessment record was not on file before or within 30 days after admission. The medical exam for one child enrolled on 9/5/2023 was not completed until 1/9/2024.”
Violation corrected during visit
“Signed and dated statement by parent that discipline policy received and explained at enrollment was not in child's file. The discipline policy acknowledgement for one child enrolled on 9/5/2023 was not signed by the child's parent until 9/11/2023.”
Violation corrected during visit
Sep 8, 20236 citations
“A summary of the NC Child Care Law was not posted in a prominent place in the center. The Summary of the NC Child Care Law was not posted in the facility.”
Violation corrected during visit
“Center has not passed required sanitation inspection and received an approved or superior rating. The most recent sanitation inspection was completed on September 6, 2022.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 9/12/2023
“All corrosive agents, pesticides, bleaches, detergents, cleansers, polishes, any product which is under pressure in an aerosol dispenser, and any substance which may be hazardous to a child if ingested, inhaled, or handled were not stored in a locked room or cabinet. In space #3, one bottle of Mr. Clean Multi-Surface Cleaner with multiple safety warnings was observed in an unlocked cabinet below the handwashing sink accessible to children. Also in space #3, one aerosol can of Zenatize Country Disinfectant spray, one aerosol can of Chase's Clean Home Spray Disinfectant, and one aerosol can of Chase's Home Value Spray Disinfectant was observed in an unlocked cabinet above the handwashing sink.”
Violation corrected during visit
“Application did not have a medical action plan attached for any child with health care needs such as allergies, asthma, or other chronic conditions that require specialized health services. The Medical Action Plan was not on file for review nor attached to the application for one child enrolled on 9/5/2023.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 9/12/2023
2 more from this inspection
“The medical action plan was not updated on an annual basis or when changes to the plan were made by the child's parent or health care professional. The Medical Action Plan was not updated annually for one child enrolled on 9/5/20223. The Medical Action Plan was dated 8/22/2022.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 9/19/2023
“The child care administrator and all staff did not complete the Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training within 90 days of employment. One staff employed on 1/30/2023 did not complete Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training until 6/23/2023.”
Violation corrected during visit
Read every record and the state’s reports
State record — North Carolina DCDEE
- Last visit
- April 28, 2026
- On file
- 7 visits since September 2023 — 3 cited nothing, 2 of those unannounced
- Fixed?
- All 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.
Apr 2026 Unannounced visit 1 finding
Unannounced visit · April 28, 2026
A child care operator did not notify the Division of any new child care providers, as defined in G.S. 110-90.2(a)(2), who were hired or moved into the child care facility within five business days. One staff member employed on September 2, 2025, and one staff member employed on July 8, 2025, were not listed on the ABCMS Provider Portal roster for this facility.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 5/7/2026
DCDEE facility lookup On that page, enter license number 36000074 in the License Number box, choose Search and open the result; the record is listed under Visits.
Dec 2025 Unannounced visit 1 finding
Unannounced visit · December 10, 2025
The child care administrator and all staff did not complete the Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training within 90 days of employment. One staff member employed on July 8, 2025 was due to complete the Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training by October 8, 2025.
Violation corrected during visit
DCDEE facility lookup On that page, enter license number 36000074 in the License Number box, choose Search and open the result; the record is listed under Visits.
May 2024 Unannounced visit 8 findings
Unannounced visit · May 15, 2024
A child's file did not have a statement with parent signature acknowledging receipt and explanation of the Prevention of Shaken Baby Syndrome and Abusive Head Trauma policy and/or the acknowledgement did not have all the required information. The Prevention of Shaken Baby and Abusive Head Trauma policy acknowledgement for one child enrolled on 9/5/2023 was not signed by the child's parent until 9/11/2023.
Violation corrected during visit
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. In space #3, one electrical outlet not in use was uncovered and accessible to children in the power strip attached to the back of the portable HATCH smart board. The back of the smart board was adjacent to the writing center accessible to children.
Violation corrected during visit
A summary of the NC Child Care Law was not given to a parent of every child enrolled in the center. The NC Summary of the Law acknowledgement for one child enrolled on 9/5/2023 was not signed by the child's parent until 9/11/2023.
Violation corrected during visit
Daily records of arrival and departure times for children enrolled at the center were not maintained as children arrive and depart and/or were not made available for review. In space #1, one child was not signed in on 5/7/2024 and two children were not signed out on 5/6/2024 and 5/14/2024. In space #2, one child was not signed in on 5/1/2024 and two children were not signed out on 5/6/2024.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 5/21/2024
Before children were transported, written permission from a parent was not obtained that included when and where the child was to be transported, expected time of departure and arrival, and the transportation provider. Routine transportation permission for one child enrolled on 9/5/2023 in space #1 did not include when and where the child was to be transported, expected time of departure and arrival, the transportation provider, and the permission form was not signed by the child's parent. Routine transportation permission for one child enrolled on 9/5/2023 in space #3 did not include expected time of departure and arrival and the transportation provider.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 5/21/2024
Operational policies were not discussed with parents on or before the child's first day and/or they were not notified in writing of all changes. Operational policy acknowledgement for one child enrolled on 9/5/2023 was not signed by the child's parent until 9/11/2023.
Violation corrected during visit
Medical exam or health assessment record was not on file before or within 30 days after admission. The medical exam for one child enrolled on 9/5/2023 was not completed until 1/9/2024.
Violation corrected during visit
Signed and dated statement by parent that discipline policy received and explained at enrollment was not in child's file. The discipline policy acknowledgement for one child enrolled on 9/5/2023 was not signed by the child's parent until 9/11/2023.
Violation corrected during visit
DCDEE facility lookup On that page, enter license number 36000074 in the License Number box, choose Search and open the result; the record is listed under Visits.
Sep 2023 Unannounced visit 6 findings
Unannounced visit · September 8, 2023
No longer on the state’s site as of September 25, 2026
A summary of the NC Child Care Law was not posted in a prominent place in the center. The Summary of the NC Child Care Law was not posted in the facility.
Violation corrected during visit
No longer on the state’s site as of September 25, 2026
Center has not passed required sanitation inspection and received an approved or superior rating. The most recent sanitation inspection was completed on September 6, 2022.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 9/12/2023
No longer on the state’s site as of September 25, 2026
All corrosive agents, pesticides, bleaches, detergents, cleansers, polishes, any product which is under pressure in an aerosol dispenser, and any substance which may be hazardous to a child if ingested, inhaled, or handled were not stored in a locked room or cabinet. In space #3, one bottle of Mr. Clean Multi-Surface Cleaner with multiple safety warnings was observed in an unlocked cabinet below the handwashing sink accessible to children. Also in space #3, one aerosol can of Zenatize Country Disinfectant spray, one aerosol can of Chase's Clean Home Spray Disinfectant, and one aerosol can of Chase's Home Value Spray Disinfectant was observed in an unlocked cabinet above the handwashing sink.
Violation corrected during visit
No longer on the state’s site as of September 25, 2026
Application did not have a medical action plan attached for any child with health care needs such as allergies, asthma, or other chronic conditions that require specialized health services. The Medical Action Plan was not on file for review nor attached to the application for one child enrolled on 9/5/2023.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 9/12/2023
No longer on the state’s site as of September 25, 2026
The medical action plan was not updated on an annual basis or when changes to the plan were made by the child's parent or health care professional. The Medical Action Plan was not updated annually for one child enrolled on 9/5/20223. The Medical Action Plan was dated 8/22/2022.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 9/19/2023
No longer on the state’s site as of September 25, 2026
The child care administrator and all staff did not complete the Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training within 90 days of employment. One staff employed on 1/30/2023 did not complete Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training until 6/23/2023.
Violation corrected during visit
DCDEE facility lookup On that page, enter license number 36000074 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, teaching approach, ratios and staff, a typical day, and sick and biting policies aren’t on this page.
Details
- Address
- 714 W Rankin Ave
- License
- 36000074, active
- Quality program
- Five Star License
Run Rankin Head Start? 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.
State record
From North Carolina DCDEE’s published reports, last checked October 10, 2026.
Details
- Phone, Address, License, Quality program — Checked July 2026 ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. To check it, open ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/childcaresearch, enter licence 36000074 under License Number, and open the result.
- Who runs it — Checked September 2026 ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. To check it, open ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/childcaresearch, enter licence 36000074 under License Number, open the result and expand Owner Information: the licensee is listed as Primary Owner.
Medium means the middle half of Charlotte-area’s 591 licensed centers by state-licensed capacity: 51 to 162 children. Small is 11 to 50; large is 163 to 528.