Chicago · Licensed center

Guidepost Montessori At Lincoln Park

Large center, licensed for 136 children.
Shortlist has found no website for it yet.

What the state has found

The state cited rules at 7 of its 10 licensing inspections since December 2020.

Of the 860 Chicago-area centers with 10 or more licensing inspections, 78% had rules cited at some but not all of them, as this center did. 22% had rules cited at all of them.

Licensing inspections

Mar 20, 20261 citation

Physical Plant/Indoor Space
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(e)

Sep 9, 202514 citations

General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(1)
Equipment and Materials
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.380(j)(4)(d)
Health Requirements for Children
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(3)
Hand Washing
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.320(a)(3)

10 more from this inspection

Nutrition and Meal Service
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.330(l)(1)
Medications
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.360(e)
Physical Plant/Indoor Space
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(e)(3)
Physical Plant/Indoor Space
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(q)(2)
Equipment and Materials
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.380(j)(5)
General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(5)
General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(i)
Background Checks for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.110
Special Requirements for Infants and Toddlers
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.210(f)(8)
Guidance and Discipline
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.270(a)

Mar 25, 2025No rules cited

Mar 7, 2025No rules cited

Sep 14, 202317 citations

Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3)
Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(i)(2)
Medications
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.360(b)(1)
Medications
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.360(e)

13 more from this inspection

Organization and Administration
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(i)
General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(5)
General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(8)
Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(i)(4)(a)
Guidance and Discipline
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.270(a)
Health Requirements for Children
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)
General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(d)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(4)
Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(i)(1)(a)
Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(i)(1)(g)
Equipment and Materials
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.380(j)(4)
Equipment and Materials
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.380(j)(5)
A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, FHSEC305.

Apr 2, 2023No rules cited

Feb 28, 20231 citation

Physical Plant/Indoor Space
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(e)(8)

Sep 15, 20226 citations

Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(4)
Medications
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.360(d)(4)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(2)
Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(i)(4)(a)

2 more from this inspection

Equipment and Materials
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.380(b)
General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(7)

Aug 31, 20216 citations

Organization and Administration
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(e)(2)
Grouping and Staffing
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190(a)
Health Requirements for Children
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(1)
Health Requirements for Children
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(6)

2 more from this inspection

Organization and Administration
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(e)(1)
Background Checks for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.110

Dec 16, 20203 citations

Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(d)
Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(i)(2)
Health Requirements for Children
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)

Read every record and the state’s reports

State record — Illinois DCFS

Last visit: March 20, 2026
On file: 10 visits since December 2020 — 3 cited nothing
Fixed?: The latest correction deadline was June 19, 2026. Illinois DCFS does not publish whether it was made.
Most serious: Illinois DCFS does not publish a severity level for a citation, so there is no most-serious to name.

Illinois DCFS cites each subsection of a rule separately, so one audit of a filing cabinet can produce ten citations. It publishes the rule’s title and a correction deadline, but no description of what was observed.

Mar 2026 Monitoring visit 1 finding

Monitoring visit · March 20, 2026

Physical Plant/Indoor Space

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(e) · Violation substantiated

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 592278 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Sep 2025 Monitoring visit 14 findings

Monitoring visit · September 9, 2025

General Requirements for Personnel

3 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(1) through (i) · Violation substantiated

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(1) · 407.100(c)(5) · 407.100(i)

Physical Plant/Indoor Space

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(e)(3) through (q)(2) · Violation substantiated

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(e)(3) · 407.370(q)(2)

Equipment and Materials

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.380(j)(4)(d) through (5) · Violation corrected on site

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.380(j)(4)(d) · 407.380(j)(5)

Background Checks for Personnel

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.110 · Violation substantiated

Special Requirements for Infants and Toddlers

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.210(f)(8) · Violation substantiated

Guidance and Discipline

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.270(a) · Violation substantiated

Health Requirements for Children

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(3) · Violation substantiated

Hand Washing

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.320(a)(3) · Violation substantiated

Nutrition and Meal Service

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.330(l)(1) · Violation corrected on site

Medications

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.360(e) · Violation corrected on site

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 592278 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Mar 2025 Compliance monitoring visit nothing cited

Sep 2023 Monitoring visit 17 findings

Monitoring visit · September 14, 2023

Enrollment and Discharge Procedures

4 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(i)(1)(a) through (4)(a) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(i)(1)(a) · 407.250(i)(1)(g) · 407.250(i)(2) · 407.250(i)(4)(a)

General Requirements for Personnel

3 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(5) through (d) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(5) · 407.100(c)(8) · 407.100(d)

Personnel Records

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3) through (4) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3) · 407.120(a)(4)

Medications

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.360(b)(1) through (e) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.360(b)(1) · 407.360(e)

Equipment and Materials

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.380(j)(4) through (5) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.380(j)(4) · 407.380(j)(5)

Organization and Administration

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(i) · Violation corrected

Guidance and Discipline

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.270(a) · Violation corrected

Health Requirements for Children

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a) · Violation corrected

A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, FHSEC305.

0 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 592278 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Apr 2023 Compliance monitoring visit nothing cited

Feb 2023 Monitoring visit 1 finding

Monitoring visit · February 28, 2023

Physical Plant/Indoor Space

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(e)(8) · Violation substantiated

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 592278 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Sep 2022 Monitoring visit 6 findings

Monitoring visit · September 15, 2022

Personnel Records

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(2) through (4) · Violation substantiated

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(2) · 407.120(a)(4)

General Requirements for Personnel

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(7) · Violation substantiated

Enrollment and Discharge Procedures

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(i)(4)(a) · Violation substantiated

Medications

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.360(d)(4) · Violation substantiated

Equipment and Materials

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.380(b) · Violation substantiated

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 592278 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Aug 2021 Monitoring visit 6 findings

Monitoring visit · August 31, 2021

Organization and Administration

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(e)(1) through (2) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(e)(1) · 407.70(e)(2)

Health Requirements for Children

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(1) through (6) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(1) · 407.310(a)(6)

Background Checks for Personnel

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.110 · Violation corrected

Grouping and Staffing

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190(a) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 592278 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Dec 2020 Monitoring visit 3 findings

Monitoring visit · December 16, 2020

Enrollment and Discharge Procedures

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(d) through (i)(2) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(d) · 407.250(i)(2)

Health Requirements for Children

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 592278 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

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

9493542259

Address: 2301 N Clark St
License: pending renewal application (rn)
Chain: Guidepost Montessori
Run by: Guidepost Global Education — as of October 2025, may have changed since

Run Guidepost Montessori At Lincoln Park? Correct or add anything here, free.

Add what is missing

Sources 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 Illinois DCFS’s published reports, last checked October 10, 2026.

Details

Phone, Address, License — Checked July 2026 sunshine.dcfs.illinois.gov/…/ProviderLookup.aspx. To check it, open sunshine.dcfs.illinois.gov's Licensed Provider Lookup, enter "GUIDEPOST MONTESSORI AT LINCOLN PARK" under Provider Name and 60614 under Zip, and press Search (DCFS provider 592278).
Chain — Checked October 2026 guidepostmontessori.com
Run by — Checked October 2026 guidepostmontessori.com

Guidepost says its schools are run by Guidepost Global Education, a new, independent company formed in spring 2025, before the former operator, Higher Ground Education, filed for bankruptcy, and that none of its schools were part of that Chapter 11 case. On October 28, 2025, Guidepost said 83 schools remained open. It says the company has its own owners but does not name them. guidepostmontessori.com

Large means the biggest quarter of Chicago-area’s 1,949 licensed centers by state-licensed capacity: 119 to 487 children. Small is 8 to 48; medium is 49 to 118.