Plainfield · Licensed center

Lighthouse Academy

What the state has found

The state cited rules at all 11 of its licensing inspections since September 2013.

Of the 859 Chicago-area centers with 10 or more licensing inspections, 22% had rules cited at all of them, as this center did.

Licensing inspections

Feb 20, 20267 citations

  • Health Requirements for Children

    89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(3)

  • Outdoor Play Area

    89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.390(m)

  • Staffing Structure

    89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(a)(2)

  • Daily Arrival and Departure of Children

    89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.260(d)

3 more from this inspection

  • Health Requirements for Children

    89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)

  • Personnel Records

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

  • Physical Plant/Indoor Space

    89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(f)

Jan 15, 20256 citations

  • General Requirements for Personnel

    89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(f)

  • Organization and Administration

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

  • Organization and Administration

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

  • Organization and Administration

    89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(e)(3)

2 more from this inspection

  • Program Requirements for All Ages

    89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.200(f)

  • Health Requirements for Children

    89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(3)

Jan 18, 20245 citations

  • General Requirements for Personnel

    89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(f)

  • Health Requirements for Children

    89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)

  • Personnel Records

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

  • Personnel Records

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

1 more from this inspection

  • Background Checks for Personnel

    89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.110

Mar 8, 20235 citations

  • Qualifications for Early Childhood Assistants and School-age Assistants

    89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.150(b)

  • General Requirements for Personnel

    89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(6)

  • General Requirements for Personnel

    89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(7)

  • Personnel Records

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

1 more from this inspection

  • Qualifications for Early Childhood Teachers and School-age Workers

    89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.140(c)

May 4, 20212 citations

  • General Requirements for Personnel

    89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(f)

  • Personnel Records

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

Dec 18, 20183 citations

  • General Requirements for Personnel

    89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(f)

  • Personnel Records

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

  • A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, CCASEC4.

Jan 12, 20185 citations

  • General Requirements for Personnel

    89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(f)

  • Staffing Structure

    89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(a)(5)

  • Personnel Records

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

  • Physical Plant/Indoor Space

    89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(f)(2)

1 more from this inspection

  • A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, CCASEC4.

Jan 24, 20173 citations

  • General Requirements for Personnel

    89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(f)

  • Personnel Records

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

  • Personnel Records

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

Jan 22, 20157 citations

  • General Requirements for Personnel

    89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(1)

  • General Requirements for Personnel

    89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(5)

  • General Requirements for Personnel

    89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(d)

  • Personnel Records

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

3 more from this inspection

  • Personnel Records

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

  • Nutrition and Meal Service

    89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.330(g)

  • A citation the state’s report lists without naming the standard.

Dec 12, 20134 citations

  • Health Requirements for Children

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

  • Health Requirements for Children

    89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(4)

  • Health Requirements for Children

    89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(5)

  • Health Requirements for Children

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

Sep 27, 20132 citations

  • General Requirements for Personnel

    89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(d)

  • Personnel Records

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

Read every record and the state’s reports

State record — Illinois DCFS

Last visit
February 20, 2026
On file
11 visits since September 2013 — all of them cited findings
Fixed?
The latest correction deadline was March 22, 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.

Feb 2026 Monitoring visit 7 findings

Monitoring visit · February 20, 2026

Health Requirements for Children

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a) through (3) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a) · 407.310(a)(3)

Staffing Structure

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(a)(2) · Violation corrected

Personnel Records

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(2) · Violation corrected

Daily Arrival and Departure of Children

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.260(d) · Violation corrected

Physical Plant/Indoor Space

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(f) · Violation corrected

Outdoor Play Area

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.390(m) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 520106 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Jan 2025 Monitoring visit 6 findings

Monitoring visit · January 15, 2025

Organization and Administration

3 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(e)(1) through (3) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(e)(1) · 407.70(e)(2) · 407.70(e)(3)

General Requirements for Personnel

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(f) · Violation corrected

Program Requirements for All Ages

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.200(f) · Violation corrected

Health Requirements for Children

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

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 520106 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Jan 2024 Monitoring visit 5 findings

Monitoring visit · January 18, 2024

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)

General Requirements for Personnel

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(f) · Violation corrected

Background Checks for Personnel

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

Health Requirements for Children

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

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 520106 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Mar 2023 Monitoring visit 5 findings

Monitoring visit · March 8, 2023

General Requirements for Personnel

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(6) through (7) · Violation substantiated

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(6) · 407.100(c)(7)

Personnel Records

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3) · Violation substantiated

Qualifications for Early Childhood Teachers and School-age Workers

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.140(c) · Violation substantiated

Qualifications for Early Childhood Assistants and School-age Assistants

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.150(b) · Violation substantiated

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 520106 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

May 2021 Monitoring visit 2 findings

Monitoring visit · May 4, 2021

General Requirements for Personnel

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

Personnel Records

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(4) · Violation substantiated

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 520106 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Dec 2018 Monitoring visit 3 findings

Monitoring visit · December 18, 2018

General Requirements for Personnel

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(f) · Rule cited again

Personnel Records

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(4) · Rule cited again

A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, CCASEC4.

0 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code · Rule cited again

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 520106 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Jan 2018 Monitoring visit 5 findings

Monitoring visit · January 12, 2018

Staffing Structure

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(a)(5) · Violation corrected on site

General Requirements for Personnel

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(f) · Rule cited again

Personnel Records

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(4) · Rule cited again

Physical Plant/Indoor Space

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(f)(2) · Rule cited again

A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, CCASEC4.

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

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 520106 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Jan 2017 Monitoring visit 3 findings

Monitoring visit · January 24, 2017

Personnel Records

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

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

General Requirements for Personnel

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(f) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 520106 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Jan 2015 Monitoring visit 7 findings

Monitoring visit · January 22, 2015

General Requirements for Personnel

3 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(1) through (d) · Violation corrected

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

Personnel Records

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

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(2) · 407.120(a)(3)

Nutrition and Meal Service

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.330(g) · Violation corrected

A citation the state’s report lists without naming the standard.

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

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 520106 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Dec 2013 Monitoring visit 4 findings

Monitoring visit · December 12, 2013

Health Requirements for Children

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

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(1) · 407.310(a)(4) · 407.310(a)(5) · 407.310(a)(6)

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 520106 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Sep 2013 Monitoring visit 2 findings

Monitoring visit · September 27, 2013

General Requirements for Personnel

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(d) · Violation corrected

Personnel Records

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(2) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 520106 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

8157826346

Address
14959 S Van Dyke Rd
License
license issued (il)

Run Lighthouse Academy? 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.

All checked August 2026.

State record

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

Details

  • Phone, Address, License sunshine.dcfs.illinois.gov/…/ProviderLookup.aspx. To check it, open sunshine.dcfs.illinois.gov's Licensed Provider Lookup, enter "LIGHTHOUSE ACADEMY" under Provider Name and 60544 under Zip, and press Search (DCFS provider 520106).

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.