Chicago · Licensed center

Shining Star Early Learning Academy

Medium center, licensed for 105 children.

What the state has found

The state cited rules at 14 of its 20 licensing inspections since February 2010.

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

Jan 16, 20266 citations

Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3)
General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(h)
General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(7)
General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(8)

2 more from this inspection

General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(6)
Nutrition and Meal Service
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.330(l)(1)

Feb 21, 20241 citation

General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(f)

Feb 6, 2024No rules cited

Jan 5, 20236 citations

Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(i)(4)(a)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3)
Diapering and Toileting Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.340(a)(4)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(4)

2 more from this inspection

Organization and Administration
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(e)
A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, FHSEC305.

Feb 1, 20221 citation

Nutrition and Meal Service
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.330(j)(2)

Sep 8, 2021No rules cited

Apr 2, 2021No rules cited

Jan 27, 20212 citations

Grouping and Staffing
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190(d)
Nutrition and Meal Service
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.330(l)(1)

Nov 5, 2020No rules cited

Sep 25, 2020No rules cited

Jan 23, 20185 citations

Physical Plant/Indoor Space
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(e)
General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(f)
Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(d)
Background Checks for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.110

1 more from this inspection

Health Requirements for Children
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(4)

Jan 31, 20173 citations

Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)
Health Requirements for Children
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)
Background Checks for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.110

Jan 16, 20154 citations

General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(d)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(1)
Physical Plant/Indoor Space
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(e)(4)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3)

Jan 27, 20148 citations

General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(5)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(1)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(2)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3)

4 more from this inspection

Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(5)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(4)
Staffing Structure
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(d)
Staffing Structure
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(b)

Sep 26, 20125 citations

Physical Plant/Indoor Space
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(d)(2)
Nutrition and Meal Service
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.330(h)
Outdoor Play Area
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.390(l)(1)
Special Requirements for Infants and Toddlers
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.210(f)(21)

1 more from this inspection

Outdoor Play Area
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.390(i)

May 16, 2012No rules cited

Sep 29, 20101 citation

Grouping and Staffing
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190(a)

Jul 9, 201011 citations

Equipment and Materials
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.380(j)(4)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(1)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3)
Health Requirements for Children
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(1)

7 more from this inspection

Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(2)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(4)
Health Requirements for Children
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(4)
Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(i)(1)
Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(i)(2)
Physical Plant/Indoor Space
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(f)(2)
Physical Plant/Indoor Space
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(f)(3)

Mar 12, 20101 citation

Grouping and Staffing
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190(a)

Feb 11, 20104 citations

Organization and Administration
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(n)(3)
Grouping and Staffing
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190(a)
Special Requirements for Infants and Toddlers
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.210(h)(8)
Special Requirements for Infants and Toddlers
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.210(b)

Read every record and the state’s reports

State record — Illinois DCFS

Last visit: January 16, 2026
On file: 20 visits since February 2010 — 6 cited nothing
Fixed?: The latest correction deadline was February 16, 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.

Jan 2026 Monitoring visit 6 findings

Monitoring visit · January 16, 2026

General Requirements for Personnel

4 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(6) through (h) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(6) · 407.100(c)(7) · 407.100(c)(8) · 407.100(h)

Personnel Records

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

Nutrition and Meal Service

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

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 495161 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Feb 2024 Monitoring visit 1 finding

Monitoring visit · February 21, 2024

General Requirements for Personnel

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

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 495161 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Feb 2024 Compliance monitoring visit nothing cited

Jan 2023 Monitoring visit 6 findings

Monitoring visit · January 5, 2023

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)

Organization and Administration

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

Enrollment and Discharge Procedures

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

Diapering and Toileting Procedures

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.340(a)(4) · 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 495161 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Feb 2022 Monitoring visit 1 finding

Monitoring visit · February 1, 2022

Nutrition and Meal Service

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.330(j)(2) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 495161 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Sep 2021 Compliance monitoring visit nothing cited

Apr 2021 Compliance monitoring visit nothing cited

Jan 2021 Monitoring visit 2 findings

Monitoring visit · January 27, 2021

Grouping and Staffing

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

Nutrition and Meal Service

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

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 495161 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Nov 2020 Compliance monitoring visit nothing cited

Sep 2020 Compliance monitoring visit nothing cited

Jan 2018 Monitoring visit 5 findings

Monitoring visit · January 23, 2018

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

Enrollment and Discharge Procedures

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(d) · Violation corrected

Health Requirements for Children

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(4) · Violation corrected

Physical Plant/Indoor Space

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

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 495161 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 31, 2017

Background Checks for Personnel

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

Personnel Records

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a) · 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 495161 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Jan 2015 Monitoring visit 4 findings

Monitoring visit · January 16, 2015

Personnel Records

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(1) through (3) · Violation corrected

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

General Requirements for Personnel

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

Physical Plant/Indoor Space

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(e)(4) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 495161 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Jan 2014 Monitoring visit 8 findings

Monitoring visit · January 27, 2014

Personnel Records

5 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(1) through (5) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(1) · 407.120(a)(2) · 407.120(a)(3) · 407.120(a)(4) · 407.120(a)(5)

Staffing Structure

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(b) through (d) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(b) · 407.90(d)

General Requirements for Personnel

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(5) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 495161 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Sep 2012 Monitoring visit 5 findings

Monitoring visit · September 26, 2012

Outdoor Play Area

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.390(i) through (l)(1) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.390(i) · 407.390(l)(1)

Special Requirements for Infants and Toddlers

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.210(f)(21) · Violation corrected

Nutrition and Meal Service

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

Physical Plant/Indoor Space

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(d)(2) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 495161 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

May 2012 Compliance monitoring visit nothing cited

Sep 2010 Monitoring visit 1 finding

Monitoring visit · September 29, 2010

Grouping and Staffing

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

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 495161 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Jul 2010 Monitoring visit 11 findings

Monitoring visit · July 9, 2010

Personnel Records

4 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(1) through (4) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(1) · 407.120(a)(2) · 407.120(a)(3) · 407.120(a)(4)

Enrollment and Discharge Procedures

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(i)(1) through (2) · Violation corrected

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

Health Requirements for Children

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

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

Physical Plant/Indoor Space

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(f)(2) through (3) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(f)(2) · 407.370(f)(3)

Equipment and Materials

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.380(j)(4) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 495161 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Mar 2010 Monitoring visit 1 finding

Monitoring visit · March 12, 2010

Grouping and Staffing

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

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 495161 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Feb 2010 Monitoring visit 4 findings

Monitoring visit · February 11, 2010

Special Requirements for Infants and Toddlers

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.210(b) through (h)(8) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.210(b) · 407.210(h)(8)

Organization and Administration

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(n)(3) · 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 495161 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, a typical day, and sick and biting policies aren’t on this page.

Who cares for your child

Gicele Wray-Lindley (Founder) since 2004.

Of 5,339 Chicago-area providers, 26 publish how long a named staff member has been there; the longest tenure at each of those has a median of sixteen years.

Details

7739957827

Website: shiningstaryouth.com
Address: 338 E 103rd St
License: license issued (il)
Ages they serve: ages 6 weeks to 6 years old
Established: 2009

Run Shining Star Early Learning 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.

Who cares for your child

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 "SHINING STAR EARLY LEARNING ACADEMY" under Provider Name and 60628 under Zip, and press Search (DCFS provider 495161).
Website — Checked August 2026 shiningstaryouth.com
Ages they serve, Established — Checked August 2026 shiningstaryouth.com

Medium means the middle half of Chicago-area’s 1,949 licensed centers by state-licensed capacity: 49 to 118 children. Small is 8 to 48; large is 119 to 487.