Chicago · Licensed center

The Gardner School Of Lincoln Park

Large center, licensed for 194 children.
A Gardner School center. The chain is owned by Quad Partners and The Vistria Group, private-equity firms.
Shortlist has found no website for it yet.

What the state has found

The state cited rules at 9 of its 12 licensing inspections since February 2017.

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

Aug 26, 2026No rules cited

Dec 11, 202521 citations

General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(1)
Health Requirements for Children
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(6)
Staffing Structure
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(a)(2)
Health Requirements for Children
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(5)

17 more from this inspection

General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(5)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(2)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(4)
Special Requirements for Infants and Toddlers
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.210(b)
Nutrition and Meal Service
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.330(g)(1)
Diapering and Toileting Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.340(a)(2)
Diapering and Toileting Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.340(a)(5)(i)
Diapering and Toileting Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.340(a)(5)
Napping and Sleeping
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.350(c)
Medications
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.360(b)(1)
General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(6)
General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(f)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(1)
Equipment and Materials
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.380(b)
Equipment and Materials
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.380(d)
A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, CCASEC4.
A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, FHSEC305.

Feb 7, 2025No rules cited

Oct 31, 2024No rules cited

Jan 23, 202410 citations

Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(2)
General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(d)
Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(i)(2)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(1)

6 more from this inspection

Guidance and Discipline
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.270(a)
Health Requirements for Children
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(3)
Organization and Administration
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(i)
General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(5)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(4)

Dec 20, 20227 citations

Organization and Administration
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(e)
General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(d)
Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(i)(4)(a)
Equipment and Materials
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.380(j)(5)

3 more from this inspection

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 7, 20212 citations

Physical Plant/Indoor Space
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(f)(3)
Background Checks for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.110

Nov 5, 20183 citations

General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(f)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3)
A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, CCASEC4.

Feb 5, 20181 citation

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

Dec 7, 20173 citations

Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3)
General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(5)
A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, CCASEC4.

Apr 6, 20172 citations

Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(e)(4)

Feb 27, 20171 citation

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

Read every record and the state’s reports

State record — Illinois DCFS

Last visit: August 26, 2026
On file: 12 visits since February 2017 — 3 cited nothing
Fixed?: The latest correction deadline was January 12, 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.

Aug 2026 Compliance monitoring visit nothing cited

Dec 2025 Monitoring visit 21 findings

Monitoring visit · December 11, 2025

General Requirements for Personnel

4 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(1) through (f) · Violation substantiated

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(1) · 407.100(c)(5) · 407.100(c)(6) · 407.100(f)

Personnel Records

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

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

Diapering and Toileting Procedures

3 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.340(a)(2) through (5)(i) · Violation corrected on site · Violation substantiated

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.340(a)(2) · 407.340(a)(5) · 407.340(a)(5)(i)

Health Requirements for Children

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(5) through (6) · Violation corrected

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

Equipment and Materials

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.380(b) through (d) · Violation substantiated · Violation corrected on site

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.380(b) · 407.380(d)

Staffing Structure

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

Special Requirements for Infants and Toddlers

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

Nutrition and Meal Service

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

Napping and Sleeping

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.350(c) · Violation substantiated

Medications

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

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

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

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

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

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 545410 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Feb 2025 Compliance monitoring visit nothing cited

Oct 2024 Compliance monitoring visit nothing cited

Jan 2024 Monitoring visit 10 findings

Monitoring visit · January 23, 2024

Personnel Records

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

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

General Requirements for Personnel

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(5) through (d) · Violation substantiated

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

Organization and Administration

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

Enrollment and Discharge Procedures

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

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 545410 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Dec 2022 Monitoring visit 7 findings

Monitoring visit · December 20, 2022

General Requirements for Personnel

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(d) through (f) · Violation substantiated

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(d) · 407.100(f)

Organization and Administration

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

Personnel Records

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

Enrollment and Discharge Procedures

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

Equipment and Materials

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.380(j)(5) · Violation substantiated

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

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

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 545410 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Jan 2021 Monitoring visit 2 findings

Monitoring visit · January 7, 2021

Background Checks for Personnel

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

Physical Plant/Indoor Space

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(f)(3) · Violation substantiated

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 545410 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Nov 2018 Monitoring visit 3 findings

Monitoring visit · November 5, 2018

General Requirements for Personnel

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

Personnel Records

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

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 545410 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Feb 2018 Monitoring visit 1 finding

Monitoring visit · February 5, 2018

Grouping and Staffing

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

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 545410 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Dec 2017 Monitoring visit 3 findings

Monitoring visit · December 7, 2017

General Requirements for Personnel

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

Personnel Records

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

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 545410 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Apr 2017 Monitoring visit 2 findings

Monitoring visit · April 6, 2017

Personnel Records

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

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

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 545410 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Feb 2017 Monitoring visit 1 finding

Monitoring visit · February 27, 2017

Personnel Records

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

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 545410 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

7736610232

Address: 2850 N Lincoln Ave
License: pending renewal application (rn)

Run The Gardner School Of 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 "THE GARDNER SCHOOL OF LINCOLN PARK" under Provider Name and 60657 under Zip, and press Search (DCFS provider 545410).
Who runs it — Checked October 2026 thegardnerschool.com
Who runs it — Checked October 2026 vistria.com

The private-equity firms Quad Partners and The Vistria Group recapitalized The Gardner School in 2023 through a fund set up for that one company, according to their adviser, Lincoln International. Vistria still lists the school among its companies. The school's own site says it is not a franchise. vistria.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.