Chicago · Licensed center

The Gardner School Of River North

Large center, licensed for 187 children.
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 December 2020.

Of the 157 Chicago-area centers with 7 licensing inspections, 13% had rules cited at 4 of them, as this center did. 40% had rules cited at all 7.

Licensing inspections

Jul 7, 2026No rules cited

Feb 26, 2026No rules cited

Aug 8, 202523 citations

Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(4)
Guidance and Discipline
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.270(a)
Physical Plant/Indoor Space
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(d)(3)

19 more from this inspection

Background Checks for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.110
Grouping and Staffing
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190(a)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(e)(4)
Health Requirements for Children
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(6)
Nutrition and Meal Service
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.330(l)(1)
Diapering and Toileting Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.340(b)
Napping and Sleeping
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.350(c)
Medications
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.360(e)
Physical Plant/Indoor Space
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(e)(3)
Equipment and Materials
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.380(j)(4)
Equipment and Materials
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.380(j)(5)
General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(5)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(2)
Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(d)
Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(i)(2)
Special Requirements for Infants and Toddlers
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.210(f)(8)
Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(i)(1)
Health Requirements for Children
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(3)
A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, FHSEC305.

Aug 30, 202217 citations

Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(i)(4)(a)
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)(4)

13 more from this inspection

Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(e)(4)
Health Requirements for Children
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)
Nutrition and Meal Service
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.330(b)
Diapering and Toileting Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.340(a)(5)(i)
General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(8)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(2)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(e)(5)
Daily Arrival and Departure of Children
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.260(e)(3)
Napping and Sleeping
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.350(j)
Physical Plant/Indoor Space
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(d)(3)
Equipment and Materials
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.380(j)(4)(j)
Equipment and Materials
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.380(j)(4)(k)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3)

Dec 13, 2021No rules cited

Sep 28, 20216 citations

Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(4)
Health Requirements for Children
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(6)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(2)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3)

2 more from this inspection

A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, CCASEC4.
A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, FHSEC305.

Dec 16, 20201 citation

Health Requirements for Children
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(5)

Read every record and the state’s reports

State record — Illinois DCFS

Last visit: July 7, 2026
On file: 7 visits since December 2020 — 3 cited nothing
Fixed?: The latest correction deadline was September 8, 2025. 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.

Jul 2026 Compliance monitoring visit nothing cited

Feb 2026 Compliance monitoring visit nothing cited

Aug 2025 Monitoring visit 23 findings

Monitoring visit · August 8, 2025

Personnel Records

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

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

Enrollment and Discharge Procedures

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

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

Health Requirements for Children

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(3) through (6) · Violation substantiated

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(3) · 407.310(a)(6)

Physical Plant/Indoor Space

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

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(d)(3) · 407.370(e)(3)

Equipment and Materials

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

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

General Requirements for Personnel

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

Background Checks for Personnel

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

Grouping and Staffing

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

Nutrition and Meal Service

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

Diapering and Toileting Procedures

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.340(b) · 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(e) · Violation substantiated

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 591434 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Aug 2022 Monitoring visit 17 findings

Monitoring visit · August 30, 2022

Personnel Records

6 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(1) through (e)(5) · Violation substantiated

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

General Requirements for Personnel

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(5) through (8) · Violation substantiated

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

Equipment and Materials

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.380(j)(4)(j) through (k) · Violation substantiated

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

Enrollment and Discharge Procedures

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

Daily Arrival and Departure of Children

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.260(e)(3) · Violation substantiated

Health Requirements for Children

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

Nutrition and Meal Service

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

Diapering and Toileting Procedures

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.340(a)(5)(i) · Violation substantiated

Napping and Sleeping

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

Physical Plant/Indoor Space

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

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 591434 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Dec 2021 Compliance monitoring visit nothing cited

Sep 2021 Monitoring visit 6 findings

Monitoring visit · September 28, 2021

Personnel Records

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

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

Health Requirements for Children

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(6) · 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 591434 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Dec 2020 Monitoring visit 1 finding

Monitoring visit · December 16, 2020

Health Requirements for Children

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(5) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 591434 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

3125463183

Address: 500 W Superior St
License: pending renewal application (rn)

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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 July 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 "THE GARDNER SCHOOL OF RIVER NORTH" under Provider Name and 60654 under Zip, and press Search (DCFS provider 591434).

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.