Seattle · Licensed center

First Place School

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What the state has found

The state cited rules at all 3 of its licensing inspections since November 2023. It lists no valid complaint about this center.

Of the 405 Seattle-area centers with 3 licensing inspections, 33% had rules cited at all 3, as this center did. 11% had none cited.

Licensing inspections

Feb 5, 20267 citations

  • “Licensor observed staff / volunteer that are missing training for prevention of child abuse and neglect.”

    WAC 110-300-0106(4)

  • “3(3)(a) Licensor observed an exit door that requires special knowledge to open. To open the door, you have to push extremely hard to get the door to open.”

    WAC 110-300-0166(3)(a)

  • “Licensor observed staff with food handlers permit that is expired.”

    WAC 110-300-0106(12)

  • “Licensor observed plastic bags, gloves, other sufucation hazards that say keep out of reach of children accessible to children.”

    WAC 110-300-0165(2)(d)

3 more from this inspection

  • “Licensor observed backgrounds are cleared however the second requirement for preservice is TB. There are staff that do not have TB dates in Merit.”

    WAC 110-300-0105(2)

  • “Licensor observed staff that is missing childcare basics.”

    WAC 110-300-0106(3)

  • “Licensor observed child files that do not have current, complete and medically verified CIS immunization record from the Washington state immunization information system (WA IIS).”

    WAC 110-300-0210(1)(2)

Feb 12, 20253 citations

  • “Window blinds were note in two of the classrooms upstairs that formed a loop.”

    WAC 110-300-0165(2)(b)

  • “The two classrooms downstairs have gates in front of the doors.”

    WAC 110-300-0166(3)(c)

  • “The fire extinguisher in room 2 is not on the exit path. The fire extinguisher in room 1 was not mounted and on the handwashing sink.”

    WAC 110-300-0170(3)(i)

Nov 9, 20231 citation

  • “Disinfectant wipes and a bottle of hand sanitizer were observed stored on top of children's wooden lakeshore type cubbies and were viewed not inaccessible to children, but within a child's reach above where a child would hang their coats.”

    WAC 110-300-0260(1)(a)

Read every record and the state’s reports

State record — Washington DCYF

Last visit
February 5, 2026
On file
3 visits since November 2023 — all of them cited findings
Most serious
Serious — Licensor observed staff / volunteer that are missing training for prevention of child abuse and neglect. · February 5, 2026

Washington DCYF publishes the licensor’s own observation and a risk level for every citation it issues at a licensing visit, with the inspection report attached as a PDF.

Feb 2026 Licensing visit 7 findings

Licensing visit · February 5, 2026

Training requirements

WAC 110-300-0106(4) · Serious

Licensor observed staff / volunteer that are missing training for prevention of child abuse and neglect.

Emergency preparation and exiting

WAC 110-300-0166(3)(a) · Serious

01663(3)(a) Licensor observed an exit door that requires special knowledge to open. To open the door, you have to push extremely hard to get the door to open.

Immunizations and exempt children

WAC 110-300-0210(1)(2) · Long Term

Licensor observed child files that do not have current, complete and medically verified CIS immunization record from the Washington state immunization information system (WA IIS).

Training requirements

WAC 110-300-0106(12) · Serious

Licensor observed staff with food handlers permit that is expired.

Training requirements

WAC 110-300-0106(3) · Short Term

Licensor observed staff that is missing childcare basics.

Safety requirements

WAC 110-300-0165(2)(d) · Serious

Licensor observed plastic bags, gloves, other sufucation hazards that say keep out of reach of children accessible to children.

Preservice requirements

WAC 110-300-0105(2) · Serious

Licensor observed backgrounds are cleared however the second requirement for preservice is TB. There are staff that do not have TB dates in Merit.

Report (PDF)

Feb 2025 Licensing visit 3 findings

Licensing visit · February 12, 2025

Safety requirements

WAC 110-300-0165(2)(b) · Serious

Window blinds were note in two of the classrooms upstairs that formed a loop.

Emergency preparation and exiting

WAC 110-300-0166(3)(c) · Serious

The two classrooms downstairs have gates in front of the doors.

Fire safety

WAC 110-300-0170(3)(i) · Short Term

The fire extinguisher in room 2 is not on the exit path. The fire extinguisher in room 1 was not mounted and on the handwashing sink.

Report (PDF)

Nov 2023 Licensing visit 1 finding

Licensing visit · November 9, 2023

Storage of hazardous and maintenance supplies

WAC 110-300-0260(1)(a) · Serious

Disinfectant wipes and a bottle of hand sanitizer were observed stored on top of children's wooden lakeshore type cubbies and were viewed not inaccessible to children, but within a child's reach above where a child would hang their coats.

Report (PDF)

Shortlist replaces people’s names in the state’s text with initials. This is done by rule, not by hand, so it can miss a name or shorten a word that isn’t one. The state’s report, linked on each row, has the original.

Openings, Working Connections subsidy, cost, teaching approach, ratios and staff, and sick and biting policies aren’t on this page.

A day here

Hours
9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Meals
Three meals daily provided to children, plus free 'Good Food' bags
Schedule
Full-day program; before and after school childcare available

Details

(206) 629-6288

Website
firstplaceschool.org
Address
172 20th Ave
License
PL-20937, active
Quality program
Early Achievers Level 4
Ages they serve
Childcare: ages 12 months to 3 years; Preschool: ages 3 to 5

Nearby

The eight closest of the 15 other licensed centers in ZIP 98122

All in ZIP 98122

Run First Place School? 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 Washington DCYF’s published reports, last checked October 10, 2026.

A day here

Details

Medium means the middle half of Seattle-area’s 859 licensed centers by state-licensed capacity: 41 to 114 children. Small is 6 to 40; large is 115 to 323.

The ages on the license are what the state licenses it to care for, which can be wider than the ages it takes.

Nearby

The other centers’ visit lines are from Washington DCYF’s published reports as Shortlist read them on October 9, 2026.