Licensed center

Pioneer Academy

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What the state has found

The state cited rules at both of its licensing inspections since March 2025. It lists no valid complaint about this center.

Of the 79 Seattle-area centers with 2 licensing inspections, 32% had rules cited at both, as this center did. 30% had none cited.

Licensing inspections

Sep 30, 20254 citations

  • “During the inspection, it was found that the emergency exit door in preschool A could not be opened or closed by the licensor or staff. This means the door was not in compliance. WAC requires emergency exit doors to stay unlocked from the inside and be easy to open without keys, tools, or special knowledge. In addition, the door handle must allow people to unlock and open the door immediately in an emergency. Staff stated the door has been broken for a while, making the emergency exit unusable from that classroom.”

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

  • “licensor observed staff member T.A., who was driving children during the time of visit , did not have CPR certification on file or recorded in the electronic workforce registry. When asked to review it onsite, staff member T.A. did not have a CPR card available for the licensor to verify.”

    WAC 110-300-0480(2)

  • “Assistant teacher J.P. did not have a food handler permit on file. During the onsite visit, the licensor observed staff member J.P. serving food to children. The food handler permit was also not entered into the electronic workforce registry.”

    WAC 110-300-0106(12)

  • “The licensor was unable to verify TB tests for staff members J.G. and T.F. There was no TB documentation on file or entered in the electronic workforce registry for the licensor to review during time of visit.”

    WAC 110-300-0105(3)

Mar 19, 20251 citation

  • “Disinfectant cleaning supplies observed accessible to children in the preschool bathroom. This was corrected onsite”

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

Read every record and the state’s reports

State record — Washington DCYF

Last visit
September 30, 2025
On file
2 visits since March 2025 — both cited findings
Most serious
Serious — During the inspection, it was found that the emergency exit door in preschool A could not be opened or closed by the licensor or staff. This means the door was not in compliance. WAC requires emergency exit doors to stay unlocked from the inside and be easy to open without keys, tools, or special knowledge. In addition, the door handle must allow people to unlock and open the door immediately in an emergency. Staff stated the door has been broken for a while, making the emergency exit unusable from that classroom. · September 30, 2025

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.

Sep 2025 Licensing visit 4 findings

Licensing visit · September 30, 2025

Emergency preparation and exiting

WAC 110-300-0166(3)(a) · Serious

During the inspection, it was found that the emergency exit door in preschool A could not be opened or closed by the licensor or staff. This means the door was not in compliance. WAC requires emergency exit doors to stay unlocked from the inside and be easy to open without keys, tools, or special knowledge. In addition, the door handle must allow people to unlock and open the door immediately in an emergency. Staff stated the door has been broken for a while, making the emergency exit unusable from that classroom.

Transportation and off-site activity policy

WAC 110-300-0480(2) · Serious

licensor observed staff member T.A., who was driving children during the time of visit , did not have CPR certification on file or recorded in the electronic workforce registry. When asked to review it onsite, staff member T.A. did not have a CPR card available for the licensor to verify.

Training requirements

WAC 110-300-0106(12) · Serious

Assistant teacher J.P. did not have a food handler permit on file. During the onsite visit, the licensor observed staff member J.P. serving food to children. The food handler permit was also not entered into the electronic workforce registry.

Preservice requirements

WAC 110-300-0105(3) · Short Term

The licensor was unable to verify TB tests for staff members J.G. and T.F. There was no TB documentation on file or entered in the electronic workforce registry for the licensor to review during time of visit.

Report (PDF)

Mar 2025 Licensing visit 1 finding

Licensing visit · March 19, 2025

Storage of hazardous and maintenance supplies

WAC 110-300-0260(1)(a) · Serious

Disinfectant cleaning supplies observed accessible to children in the preschool bathroom. This was corrected onsite

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, hours and late pickup, ratios and staff, a typical day, and sick and biting policies aren’t on this page.

How they teach

Montessori–inspired, Reggio Emilia–inspired, Waldorf–inspired and play-based

“We combine the best elements of Montessori, Reggio Emilia, and Waldorf philosophies to create a unique and balanced program.”

Details

(253) 246-2972

Website
mymontessorischoolllc.com
Address
515 E Smith St
License
PL-85207, active
Quality program
Early Achievers Enrolled

Nearby

The first eight, A to Z, of the 9 other licensed centers in ZIP 98030

Programs elsewhere in the metro on the Seattle guide

Run Pioneer 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 September 2026.

How they teach

State record

From Washington DCYF’s published reports, last checked October 10, 2026.

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.