Bellevue · Licensed center

The Ark Early Learning Center

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What the state has found

The state cited rules at 4 of its 5 licensing inspections since April 2023. It lists no valid complaint about this center.

Of the 63 Seattle-area centers with 5 licensing inspections, 37% had rules cited at 4 of them, as this center did. 24% had rules cited at all 5.

Licensing inspections

Aug 10, 20261 citation

  • “The wood chip ground cover in the playground did not meet the required 9-inch depth, including the area around the slide exit.”

    WAC 110-300-0146(1)(a)(b)

Feb 5, 2026No rules cited
Dec 11, 20242 citations

  • “(a)The plane teeter-totter lacked a 6-foot fall zone around its structure, and several other small slides also did not meet the 6-foot fall zone requirement in both playgrounds. (ii) The wood chip ground cover did not meet the required 9-inch depth and was mixed with packed sand.”

    WAC 110-300-0146(1)(a)(b)

  • “Outlet safety caps were inserted into the TR outlets in the Baby and 1-year-old classrooms. Additionally, magnetic letters were observed in a free access to children that are not suitable for ages 2 years old. 110-300-016592)(c) - Electrical cords were observed within reach of children in the Monkey classroom. 110-300-0165(5)(f) - A refrigerator was connected to an extension cord.”

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

Dec 8, 20231 citation

  • “It is almost pitch black in the infant room and you cannot observe the infants skin color when they are sleeping. Quiet music is too loud to monitor breathing of infants.”

    WAC 110-300-0291(1)(d), WAC 110-300-0291(1)(e)

Apr 25, 20231 citation

  • “S. needs CCB”

    WAC 110-300-0106(4)

Read every record and the state’s reports

State record — Washington DCYF

Last visit
August 10, 2026
On file
5 visits since April 2023 — 1 cited nothing
Most serious
Serious — The wood chip ground cover in the playground did not meet the required 9-inch depth, including the area around the slide exit. · August 10, 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.

Aug 2026 Licensing visit 1 finding

Licensing visit · August 10, 2026

Equipment and surfaces in outdoor early learning space

WAC 110-300-0146(1)(a)(b) · Serious

The wood chip ground cover in the playground did not meet the required 9-inch depth, including the area around the slide exit.

Report (PDF)

Feb 2026 Licensing visit nothing cited Report (PDF)
Dec 2024 Licensing visit 2 findings

Licensing visit · December 11, 2024

Equipment and surfaces in outdoor early learning space

WAC 110-300-0146(1)(a)(b) · Serious

(a)The plane teeter-totter lacked a 6-foot fall zone around its structure, and several other small slides also did not meet the 6-foot fall zone requirement in both playgrounds. (ii) The wood chip ground cover did not meet the required 9-inch depth and was mixed with packed sand.

Safety requirements

WAC 110-300-0165(2)(a) · Serious

110-300-0165(2)(a) - Outlet safety caps were inserted into the TR outlets in the Baby and 1-year-old classrooms. Additionally, magnetic letters were observed in a free access to children that are not suitable for ages 2 years old. 110-300-016592)(c) - Electrical cords were observed within reach of children in the Monkey classroom. 110-300-0165(5)(f) - A refrigerator was connected to an extension cord.

Report (PDF)

Dec 2023 Licensing visit 1 finding

Licensing visit · December 8, 2023

Infant safe sleep practices

WAC 110-300-0291(1)(d) / 110-300-0291(1)(e) · Serious

It is almost pitch black in the infant room and you cannot observe the infants skin color when they are sleeping. Quiet music is too loud to monitor breathing of infants.

Report (PDF)

Apr 2023 Licensing visit 1 finding

Licensing visit · April 25, 2023

Training requirements

WAC 110-300-0106(4) · Serious · No longer on the state’s site as of August 5, 2026

S. needs CCB

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, teaching approach, ratios and staff, a typical day, and sick and biting policies aren’t on this page.

Details

(425) 644-5414

Address
411 156th Ave NE
License
PL-15732, active
Quality program
Early Achievers Level 3

Nearby

The eight closest of the 21 other licensed centers in ZIP 98007

Programs in Bellevue on the Seattle guide

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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.

State record

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

Details

Small means the smallest quarter of Seattle-area’s 859 licensed centers by state-licensed capacity: 6 to 40 children. Medium is 41 to 114; 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 10, 2026.