Austin · Licensed center
Headwaters School
At a glance
- Large Montessori center, licensed for 178 children.
From their website, read July 2026:
“Classroom ratios: Young Children’s Community (7:1), Primary (13:3), Elementary (from 14:1), Middle School (12:1), High School (12:1).”
What the state has found
This state publishes the visits that cited something but not the ones that cited nothing, so there is no city rate to set this beside.
See each inspection
Licensing inspections
Mar 3, 20251 citation
746.3407(8) - Garbage Inaccessible to Children; Maintained in Sanitary MannerMedium High
“At inspection, a trash can, containing garbage was not covered.”
746.3407(8) - Garbage Inaccessible to Children; Maintained in Sanitary Manner
Apr 9, 20241 citation
746.5307(b) - Fire Extinguishers ServicedMedium High
“One of the fire extinguishers had a gauge that was showing in the red and needed to be serviced.”
746.5307(b) - Fire Extinguishers Serviced
Jun 21, 20234 citations
745.641 - AP Background check results - Must receive notification prior to allowing subject to be present at your operationHigh
“Two caregivers were present in the classroom without eligible background checks.”
745.641 - AP Background check results - Must receive notification prior to allowing subject to be present at your operation
746.2209 - Posting of Activity PlanMedium
“Two classes did not have posted activity plans.”
746.2209 - Posting of Activity Plan
746.801(3) - Required Records Maintained and Made Available - Personnel and Training RecordsMedium
“Some of the personnel files were not available to review at the inspection today.”
746.801(3) - Required Records Maintained and Made Available - Personnel and Training Records
746.1309(e) - Documented Annual Training- Required ContentMedium
“Three caregivers were missing annual training on some of the required health and safety trainings.”
746.1309(e) - Documented Annual Training- Required Content
Jul 28, 20221 citation
746.5205(1) - Fire Drill Monthly - Exit in 3 MinutesMedium High
“The operation did not practice a fire drill for the month of June. This was corrected at inspection when the Inspector asked the Director to conduct a fire drill.”
746.5205(1) - Fire Drill Monthly - Exit in 3 Minutes
Read every record and the state’s reports
State record — Texas HHSC
- Last visit
- March 3, 2025
- On file
- 4 visits since July 2022 — all of them cited findings · 4 complaint investigations
- Most serious
- High —
The operation failed to report to licensing within 48 hours that a child in their care, exhibiting signs and symptoms of illness necessitating medical attention, had been taken to the hospital.
· April 22, 2024
Texas HHSC describes each deficiency in writing and weights the standard behind it from high to low by the risk a violation presents to children. It publishes no inspection document.
Mar 2025 Licensing visit 1 finding
Licensing visit · March 3, 2025
746.3407(8) - Garbage Inaccessible to Children; Maintained in Sanitary Manner · Medium High
At inspection, a trash can, containing garbage was not covered.
Nov 2024 Complaint
Complaint · November 22, 2024
Reported to the state by the program
Self-report is Texas HHSC’s own field on its complaint investigation record.
746.707 - Incident/Illness Report Form Shared with Parent · Medium
The operation, did not provide an incident report, to the parent, regarding an injury that required medical treatment, within 48 hours.
Apr 2024 Complaint 2 findings
Complaint · April 22, 2024
Reported to the state by the program
Self-report is Texas HHSC’s own field on its complaint investigation record.
746.1205(a)(4) - Supervision ensures each child?s safety, well-being, including physical proximity and auditory or visual awareness of each child?s on going activity · High
The operation failed to report to licensing within 48 hours that a child in their care, exhibiting signs and symptoms of illness necessitating medical attention, had been taken to the hospital.
746.305(a)(2) - AP Report Child Injury Requiring Medical Treatment by a Health-Care Professional or Hospitalization · Medium High
A child experienced a nursemaid's elbow when another child pulled their arm too hard, resulting in an injury.
Apr 2024 Licensing visit 1 finding
Licensing visit · April 9, 2024
746.5307(b) - Fire Extinguishers Serviced · Medium High
One of the fire extinguishers had a gauge that was showing in the red and needed to be serviced.
Mar 2024 Complaint 2 findings
Complaint · March 27, 2024
Reported to the state by the program
Self-report is Texas HHSC’s own field on its complaint investigation record.
746.305(a)(2) - AP Report Child Injury Requiring Medical Treatment by a Health-Care Professional or Hospitalization · Medium High
The operation failed to report to licensing within 48 hours that a child in their care sustained an injury that required medical treatment by a health-care professional.
746.1205(a)(4) - Supervision ensures each child?s safety, well-being, including physical proximity and auditory or visual awareness of each child?s on going activity · High
A child inserted a pebble into their ear during their time in care.
Jun 2023 Licensing visit 4 findings
Licensing visit · June 21, 2023
746.2209 - Posting of Activity Plan · Medium
Two classes did not have posted activity plans.
746.801(3) - Required Records Maintained and Made Available - Personnel and Training Records · Medium
Some of the personnel files were not available to review at the inspection today.
746.1309(e) - Documented Annual Training- Required Content · Medium
Three caregivers were missing annual training on some of the required health and safety trainings.
745.641 - AP Background check results - Must receive notification prior to allowing subject to be present at your operation · High
Two caregivers were present in the classroom without eligible background checks.
May 2023 Complaint
Complaint · May 3, 2023
Reported to the state by the program
Self-report is Texas HHSC’s own field on its complaint investigation record.
746.1315(a) - Each Caregiver and the Director Must Have Current Training in pediatric first aid with rescue breathing and choking. · Medium High
A caregiver did not have current first aid training.
Jul 2022 Licensing visit 1 finding
Licensing visit · July 28, 2022
746.5205(1) - Fire Drill Monthly - Exit in 3 Minutes · Medium High
The operation did not practice a fire drill for the month of June. This was corrected at inspection when the Inspector asked the Director to conduct a fire drill.
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.
How they teach
Montessori and academic
“Montessori Foundations”
Details
- Phone
- (512) 443-8843
- Address
- 6305 Manchaca Rd And 1934 Berkeley Ave, Austin, 78745
- License
- 820597
We couldn’t find some information that may matter to your decision: openings, child care subsidies, cost, hours and late pickup, a typical day, sick and biting policies, and who owns it. We can ask the program for you and copy you in.
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.
Children per adult
- Children per adult headwaters.org
How they teach
- Approach headwaters.org/about
- Approach headwaters.org/…/middle-school/the-ib-middle-years-programme-at-headwaters
State record
From Texas HHSC’s published reports, last checked November 8, 2026.
Details
- Phone, Address, License childcare.hhs.texas.gov
- Website headwaters.org
Large means the biggest quarter of Austin-area’s 928 licensed centers by state-licensed capacity: 154 to 731 children. Small is 12 to 61; medium is 62 to 153.