Austin · Licensed center
Hillcrest Childrens Academy
At a glance
- Large play-based center, licensed for 250 children.
- Ages They list: babies to 5th grade.
- Tuition Infant $1,494, toddler $1,472, preschool $1,364 a month, full time. See costs
- Run by a nonprofit. A board oversees it, and there are no owners taking profit.
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
Sep 30, 20261 citation
746.3819 - Food Allergy Emergency Plan Signed by Parents and Health Care ProfessionalMedium High
“One Fare form was more than a year old and one Fare form did not have both a parent and medical professional signature.”
746.3819 - Food Allergy Emergency Plan Signed by Parents and Health Care Professional
Aug 5, 20264 citations
746.3819 - Food Allergy Emergency Plan Signed by Parents and Health Care ProfessionalMedium High
“Two allergy action plans were not signed by both the parent and health care provider.”
746.3819 - Food Allergy Emergency Plan Signed by Parents and Health Care Professional
746.3407 - Maintenance of Building, Grounds and EquipmentMedium High
“One classroom has an area of peeling paint on the wall about the size of a dinner plate and the flooring is chipped. The outdoor area has gravel loose fill on the sidewalks and play structure that could pose a fall risk.”
746.3407 - Maintenance of Building, Grounds and Equipment
746.5205(4) - Documentation of DrillsMedium
“Documentation of Fire Drills were not available for review.”
746.5205(4) - Documentation of Drills
746.801(8) - Required Records Maintained and Made Available - Playground Maintenance RecordsMedium
“A playground maintenance checklist was not available for review.”
746.801(8) - Required Records Maintained and Made Available - Playground Maintenance Records
May 7, 20261 citation
746.1105(3) - Minimum Qualifications Employees and Caregivers - Affidavit (Form 2985)Low
“Affidavit 2985 was missing from the personnel ffiles.”
746.1105(3) - Minimum Qualifications Employees and Caregivers - Affidavit (Form 2985)
Oct 28, 20255 citations
746.603(a)(2) - Children's Records - Admission InformationMedium
“Admission paperwork did not include all required information, including the emergency contact's address, ER care authorization, health statements, and immunizations.”
746.603(a)(2) - Children's Records - Admission Information
746.501(a)(1) - Written Operational Policies - Operating TimesMedium
“Operational policies did not include all required information, such as promoting indoor/outdoor physical activity, the Abuse Neglect hotline, and the Gang-free zone notification.”
746.501(a)(1) - Written Operational Policies - Operating Times
746.4003(a) - First Aid Kit - Incomplete KitMedium
“The first aid kit did not include the guide to first aid.”
746.4003(a) - First Aid Kit - Incomplete Kit
746.4135(b) - Children's Products- Annual CertificationMedium
“The product safety certification was not available for review.”
746.4135(b) - Children's Products- Annual Certification
746.901 - Required Personnel RecordsMedium
“Personnel files did not include all of the required information, such as, high school diploma, training records and affidavits 2985 and 2912”
746.901 - Required Personnel Records
Read every record and the state’s reports
State record — Texas HHSC
- Last visit
- September 30, 2026
- On file
- 4 visits since October 2025 — all of them cited findings · 1 complaint investigation
- Most serious
- High —
A child was left unattended outside for about two minutes.
· February 4, 2026
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.
Sep 2026 Licensing visit 1 finding
Licensing visit · September 30, 2026
746.3819 - Food Allergy Emergency Plan Signed by Parents and Health Care Professional · Medium High
One Fare form was more than a year old and one Fare form did not have both a parent and medical professional signature.
Aug 2026 Licensing visit 4 findings
Licensing visit · August 5, 2026
746.3819 - Food Allergy Emergency Plan Signed by Parents and Health Care Professional · Medium High
Two allergy action plans were not signed by both the parent and health care provider.
746.5205(4) - Documentation of Drills · Medium
Documentation of Fire Drills were not available for review.
746.3407 - Maintenance of Building, Grounds and Equipment · Medium High
One classroom has an area of peeling paint on the wall about the size of a dinner plate and the flooring is chipped. The outdoor area has gravel loose fill on the sidewalks and play structure that could pose a fall risk.
746.801(8) - Required Records Maintained and Made Available - Playground Maintenance Records · Medium
A playground maintenance checklist was not available for review.
May 2026 Licensing visit 1 finding
Licensing visit · May 7, 2026
746.1105(3) - Minimum Qualifications Employees and Caregivers - Affidavit (Form 2985) · Low
Affidavit 2985 was missing from the personnel ffiles.
Feb 2026 Complaint
Complaint · February 4, 2026
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
A child was left unattended outside for about two minutes.
Oct 2025 Licensing visit 5 findings
Licensing visit · October 28, 2025
746.603(a)(2) - Children's Records - Admission Information · Medium
Admission paperwork did not include all required information, including the emergency contact's address, ER care authorization, health statements, and immunizations.
746.501(a)(1) - Written Operational Policies - Operating Times · Medium
Operational policies did not include all required information, such as promoting indoor/outdoor physical activity, the Abuse Neglect hotline, and the Gang-free zone notification.
746.4003(a) - First Aid Kit - Incomplete Kit · Medium
The first aid kit did not include the guide to first aid.
746.4135(b) - Children's Products- Annual Certification · Medium
The product safety certification was not available for review.
746.901 - Required Personnel Records · Medium
Personnel files did not include all of the required information, such as, high school diploma, training records and affidavits 2985 and 2912
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.
What it costs
Hillcrest Childrens AcademyMost Austin-area prices (middle 80%)
Monthly, full time. The band is the middle 80% of Austin-area full-time prices for that age; 25 infant, 26 toddler and 30 preschool programs publish one.
- Part time
- $758 to $1,295 a month
- Application fee
- $150
- Siblings
- Registration for second child is $75.00 + their first week tuition
How they teach
Play-based
“We strongly believe that learning happens through play.”
Details
- Phone
- (512) 598-9421
- Address
- 3838 Steck Ave, Austin, 78759
- License
- 1825596
- Ages they serve
- Babies to 5th grade
We couldn’t find some information that may matter to your decision: openings, child care subsidies, hours and late pickup, ratios and staff, a typical day, and sick and biting policies. 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.
How they teach
- Approach — Checked July 2026 hillcrestacademy.kids
What it costs
- Infant, Toddler, Preschool, Second price, Application fee, Sibling discount — Checked July 2026 hillcrestacademy.kids
State record
From Texas HHSC’s published reports, last checked November 8, 2026.
Details
- Phone — Checked October 2026 hillcrestacademy.kids
- Website — Checked July 2026 hillcrestacademy.kids
- Address, License — Checked July 2026 childcare.hhs.texas.gov
- Ages they serve — Checked July 2026 hillcrestacademy.kids
- Who runs it — Checked November 2026 projects.propublica.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.