Palo Alto · Licensed center
First Congregational Church Nursery School
At a glance
- Medium play-based center, licensed for 60 children.
- Tuition $771 to $1,236 a month, half day; the age it is for isn’t stated. See costs
- Run by a nonprofit. A board oversees it, and there are no owners taking profit.
What the state has found
The state cited rules at 2 of its 5 licensing inspections since February 2022.
See each inspection
Licensing inspections
Sep 23, 20261 citation
HSC 1596.8662(b)(1)Type B
“(1) On or before March 30, 2018, a person who, on January 1, 2018, is a licensed child day care provider, administrator, or employee of a licensed child day care facility shall complete the mandated reporter training provided pursuant to paragraphs (2) and (3) of subdivision (a), and shall complete renewal mandated reporter training every two years following the date on which he or she completed the initial mandated reporter training. This requirement is not met as evidenced by: Based on record review, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above as Director and four (4) staff on-site during today's inspection did not have a current Mandated Reporter "Child Care Providers" training certificate on file, which poses/posed a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.”
HSC 1596.8662(b)(1)
- Mar 20, 2025Nothing cited
Jan 19, 20241 citation
CCR 102417(g)(9)(A)Type B
“(g) The home shall be free from defects or conditions which might endanger a child. Safety precautions shall include but not limited to: (9) Each family child care home shall have a written disaster plan of action prepared on a form approved by the Department. All children, age and ability permitting, and the provider, the assistant provider, and other members of the household, shall be instructed in their duties under the disaster plan. As their age and ability permit, newly enrolled children shall be informed promptly of their duties as required in the plan. (A) Each family child care home shall conduct fire drills and disaster drills at least once every six months. This requirement is not met as evidenced by: Based on observation and record review, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above in which poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care. LPA observed Fire drill was conduted on 10/19/22. Director stated that, Director had it planned but did not do it.”
CCR 102417(g)(9)(A)
- Feb 8, 2023Nothing cited
- Feb 10, 2022Nothing cited
The state cited rules at 2 of this center's 5 inspections. Most Bay Area centers inspected 5 times had fewer: 64% of 457 had rules cited at 1 or none.
How all 457 Bay Area centers inspected 5 times compare
Of the 457 Bay Area centers the state inspected 5 times, how many of those inspections cited a rule:
- None29%
- 1 of 535%
- 2 of 523%This center
- 3 of 59%
- 4 of 54%
- All 5under 1%
Read every record and the state’s reports
State record — California CDSS Community Care Licensing
- Last visit
- September 23, 2026
- On file
- 5 visits since February 2022 — 3 cited nothing
- Most serious
- Type B —
(1) On or before March 30, 2018, a person who, on January 1, 2018, is a licensed child day care provider, administrator, or employee of a licensed child day care facility shall complete the mandated reporter training provided pursuant to paragraphs (2) and (3) of subdivision (a), and shall complete renewal mandated reporter training every two years following the date on which he or she completed the initial mandated reporter training. This requirement is not met as evidenced by: Based on record review, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above as Director and four (4) staff on-site during today's inspection did not have a current Mandated Reporter "Child Care Providers" training certificate on file, which poses/posed a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
· September 23, 2026
California CDSS publishes the full investigation narrative for a complaint, including its disposition, and classifies a citation Type A — an immediate risk to a child — or Type B.
Sep 2026 Licensing visit 1 finding
Licensing visit · September 23, 2026
HSC 1596.8662(b)(1) · Type B
(1) On or before March 30, 2018, a person who, on January 1, 2018, is a licensed child day care provider, administrator, or employee of a licensed child day care facility shall complete the mandated reporter training provided pursuant to paragraphs (2) and (3) of subdivision (a), and shall complete renewal mandated reporter training every two years following the date on which he or she completed the initial mandated reporter training. This requirement is not met as evidenced by: Based on record review, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above as Director and four (4) staff on-site during today's inspection did not have a current Mandated Reporter "Child Care Providers" training certificate on file, which poses/posed a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Jan 2024 Licensing visit 1 finding
Licensing visit · January 19, 2024
CCR 102417(g)(9)(A) · Type B
(g) The home shall be free from defects or conditions which might endanger a child. Safety precautions shall include but not limited to: (9) Each family child care home shall have a written disaster plan of action prepared on a form approved by the Department. All children, age and ability permitting, and the provider, the assistant provider, and other members of the household, shall be instructed in their duties under the disaster plan. As their age and ability permit, newly enrolled children shall be informed promptly of their duties as required in the plan. (A) Each family child care home shall conduct fire drills and disaster drills at least once every six months. This requirement is not met as evidenced by: Based on observation and record review, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above in which poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care. LPA observed Fire drill was conduted on 10/19/22. Director stated that, Director had it planned but did not do it.
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
$771 to $1,236 a month
Bay Area comparison hidden until they say which age this price is for.
A day here
- Schedule
- Half-day, part-week — 2 to 4 mornings per week depending on age group, with an extended-day option for the oldest class
How they teach
Play-based
“Based on that knowledge, the underlying premise of our program is that young children learn best through play.”
Details
- Phone
- (650) 493-1915
- Address
- 1985 Louis Road, Palo Alto, 94303
- License
- 430700239
- Established
- 1963
We couldn’t find some information that may matter to your decision: openings, child care subsidies, 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 firstcongonurseryschool.org
What it costs
- Monthly tuition — Checked July 2026 firstcongonurseryschool.org
State record
From California CDSS Community Care Licensing’s published reports, last checked November 5, 2026.
A day here
- Schedule — Checked July 2026 firstcongonurseryschool.org
Details
- Phone, Address, License — Checked July 2026 ccld.dss.ca.gov
- Website — Checked July 2026 firstcongonurseryschool.org
- Established — Checked July 2026 firstcongonurseryschool.org
- Who runs it — Checked November 2026 ccld.dss.ca.gov
Medium means the middle half of Bay Area’s 439 licensed centers by state-licensed capacity: 31 to 75 children. Small is 8 to 30; large is 76 to 312.