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Charlotte · Licensed center

Dogwood Lane Children's Academy

dogwoodlaneca.com

At a glance

  • Medium center, licensed for 148 children.
  • Run by a for-profit business, which holds the license.

What the state has found

The state cited rules at 8 of its 13 licensing inspections since August 2023.

See each inspection

Licensing inspections

  • Jul 28, 20261 citation
    • Citation
      • “Plastic bags, materials that could be torn apart and toy parts small enough to be swallowed were accessible to children under three years of age. In Space 1A a plastic bag storing shoes was accessible to children. In Space 2B bubble wrap was in the art center accessible to children.”

        Violation corrected during visit

  • Jun 25, 2026Nothing cited
  • Mar 19, 2026Nothing cited
  • Aug 13, 20252 citations
    • Citation
      • “A drug or medicine was administered after its expiration date. I observed two (2) expired diaper creams in space #2B and #6, this is a repeat violation.”

        Violation corrected during visit

    • Citation
      • “Shelter-in-place or lockdown drills were not practiced every three months and/or drill record was incomplete. Drills were not conducted every three (3) months, I observed a drill conducted on 12/19/24 then on 4/7/25.”

        Violation corrected during visit

  • Mar 4, 20251 citation
    • Citation
      • “All equipment and furnishings were not in good repair. In space #3, I observed materials in the dramatic center that were bitten and in need of replacement. In space #2A, I observed three (3) areas on an interactive wall board that were chipped and in need of repair.”

        Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 4/11/2025

  • Nov 12, 2024Nothing cited
  • Oct 31, 2024Nothing cited
  • Aug 16, 20247 citations
    • Citation
      • “Lavatories were not kept clean, in good repair and kept free of storage. A toilet lid was soiled in the bathroom between spaces #4 and #5.”

        Violation corrected during visit

    • Citation
      • “All equipment and furnishings were not in good repair. A chalkboard on the preschool playground had nails sticking out from on top of the boards.”

        Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 8/29/2024

    • Citation
      • “A drug or medication was administered without written authorization and/or instructions from a child's parent or authorized health professional. In space #6B, I observed a topical ointment that needed physician directions/permission to apply to children under 2 years old.”

        Violation corrected during visit

    • Citation
      • “A drug or medicine was administered after its expiration date. I observed an expired topical ointment dated for 6/2024 in space #4.”

        Violation corrected during visit

    • Citation
      • “Incident reports were not completed each time a child was injured, it did not include all the information required in rule, it was not signed by the parent and/or it was not maintained in the child's file. I observed all of the incident reports for the month of July 2024 not filed in the designated children's files.”

        Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 8/29/2024

    • Citation
      • “Each new employee did not complete, within the first two weeks of employment, six clock hours of training in required topic areas. Two (2) staff files had 5.5 hours completed for he first two weeks of employment.”

        Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 8/29/2024

    • Citation
      • “The depth of the loose surfacing was not based on critical height of the equipment. The mulch on the preschool playground did not meet the required depth.”

        Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 8/29/2024

  • May 31, 20241 citation
    • Citation
      • “Incident reports were not completed each time a child was injured, it did not include all the information required in rule, it was not signed by the parent and/or it was not maintained in the child's file. Although staff did complete a scratch and dent form for an injury that occurred on March 21, 2024, the form did not include all the information required in the rule.”

        Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 9/6/2024

  • Feb 21, 20245 citations
    • Citation
      • “All equipment and furnishings were not in good repair. In space #5, I observed wooden frames with broken wood edges and splinters.”

        Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/29/2024

    • Citation
      • “A drug or medication was administered without written authorization and/or instructions from a child's parent or authorized health professional. In space #6B, I observed a lotrimin ointment that was on file for an infant child, this ointment cannot be administered to children under the age of 2 unless directed by the doctor. A homemade ointment with the listed components (hydrocortisone, destitin and lotrimin) were on file for an infant child, the lotrimin can not be administered to children under the age of 2 unless directed by the doctor.”

        Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/29/2024

    • Citation
      • “When medication was administered, documentation was not completed or maintained for 6 months and/or the documentation did not include the required information. One (1) child had an expired medication permission form dated for 2/13/24.”

        Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/29/2024

    • Citation
      • “Monthly playground inspections were not completed and/or they were not completed by an individual trained in playground safety requirements. The playground inspection for Dec 2023 was not completed.”

        Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/29/2024

    • Citation
      • “The child care administrator and all staff did not complete the Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training within 90 days of employment. Two (2) staff did not complete the recognizing and responding training within ninety (90) days of employment.”

        Violation corrected during visit

  • Sep 11, 2023Nothing cited
  • Aug 28, 20231 citation
    • Citation
      • “The discipline policy was not followed. On 8/18/23, a teacher did not follow the discipline policy. The teacher delegated discipline to another child and proceeded to hit a child on the shoulder after the child did not hit his peer.”

        Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 9/8/2023

  • Aug 17, 20234 citations
    • Citation
      • “All equipment and furnishings were not in good repair. In space #4, I observed a chair with rust on the back legs.”

        Violation corrected during visit

    • Citation
      • “A drug or medicine was administered after its expiration date. In space #1a, I observed an expired diaper cream.”

        Violation corrected during visit

    • Citation
      • “All staff, including the director, did not have an annual health questionnaire on file following the initial medical statement. C.H did not have an updated health questionnaire on file.”

        Violation corrected during visit

    • Citation
      • “Staff did not model appropriate eating behaviors by consuming food or beverages that meet the nutritional requirements specified in the Meal Patterns for Children in Child Care Programs in the presence of children in care. In space #6a, I observed an energy drink can on the counter.”

        Violation corrected during visit

The state cited rules at 8 of this center's 13 inspections. Most Charlotte-area centers inspected 10 or more times had rules cited at some but not all of theirs, as this center did: more than 99% of 271.

How all 271 Charlotte-area centers inspected 10 or more times compare

Of the 271 Charlotte-area centers the state inspected 10 or more times, how many of those inspections cited a rule:

  • Someover 99%This center
  • Allunder 1%
Read every record and the state’s reports

State record — North Carolina DCDEE

Last visit
July 28, 2026
On file
13 visits since August 2023 — 5 cited nothing, 3 of those unannounced
Fixed?
All 22 record a correction, in the licensor’s own words.
Most serious
North Carolina DCDEE does not publish a severity level for a citation, so there is no most-serious to name.

North Carolina DCDEE describes every citation in the licensor’s own words and records the correction in that same text — the only one of the six states that publishes whether a violation was fixed. It attaches no rule number and no report document.

Jul 2026 Unannounced visit 1 finding

Unannounced visit · July 28, 2026

Plastic bags, materials that could be torn apart and toy parts small enough to be swallowed were accessible to children under three years of age. In Space 1A a plastic bag storing shoes was accessible to children. In Space 2B bubble wrap was in the art center accessible to children.

Violation corrected during visit

DCDEE facility lookup On that page, enter license number 60003920 in the License Number box, choose Search and open the result; the record is listed under Visits.

Jun 2026 Announced visit nothing cited
Mar 2026 Announced visit nothing cited
Aug 2025 Unannounced visit 2 findings

Unannounced visit · August 13, 2025

A drug or medicine was administered after its expiration date. I observed two (2) expired diaper creams in space #2B and #6, this is a repeat violation.

Violation corrected during visit

Shelter-in-place or lockdown drills were not practiced every three months and/or drill record was incomplete. Drills were not conducted every three (3) months, I observed a drill conducted on 12/19/24 then on 4/7/25.

Violation corrected during visit

DCDEE facility lookup On that page, enter license number 60003920 in the License Number box, choose Search and open the result; the record is listed under Visits.

Mar 2025 Unannounced visit 1 finding

Unannounced visit · March 4, 2025

All equipment and furnishings were not in good repair. In space #3, I observed materials in the dramatic center that were bitten and in need of replacement. In space #2A, I observed three (3) areas on an interactive wall board that were chipped and in need of repair.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 4/11/2025

DCDEE facility lookup On that page, enter license number 60003920 in the License Number box, choose Search and open the result; the record is listed under Visits.

Nov 2024 Unannounced visit nothing cited
Oct 2024 Unannounced visit nothing cited
Aug 2024 Unannounced visit 7 findings

Unannounced visit · August 16, 2024

Lavatories were not kept clean, in good repair and kept free of storage. A toilet lid was soiled in the bathroom between spaces #4 and #5.

Violation corrected during visit

All equipment and furnishings were not in good repair. A chalkboard on the preschool playground had nails sticking out from on top of the boards.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 8/29/2024

A drug or medication was administered without written authorization and/or instructions from a child's parent or authorized health professional. In space #6B, I observed a topical ointment that needed physician directions/permission to apply to children under 2 years old.

Violation corrected during visit

A drug or medicine was administered after its expiration date. I observed an expired topical ointment dated for 6/2024 in space #4.

Violation corrected during visit

Incident reports were not completed each time a child was injured, it did not include all the information required in rule, it was not signed by the parent and/or it was not maintained in the child's file. I observed all of the incident reports for the month of July 2024 not filed in the designated children's files.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 8/29/2024

Each new employee did not complete, within the first two weeks of employment, six clock hours of training in required topic areas. Two (2) staff files had 5.5 hours completed for he first two weeks of employment.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 8/29/2024

The depth of the loose surfacing was not based on critical height of the equipment. The mulch on the preschool playground did not meet the required depth.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 8/29/2024

DCDEE facility lookup On that page, enter license number 60003920 in the License Number box, choose Search and open the result; the record is listed under Visits.

May 2024 Unannounced visit 1 finding

Unannounced visit · May 31, 2024

Incident reports were not completed each time a child was injured, it did not include all the information required in rule, it was not signed by the parent and/or it was not maintained in the child's file. Although staff did complete a scratch and dent form for an injury that occurred on March 21, 2024, the form did not include all the information required in the rule.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 9/6/2024

DCDEE facility lookup On that page, enter license number 60003920 in the License Number box, choose Search and open the result; the record is listed under Visits.

Feb 2024 Unannounced visit 5 findings

Unannounced visit · February 21, 2024

All equipment and furnishings were not in good repair. In space #5, I observed wooden frames with broken wood edges and splinters.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/29/2024

A drug or medication was administered without written authorization and/or instructions from a child's parent or authorized health professional. In space #6B, I observed a lotrimin ointment that was on file for an infant child, this ointment cannot be administered to children under the age of 2 unless directed by the doctor. A homemade ointment with the listed components (hydrocortisone, destitin and lotrimin) were on file for an infant child, the lotrimin can not be administered to children under the age of 2 unless directed by the doctor.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/29/2024

When medication was administered, documentation was not completed or maintained for 6 months and/or the documentation did not include the required information. One (1) child had an expired medication permission form dated for 2/13/24.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/29/2024

Monthly playground inspections were not completed and/or they were not completed by an individual trained in playground safety requirements. The playground inspection for Dec 2023 was not completed.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/29/2024

The child care administrator and all staff did not complete the Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training within 90 days of employment. Two (2) staff did not complete the recognizing and responding training within ninety (90) days of employment.

Violation corrected during visit

DCDEE facility lookup On that page, enter license number 60003920 in the License Number box, choose Search and open the result; the record is listed under Visits.

Sep 2023 Unannounced visit nothing cited
Aug 2023 Unannounced visit 1 finding

Unannounced visit · August 28, 2023

No longer on the state’s site as of September 25, 2026

The discipline policy was not followed. On 8/18/23, a teacher did not follow the discipline policy. The teacher delegated discipline to another child and proceeded to hit a child on the shoulder after the child did not hit his peer.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 9/8/2023

DCDEE facility lookup On that page, enter license number 60003920 in the License Number box, choose Search and open the result; the record is listed under Visits.

Aug 2023 Unannounced visit 4 findings

Unannounced visit · August 17, 2023

No longer on the state’s site as of August 28, 2026

All equipment and furnishings were not in good repair. In space #4, I observed a chair with rust on the back legs.

Violation corrected during visit

No longer on the state’s site as of August 28, 2026

A drug or medicine was administered after its expiration date. In space #1a, I observed an expired diaper cream.

Violation corrected during visit

No longer on the state’s site as of August 28, 2026

All staff, including the director, did not have an annual health questionnaire on file following the initial medical statement. C.H did not have an updated health questionnaire on file.

Violation corrected during visit

No longer on the state’s site as of August 28, 2026

Staff did not model appropriate eating behaviors by consuming food or beverages that meet the nutritional requirements specified in the Meal Patterns for Children in Child Care Programs in the presence of children in care. In space #6a, I observed an energy drink can on the counter.

Violation corrected during visit

DCDEE facility lookup On that page, enter license number 60003920 in the License Number box, choose Search and open the result; the record is listed under Visits.

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.

Details

Phone
(704) 282-0505
Address
1551 Arrowpoint Lane, Charlotte, 28278
License
60003920
Quality program
Three Star License

We couldn’t find some information that may matter to your decision: openings, child care subsidies, cost, hours and late pickup, teaching approach, ratios and staff, a typical day, and sick and biting policies. We can ask the program for you and copy you in.

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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 North Carolina DCDEE’s published reports, last checked November 8, 2026.

Details

  • Phone, Address, License, Quality program — Checked July 2026 ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. To check it, open ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/childcaresearch, enter licence 60003920 under License Number, and open the result.
  • Website — Checked July 2026 dogwoodlaneca.com
  • Who runs it — Checked October 2026 ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. To check it, open ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/childcaresearch, enter licence 60003920 under License Number, open the result and expand Owner Information: the licensee is listed as Primary Owner.

Medium means the middle half of Charlotte-area’s 605 licensed centers by state-licensed capacity: 51 to 162 children. Small is 11 to 50; large is 163 to 528.

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