Charlotte · Licensed center
Early Foundations Academy
At a glance
- Medium Creative Curriculum center, licensed for 96 children.
- Hours 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., 5 days a week.
- Run by a for-profit business, which holds the license.
What to know
The license is the range the state allows. It does not say which ages have openings.
What the state has found
The state cited rules at 5 of its 11 licensing inspections since August 2023.
See each inspection
Licensing inspections
- May 27, 2026Nothing cited
May 18, 202611 citations
Citation
“Staff/child ratios applicable to a classroom, were not posted in each classroom. Staff/child ratios applicable to a classroom were not posted in space five (5) and space three (3).”
Violation confirmed corrected by follow-up visit made by consultant on 5/27/2026
Citation
“A current activity plan was not posted for each group of children for reference. A current activity plan was not posted in space one (1).”
Violation confirmed corrected by follow-up visit made by consultant on 5/27/2026
Citation
“All corrosive agents, pesticides, bleaches, detergents, cleansers, polishes, any product which is under pressure in an aerosol dispenser, and any substance which may be hazardous to a child if ingested, inhaled, or handled were not stored in a locked room or cabinet. Two (2) aerosol cans were observed on top of a cabinet in space five (5). An aerosol can was located in an unlocked cabinet in space one (1).”
Violation corrected during visit
Citation
“All staff records, except financial records, were not made available for review. Some staff and program records were not available for review.”
Violation confirmed corrected by follow-up visit made by consultant on 5/27/2026
Citation
“Staff required to receive on-going training had not completed the required number of hours according to their education and experience. Two (2)staff required to receive on-going training had not completed the required number of hours according to their education and experience.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 6/4/2026
Citation
“Emergency medical care information was not on file in the center on the child's first day of attendance and/or was not updated as changes occurred or at least annually for each child. Emergency medical care information was not updated at least annually for one (1) child.”
Violation confirmed corrected by follow-up visit made by consultant on 5/27/2026
Citation
“Medical exam or health assessment record was not on file before or within 30 days after admission. A medical exam was not on file for two (2) enrolled child.”
Violation confirmed corrected by follow-up visit made by consultant on 5/27/2026
Citation
“Each child was not immunized as per Article 6 of Chapter 130A and an immunization record was not on file before or within 30 days after admission An immunization record was not on file for two (2) children.”
Violation confirmed corrected by follow-up visit made by consultant on 5/27/2026
Citation
“A child care operator did not notify the Division of any new child care providers who were hired or moved into the home within five business days by submitting the Change of Information form provided by the Division. The child care operator did not complete and verify the facility's roster in the ABCMS.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 6/4/2026
Citation
“Shelter-in-place or lockdown drills were not practiced every three months and/or drill record was incomplete. Shelter-in-place or lockdown drills were not practiced after the last one (1) in January 2026.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 5/29/2026
Citation
“The depth of the loose surfacing was not based on critical height of the equipment. The mulch on the toddler playground is not based on the height of the equipment.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 6/4/2026
- Mar 3, 2026Nothing cited
- Dec 15, 2025Nothing cited
Jun 11, 20255 citations
Citation
“A current activity plan was not posted for each group of children for reference. A current activity plan was not posted for the school-age group.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 6/24/2025
Citation
“Fire drills were not practiced monthly and/or the drill record was incomplete. A fire drill was not practiced for the month of April 2025.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 6/24/2025
Citation
“Each employee's personnel file did not contain an annual staff evaluation and a staff development plan. Four (4) employee's personnel file did not contain an annual staff evaluation and two (2) did not have a staff development plan.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 6/24/2025
Citation
“Emergency medical care information was not on file in the center on the child's first day of attendance and/or was not updated as changes occurred or at least annually for each child. Emergency medical care information was not updated at least annually for two (2) children.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 6/24/2025
Citation
“Shelter-in-place or lockdown drills were not practiced every three months and/or drill record was incomplete. A shelter-in-place or lockdown drills was not practiced every three months. The last one was completed February 2025.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 6/24/2025
Dec 10, 20241 citation
Citation
“All staff records, except financial records, were not made available for review. Four (4) staff member's records were not made available for review.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 12/20/2024
Jun 24, 20243 citations
Citation
“Food substitution was not of comparable food value or recorded on the menu prior to the meal or snack being served. Food substitution for breakfast and lunch was not recorded on the menu prior to the meal being served.”
Violation corrected during visit
Citation
“Staff required to receive on-going training had not completed the required number of hours according to their education and experience. One (1) staff member required to receive ten (10) on-going training had not completed the required number of hours according to their education and experience.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 7/2/2024
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. One (1) staff member did not complete the Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training within 90 days of employment.”
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 7/2/2024
- Dec 18, 2023Nothing cited
- Nov 7, 2023Nothing cited
- Sep 27, 2023Nothing cited
Aug 17, 20231 citation
Citation
“Each staff member did not have the required medical report, proof of tuberculosis test or screening and/or completed health questionnaire in a medical file, maintained separately from the staff member's individual personnel file. Four staff personnel files were observed to have TB, health questionnaires and medicals on file and not filed separately from the staff member's personnel file.”
Violation corrected during visit
The state cited rules at 5 of this center's 11 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
- May 27, 2026
- On file
- 11 visits since August 2023 — 6 cited nothing, 6 of those unannounced
- Fixed?
- All 21 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.
May 2026 Unannounced visit 11 findings
Unannounced visit · May 18, 2026
Staff/child ratios applicable to a classroom, were not posted in each classroom. Staff/child ratios applicable to a classroom were not posted in space five (5) and space three (3).
Violation confirmed corrected by follow-up visit made by consultant on 5/27/2026
A current activity plan was not posted for each group of children for reference. A current activity plan was not posted in space one (1).
Violation confirmed corrected by follow-up visit made by consultant on 5/27/2026
All corrosive agents, pesticides, bleaches, detergents, cleansers, polishes, any product which is under pressure in an aerosol dispenser, and any substance which may be hazardous to a child if ingested, inhaled, or handled were not stored in a locked room or cabinet. Two (2) aerosol cans were observed on top of a cabinet in space five (5). An aerosol can was located in an unlocked cabinet in space one (1).
Violation corrected during visit
All staff records, except financial records, were not made available for review. Some staff and program records were not available for review.
Violation confirmed corrected by follow-up visit made by consultant on 5/27/2026
Staff required to receive on-going training had not completed the required number of hours according to their education and experience. Two (2)staff required to receive on-going training had not completed the required number of hours according to their education and experience.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 6/4/2026
Emergency medical care information was not on file in the center on the child's first day of attendance and/or was not updated as changes occurred or at least annually for each child. Emergency medical care information was not updated at least annually for one (1) child.
Violation confirmed corrected by follow-up visit made by consultant on 5/27/2026
Medical exam or health assessment record was not on file before or within 30 days after admission. A medical exam was not on file for two (2) enrolled child.
Violation confirmed corrected by follow-up visit made by consultant on 5/27/2026
Each child was not immunized as per Article 6 of Chapter 130A and an immunization record was not on file before or within 30 days after admission An immunization record was not on file for two (2) children.
Violation confirmed corrected by follow-up visit made by consultant on 5/27/2026
A child care operator did not notify the Division of any new child care providers who were hired or moved into the home within five business days by submitting the Change of Information form provided by the Division. The child care operator did not complete and verify the facility's roster in the ABCMS.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 6/4/2026
Shelter-in-place or lockdown drills were not practiced every three months and/or drill record was incomplete. Shelter-in-place or lockdown drills were not practiced after the last one (1) in January 2026.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 5/29/2026
The depth of the loose surfacing was not based on critical height of the equipment. The mulch on the toddler playground is not based on the height of the equipment.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 6/4/2026
DCDEE facility lookup On that page, enter license number 60003985 in the License Number box, choose Search and open the result; the record is listed under Visits.
Jun 2025 Unannounced visit 5 findings
Unannounced visit · June 11, 2025
A current activity plan was not posted for each group of children for reference. A current activity plan was not posted for the school-age group.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 6/24/2025
Fire drills were not practiced monthly and/or the drill record was incomplete. A fire drill was not practiced for the month of April 2025.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 6/24/2025
Each employee's personnel file did not contain an annual staff evaluation and a staff development plan. Four (4) employee's personnel file did not contain an annual staff evaluation and two (2) did not have a staff development plan.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 6/24/2025
Emergency medical care information was not on file in the center on the child's first day of attendance and/or was not updated as changes occurred or at least annually for each child. Emergency medical care information was not updated at least annually for two (2) children.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 6/24/2025
Shelter-in-place or lockdown drills were not practiced every three months and/or drill record was incomplete. A shelter-in-place or lockdown drills was not practiced every three months. The last one was completed February 2025.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 6/24/2025
DCDEE facility lookup On that page, enter license number 60003985 in the License Number box, choose Search and open the result; the record is listed under Visits.
Dec 2024 Unannounced visit 1 finding
Unannounced visit · December 10, 2024
All staff records, except financial records, were not made available for review. Four (4) staff member's records were not made available for review.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 12/20/2024
DCDEE facility lookup On that page, enter license number 60003985 in the License Number box, choose Search and open the result; the record is listed under Visits.
Jun 2024 Unannounced visit 3 findings
Unannounced visit · June 24, 2024
Food substitution was not of comparable food value or recorded on the menu prior to the meal or snack being served. Food substitution for breakfast and lunch was not recorded on the menu prior to the meal being served.
Violation corrected during visit
Staff required to receive on-going training had not completed the required number of hours according to their education and experience. One (1) staff member required to receive ten (10) on-going training had not completed the required number of hours according to their education and experience.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 7/2/2024
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. One (1) staff member did not complete the Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training within 90 days of employment.
Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 7/2/2024
DCDEE facility lookup On that page, enter license number 60003985 in the License Number box, choose Search and open the result; the record is listed under Visits.
Aug 2023 Unannounced visit 1 finding
Unannounced visit · August 17, 2023
No longer on the state’s site as of August 28, 2026
Each staff member did not have the required medical report, proof of tuberculosis test or screening and/or completed health questionnaire in a medical file, maintained separately from the staff member's individual personnel file. Four staff personnel files were observed to have TB, health questionnaires and medicals on file and not filed separately from the staff member's personnel file.
Violation corrected during visit
DCDEE facility lookup On that page, enter license number 60003985 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.
A day here
6 a.m. to 6 p.m., 5 days a week
How they teach
Creative Curriculum and STEAM
“Teachers use the nationally-recognized Creative Curriculum™ to build on the skills children developed in their first two years of life.”
Details
- Phone
- (704) 643-9890
- Address
- 7727 Sharon Lakes Road, Charlotte, 28210
- License
- 60003985
- Quality program
- Five Star License
We couldn’t find some information that may matter to your decision: openings, child care subsidies, cost, 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 theearlyfoundations.com
State record
From North Carolina DCDEE’s published reports, last checked November 8, 2026.
A day here
- Hours — Checked July 2026 theearlyfoundations.com
Details
- Phone, Address, License, Quality program — Checked July 2026 ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. To check it, open ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/childcaresearch, enter licence 60003985 under License Number, and open the result.
- Website — Checked July 2026 theearlyfoundations.com
- Ages they serve — Checked July 2026 theearlyfoundations.com
- Who runs it — Checked October 2026 ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. To check it, open ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov/childcaresearch, enter licence 60003985 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.