Little Tots #3 Early Learning Center

Center · Troutman · 135 Elder Lane

What kind of place is this?

Size 45 children licensed Smaller than the middle half of Charlotte centers, where the middle half licenses 50–162. Measured across 598 Charlotte centers, 2026-08-17.

Who runs it

Ownership For-profit North Carolina DCDEE names a limited company as the licensee, and it is not in the IRS register of tax-exempt organisations. ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov

How this compares

North Carolina DCDEE cited something at 5 of the 11 visits below. Across Charlotte centers it cites something at about 57% of visits. Each state decides what gets written up, so this compares Charlotte with Charlotte and never with another state.

Will it fit our family?

Accepts subsidy Yes

What will it cost us?

This provider does not publish pricing.

What Shortlist has verified

State quality rating Three Star License
License status Active

State record — North Carolina DCDEE

Last visit
June 15, 2026
On file
11 visits since August 2023 — 6 cited nothing, 6 of those unannounced
Fixed?
All 16 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.

Jun 2026 Unannounced visit nothing cited
Jan 2026 Unannounced visit 2 findings

Unannounced visit · January 8, 2026

All equipment and furnishings were not in good repair. Outside play toys need to be cleaned.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 1/20/2026

Outdoor play area was not enclosed by fence with a minimum height of 4 feet. The top of the fence, less than six feet, was not free from protrusions. Fencing on the back wall of the playground area has areas with protrusions. The fencing needs to be reattached to the pole at the top of the fencing.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 1/20/2026

DCDEE facility lookup

Aug 2025 Unannounced visit nothing cited
Jul 2025 Unannounced visit 2 findings

Unannounced visit · July 22, 2025

All staff did not wash their hands thoroughly after diapering each child. During the diaper changing process the staff did not follow proper procedures by removing gloves and washing hands before washing the hands of the student.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 8/4/2025

At least one person who meets qualifications for lead teacher was not responsible for each group for at least two-thirds of the total daily hours of operation. In space 1 and 2 there was not a lead teacher assigned or in the classroom for two-thirds of the day.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 8/4/2025

DCDEE facility lookup

Jul 2025 Unannounced visit nothing cited
Jun 2025 Unannounced visit nothing cited
Feb 2025 Unannounced visit nothing cited
Feb 2025 Unannounced visit 6 findings

Unannounced visit · February 3, 2025

Minimum staff/child ratios and group sizes for the number and ages of children in care were not met. In space one staff child ratio was not maintained from 9:45 to 10:15. The ratio was one teacher to eleven children. The ratio for this classroom is 1/10. The youngest child was 2 year of age.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/17/2025

A current activity plan was not posted for each group of children for reference. A current activity plan was not posted in the infant classroom.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/17/2025

All floors and floor coverings were not constructed of nonabsorbent material and/or were not kept clean and in good repair. Floors were not kept clean through out the building.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/17/2025

Staff did not wash their hands thoroughly before beginning work, before/after handling food, before bottle feeding or serving to other children, after toileting or handling body fluids, after diaper changing and after handling soiled items. Teacher did not wash hand between diaper changing.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/17/2025

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 3 plastic bags were stored in a cabinet that was not lock under the sink.

Violation corrected during visit

Caregivers did not document compliance with visually checking on sleeping infants aged 12 months or younger and/or the documents were not maintained for a minimum of one month. Documentation was not maintained for one child when sleeping. The week of 1/27-1/31 was not recorded.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/17/2025

DCDEE facility lookup

Aug 2024 Unannounced visit nothing cited
Mar 2024 Unannounced visit 3 findings

Unannounced visit · March 1, 2024

All equipment and furnishings were not in good repair. Shelter needs to be painted and wood needs to be replaced in some areas. Outdoor equipment needs to be cleaned and power washed.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 3/15/2024

The EPR Plan did not include the date of the last revision of the plan. The ERP Plan needs to be updated with current information.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 3/15/2024

The operator did not notify the parent of each child enrolled in writing of the smoking and tobacco restriction. Two children files monitored did not have a signed notification to parents of the smoking policy and tobacco restrictions.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 3/14/2024

DCDEE facility lookup

Aug 2023 Unannounced visit 3 findings

Unannounced visit · August 31, 2023

Caregivers did not document compliance with visually checking on sleeping infants aged 12 months or younger and/or the documents were not maintained for a minimum of one month. 2 sleep chart logs were not completed for 8/30/23.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 9/13/2023

All staff did not successfully complete certification in First Aid appropriate to the age of children in care. Verification of staff completion of First Aid training from an approved training organization was not in the staff file. One staff member does not have the First Aid training required with-in 90 days of hire.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 9/14/2023

All staff did not successfully complete certification in CPR training appropriate to the age of the children in care. Verification of staff completion of the CPR course from an approved training organization was not in the staff file. One staff member did not have the required CPR training with-in the first 90days of hire.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 9/14/2023

DCDEE facility lookup

Before you tour

Little Tots #3 Early Learning Center hasn’t published

Cost, hours and late pickup, a typical day, sick and biting policies.

Ask which of these findings were serious.North Carolina DCDEE records the correction in its own words, but never says how serious it was.

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.

What kind of place is this

Not yet reported: established, teaching approach.

Who runs it

Will it fit our family

Not yet reported: ages served, hours, days / week, schedule, holiday closures.

Licensing and contact

State record

Every state visit and complaint on file, shown in full and never edited. Open a date to read what the state wrote.

Do you run Little Tots #3 Early Learning Center? Shortlist has no tuition, hours or ratios for it, because the state does not publish that. Add what is missing. It is free and takes about ten minutes.