Oakcrest Preparatory Academy

Center · Charlotte · 13755 Steele Creek Road

What kind of place is this?

Size 246 children licensed Larger than the middle half of Charlotte centers, where the middle half licenses 50–162. Measured across 598 Charlotte centers, 2026-08-17.
Approach montessori, academic

In the program’s own words

“Our unique learning atmosphere incorporates a careful blend of Traditional and Montessori styles of learning through teacher directed activities and structured play.” oakcrestprep.com, July 2026
“Learn Every Day was developed based on the latest research of how children learn best.” oakcrestprep.com, July 2026

How this compares

North Carolina DCDEE cited something at 7 of the 17 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?

Ages served 6 weeks to Pre-Kindergarten, plus a school age program for elementary school children

What will it cost us?

This provider does not publish pricing.

What Shortlist has verified

State quality rating One Star License
License status Active

State record — North Carolina DCDEE

Last visit
August 4, 2026
On file
17 visits since December 2023 — 10 cited nothing, 9 of those unannounced
Fixed?
All 15 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.

Aug 2026 Unannounced visit nothing cited
Jun 2026 Unannounced visit nothing cited
Jun 2026 Unannounced visit 3 findings

Unannounced visit · June 16, 2026

Medications including prescription and non-prescription items were not stored in a locked cabinet or other locked container. Benadryl was not stored in a locked cabinet or container.

Violation confirmed corrected by follow-up visit made by consultant on 6/25/2026

All vehicles used to transport children were not free of hazards. The upholstery on the seat on the 2nd row of van two (2) was torn with exposed foam. It was reported during interviews that water leaks from the roof of van two (2) and the seats get wet and children being transported have gotten wet. There is evidence of water marks on the children's car seat. It was reported that the roof of the van has been leaking for three (3) years.

Violation confirmed corrected by follow-up visit made by consultant on 6/25/2026

For each child, there was not at least 30 sq. ft. inside space per the total licensed capacity and 100 sq. ft. outside space for each child using the outdoor learning environment at any one time. Fourteen (14) school age children were observed in the tech lab that has a capacity of eleven (11) based on 30 sq. ft. inside space per child..

Violation confirmed corrected by follow-up visit made by consultant on 6/25/2026

DCDEE facility lookup

Jun 2026 Unannounced visit 2 findings

Unannounced visit · June 2, 2026

When children 3 years and older were in care, screen time was not used to stimulate a developmental domain; was not limited to 30 minutes a day and no more than a total of two and a half hours per week, per child; and/or was not documented on a cumulative log or the activity plan that is available for review. Screen time activities for children 3 years and older in care was not documented on the activity plan.

Violation corrected during visit

Parent's medication authorization did not include required information. Two (2) medication authorization forms had expired.

Violation corrected during visit

DCDEE facility lookup

Apr 2026 Unannounced visit 2 findings

Unannounced visit · April 20, 2026

Each child was not attended to in a nurturing and appropriate manner, or in keeping with the child's developmental needs. On numerous occasions, a staff member spoke harshly to multiple two-year-old children. In addition, on one of those occasions, the staff member slammed a two-year-old child's drink while speaking harshly in the child's face.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 5/5/2026

A child was handled in a rough way, including shaking, pushing, shoving, pinching, slapping, biting, kicking, or spanking. On April 15, 2026, a staff member pushed a two-year-old child's head into the bathroom floor for approximately five seconds.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 4/22/2026

DCDEE facility lookup

Mar 2026 Unannounced visit nothing cited
Dec 2025 Announced visit nothing cited
Jun 2025 Unannounced visit 1 finding

Unannounced visit · June 10, 2025

Electrical outlets and power strips, not in use, which were located in space used by children did not have safety outlets or were not covered with safety plugs unless located behind furniture or equipment that cannot be moved by a child. Electrical outlets not in use, which were located in spaces one (1) and two (2) used by children did not have safety outlets or were not covered with safety plugs unless located behind furniture or equipment that cannot be moved by a child.

Violation corrected during visit

DCDEE facility lookup

May 2025 Unannounced visit nothing cited
Apr 2025 Unannounced visit nothing cited
Mar 2025 Unannounced visit nothing cited
Feb 2025 Unannounced visit nothing cited
Dec 2024 Unannounced visit nothing cited
Oct 2024 Unannounced visit 2 findings

Unannounced visit · October 23, 2024

Screen time was offered to children under three years of age. On October 21, 2024, a one-year-old child was provided screen time when a staff member propped a tablet up for the child to view it.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/14/2025

A safe indoor and outdoor environment was not provided for the children. On October 21, 2024, a staff member pulled a chair away from a one-year-old child resulting in the child falling headfirst onto carpet.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/14/2025

DCDEE facility lookup

Sep 2024 Unannounced visit 3 findings

Unannounced visit · September 10, 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. On September 3, 2024, an infant sustained multiple scratches on the arms and back. Multiple staff members observed the red marks and failed to complete an incident report.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 9/26/2024

Child was handled roughly. On September 3, 2024, a staff member handled an eleven-month-old infant in a rough manner by grabbing/pulling on the child's arm and legs as the child attempted to move independently in the classroom, which resulted in marks and/or scratches on the child's body.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 9/26/2024

There was a substantiation of child maltreatment. Pursuant to its investigation, The Division has confirmed sufficient information to determine child maltreatment.

Violation confirmed corrected by follow-up visit made by consultant on 5/21/2025

DCDEE facility lookup

Jun 2024 Unannounced visit 2 findings

Unannounced visit · June 13, 2024

Staff/child ratios applicable to a classroom, were not posted in each classroom. Staff/Child ratios applicable to classroom twelve (12) was not noted.

Violation corrected during visit

All equipment and furnishings were not in good repair. A bolt was missing on the wall of the sliding board on the small playground causing a gap and pinching hazard.

Violation corrected during visit

DCDEE facility lookup

Dec 2023 Unannounced visit nothing cited

Before you tour

Oakcrest Preparatory Academy 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.

All checked July 2026.

What kind of place is this

Not yet reported: established.

Will it fit our family

Not yet reported: 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 Oakcrest Preparatory Academy? 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.