Rankin Head Start

Center · Gastonia · 714 W Rankin Ave

What kind of place is this?

Size 60 children licensed In the middle half for Charlotte centers, where the middle half licenses 50–162. Measured across 598 Charlotte centers, 2026-08-17.

Who runs it

Ownership Non-profit Registered 501(c)(3), EIN 56-0841937 — IRS Exempt Organization file, matched to the licensee North Carolina DCDEE names. ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov

How this compares

North Carolina DCDEE cited something at 4 of the 7 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 Five Star License
License status Active

State record — North Carolina DCDEE

Last visit
April 28, 2026
On file
7 visits since September 2023 — 3 cited nothing, 2 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.

Apr 2026 Unannounced visit 1 finding

Unannounced visit · April 28, 2026

A child care operator did not notify the Division of any new child care providers, as defined in G.S. 110-90.2(a)(2), who were hired or moved into the child care facility within five business days. One staff member employed on September 2, 2025, and one staff member employed on July 8, 2025, were not listed on the ABCMS Provider Portal roster for this facility.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 5/7/2026

DCDEE facility lookup

Dec 2025 Unannounced visit 1 finding

Unannounced visit · December 10, 2025

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 staff member employed on July 8, 2025 was due to complete the Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training by October 8, 2025.

Violation corrected during visit

DCDEE facility lookup

Jun 2025 Announced visit nothing cited
Feb 2025 Unannounced visit nothing cited
Jan 2025 Unannounced visit nothing cited
May 2024 Unannounced visit 8 findings

Unannounced visit · May 15, 2024

A summary of the NC Child Care Law was not given to a parent of every child enrolled in the center. The NC Summary of the Law acknowledgement for one child enrolled on 9/5/2023 was not signed by the child's parent until 9/11/2023.

Violation corrected during visit

Daily records of arrival and departure times for children enrolled at the center were not maintained as children arrive and depart and/or were not made available for review. In space #1, one child was not signed in on 5/7/2024 and two children were not signed out on 5/6/2024 and 5/14/2024. In space #2, one child was not signed in on 5/1/2024 and two children were not signed out on 5/6/2024.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 5/21/2024

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. In space #3, one electrical outlet not in use was uncovered and accessible to children in the power strip attached to the back of the portable HATCH smart board. The back of the smart board was adjacent to the writing center accessible to children.

Violation corrected during visit

Before children were transported, written permission from a parent was not obtained that included when and where the child was to be transported, expected time of departure and arrival, and the transportation provider. Routine transportation permission for one child enrolled on 9/5/2023 in space #1 did not include when and where the child was to be transported, expected time of departure and arrival, the transportation provider, and the permission form was not signed by the child's parent. Routine transportation permission for one child enrolled on 9/5/2023 in space #3 did not include expected time of departure and arrival and the transportation provider.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 5/21/2024

Operational policies were not discussed with parents on or before the child's first day and/or they were not notified in writing of all changes. Operational policy acknowledgement for one child enrolled on 9/5/2023 was not signed by the child's parent until 9/11/2023.

Violation corrected during visit

Medical exam or health assessment record was not on file before or within 30 days after admission. The medical exam for one child enrolled on 9/5/2023 was not completed until 1/9/2024.

Violation corrected during visit

Signed and dated statement by parent that discipline policy received and explained at enrollment was not in child's file. The discipline policy acknowledgement for one child enrolled on 9/5/2023 was not signed by the child's parent until 9/11/2023.

Violation corrected during visit

A child's file did not have a statement with parent signature acknowledging receipt and explanation of the Prevention of Shaken Baby Syndrome and Abusive Head Trauma policy and/or the acknowledgement did not have all the required information. The Prevention of Shaken Baby and Abusive Head Trauma policy acknowledgement for one child enrolled on 9/5/2023 was not signed by the child's parent until 9/11/2023.

Violation corrected during visit

DCDEE facility lookup

Sep 2023 Unannounced visit 6 findings

Unannounced visit · September 8, 2023

Center has not passed required sanitation inspection and received an approved or superior rating. The most recent sanitation inspection was completed on September 6, 2022.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 9/12/2023

A summary of the NC Child Care Law was not posted in a prominent place in the center. The Summary of the NC Child Care Law was not posted in the facility.

Violation corrected during visit

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. In space #3, one bottle of Mr. Clean Multi-Surface Cleaner with multiple safety warnings was observed in an unlocked cabinet below the handwashing sink accessible to children. Also in space #3, one aerosol can of Zenatize Country Disinfectant spray, one aerosol can of Chase's Clean Home Spray Disinfectant, and one aerosol can of Chase's Home Value Spray Disinfectant was observed in an unlocked cabinet above the handwashing sink.

Violation corrected during visit

Application did not have a medical action plan attached for any child with health care needs such as allergies, asthma, or other chronic conditions that require specialized health services. The Medical Action Plan was not on file for review nor attached to the application for one child enrolled on 9/5/2023.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 9/12/2023

The medical action plan was not updated on an annual basis or when changes to the plan were made by the child's parent or health care professional. The Medical Action Plan was not updated annually for one child enrolled on 9/5/20223. The Medical Action Plan was dated 8/22/2022.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 9/19/2023

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 staff employed on 1/30/2023 did not complete Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training until 6/23/2023.

Violation corrected during visit

DCDEE facility lookup

Before you tour

Rankin Head Start 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 Rankin Head Start? 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.