The Early Learning Center

Center · Charlotte · 4304 S Tryon

What kind of place is this?

Size 95 children licensed In the middle half for Charlotte centers, where the middle half licenses 50–162. Measured across 598 Charlotte centers, 2026-08-17.

How this compares

North Carolina DCDEE cited something at 4 of the 6 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.

Who will be with our child?

Will it fit our family?

Ages served 6 weeks – 12 years
Hours 6:30 AM – 6:00 PM
Days / week 5
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
January 14, 2026
On file
6 visits since January 2024 — 2 cited nothing, 2 of those unannounced
Fixed?
All 13 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.

Jan 2026 Unannounced visit nothing cited
Jul 2025 Unannounced visit 4 findings

Unannounced visit · July 28, 2025

Leftover medicines were not returned to the parent after the course of treatment was completed, after authorization was withdrawn or after authorization had expired and/or medication was not discarded within 72 hours of completion of treatment or withdrawal of authorization. Medication expired June 2025 for a child in space 4 (B.A.).

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 7/28/2025

Prior to the expiration date of the qualification letter, the child care provider did not complete and submit required forms to complete a criminal background check (a qualification letter is valid for a maximum of five years for the date of issuance). A staff member C. Hills-Rhodes did not complete a CBC prior to the qualification letter expiring March 6, 2025; a new CBC effective June 20, 2025 was completed; a new letter is on file.

Violation corrected during visit

The Prevention of Shaken Baby Syndrome and Abusive Head Trauma policy was not reviewed with new staff prior to providing care with children and/or a signed acknowledgement with all the required information was not maintained in the staff person's file. The Shaken Baby Syndrome and Abusive Head Trauma policy was signed February 17, 2025, for staff member B. Jackson, and the staff member began working with children on January 17, 2025.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 7/28/2025

Medication authorization, giving the caregiver standing authorization did not meet the specifications in rule. The medication authorization expired for a child (B.A.) in space 4 April 4, 2025.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 7/28/2025

DCDEE facility lookup

Jan 2025 Unannounced visit 3 findings

Unannounced visit · January 17, 2025

Openings in equipment, steps, decks, handrails, and fencing were not less than 3 1/2 inches or greater than 9 inches. The back gate to the playground for Early Head Start was less than 3 1/2 and could cause an entrapment.

Violation corrected during visit

Parent’s statement includes the child’s name and date of enrollment and the date the parent signed the statement. The discipline statement did not include the enrollment date for child (K.M.) and (A.L.).

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 1/17/2025

The Prevention of Shaken Baby Syndrome and Abusive Head Trauma policy was not reviewed with parents of currently enrolled children 0-5 within 30 days of adopting the policy. The Shaken Baby Syndrome and Abusive Head Trauma policy did not include the enrollment date for child (T.C.).

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 1/17/2025

DCDEE facility lookup

Jul 2024 Unannounced visit 3 findings

Unannounced visit · July 17, 2024

Operator has not scheduled and obtained a fire inspection within 12 months of the previous inspection. Operator did not submit the original approved report to DCDEE within one week of the inspection visit on a form provided by the Division. The Fire Inspection Report was not submitted within seven (7) days.

Violation corrected during visit

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. Staff (K.D.) First Aid expired April 2024.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 8/5/2024

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. Staff K.D. CPR training expired April 2024.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 8/5/2024

DCDEE facility lookup

Jan 2024 Unannounced visit nothing cited
Jan 2024 Unannounced visit 3 findings

Unannounced visit · January 23, 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. The electrical outlet in space 3.

Violation corrected during visit

Shelter-in-place or lockdown drills were not practiced every three months and/or drill record was incomplete. The shelter-in-place/lockdown drill was completed, January 23, 2023, April 11, 2023, June 13, 2023, and September 2023; a drill was not conducted in December 2023.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 1/26/2024

Medication authorization, giving the caregiver standing authorization did not meet the specifications in rule. The Permission to Administer Medication for a child (K.W.) in space 3., the Permission to Administer for a child (J.A.) in space 3.; Permission to Administer over-the-counter ointment for a child (K.P.) was not completed in space 5.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 1/26/2024

DCDEE facility lookup

Before you tour

The Early Learning Center hasn’t published

Cost, 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 will be with our child

Not yet reported: children per teacher.

Will it fit our family

Not yet reported: 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 The 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.