The Learning Collaborative

Center · Charlotte · 3241 Sam Drenan Road

What kind of place is this?

Size 80 children licensed In the middle half for Charlotte centers, where the middle half licenses 50–162. Measured across 598 Charlotte centers, 2026-08-17.
Established 1987
Approach creative-curriculum

In the program’s own words

“This research-based, content-rich, developmentally appropriate curriculum delivers academic rigor alongside social-emotional learning and cognitive development.” tlccharlotte.org, July 2026

Who runs it

Ownership Non-profit Registered 501(c)(3), EIN 56-1668333 — 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.

Who will be with our child?

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
February 9, 2026
On file
7 visits since November 2023 — 3 cited nothing, 3 of those unannounced
Fixed?
All 19 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.

Feb 2026 Unannounced visit 2 findings

Unannounced visit · February 9, 2026

Leftover medicines were not returned to the parent after the course of treatment was completed, after authorization was withdrawn or after authorization had expired and/or medication was not discarded within 72 hours of completion of treatment or withdrawal of authorization. One child disenrolled from the center and the child's medication was not removed from the classroom #6 and discarded after 72 hours of withdrawal from the center.

Violation corrected during visit

Documentation of staff's on-going training was not on file and/or was not current. One staff member's annual in-service training log was not maintained for 2025.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/23/2026

DCDEE facility lookup

Nov 2025 Unannounced visit nothing cited
Oct 2025 Unannounced visit nothing cited
Feb 2025 Unannounced visit nothing cited
Nov 2024 Unannounced visit 2 findings

Unannounced visit · November 12, 2024

Openings in equipment, steps, decks, handrails, and fencing were not less than 3 1/2 inches or greater than 9 inches. Two sections of the outdoor fence was missing mesh or existing mesh was not connected properly.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 11/16/2024

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. A portion of the outdoor fence was monitored less than six feet, with protrusions.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 11/16/2024

DCDEE facility lookup

Feb 2024 Unannounced visit 11 findings

Unannounced visit · February 26, 2024

The schedule of off premise activities was not current and/or did not include required information. The NC Pre-K children in space #6 went on a field trip off site. The schedule was not developed nor posted in the applicable classroom.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/28/2024

Equipment and furnishings not meeting the requirements outlined in child care .0601(b) and (c) were not removed or made inaccessible. There were broken pieces of outdoor equipment (missing pedals, cracked plastic play pieces).

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/26/2024

A safe indoor and outdoor environment was not provided for the children. There was an exposed cable wire and exposed tree roots.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/27/2024

The outdoor premises were not clean, drained and free of litter and hazardous materials grass and other vegetation in a manner which does not encourage vermin. There was loose pieces of garbage outside, fallen leaves and low growing weeds in the corners of the outdoor play area.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/29/2024

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. An electrical socket in space #5 was not in use or covered with a safety cover/plug.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/26/2024

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. Googgily eyes were monitored stored in the classroom cabinet in space #2, classroom serving two-year-old children. There were also broken crayons and chalk (small parts).

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/27/2024

Child care providers and uncompensated providers who are not substitute providers or volunteers, including the director did not have a medical report on file prior to employment that was signed by a health care professional and/ or the medical report was older than 12 months. One staff person hired 1/10/24 did not have a medical report on file prior to employment.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 3/4/2024

First aid kit and/or fire extinguisher was not located in vehicle; kit and/or extinguisher was not mounted or secured if in passenger area. The monitored fire extinguisher was not secured properly.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/27/2024

Signed and dated statement by parent that discipline policy received and explained at enrollment was not in child's file. One child was monitored missing a signed discipline policy.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 3/11/2024

The health assessment did not include a dental screening. A required dental screening was not on file for one child.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/27/2024

Medication authorization, giving the caregiver standing authorization did not meet the specifications in rule. Two children with noted chronic medical conditions did not have current permission slips to administer prescribed medications.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 2/29/2024

DCDEE facility lookup

Nov 2023 Unannounced visit 4 findings

Unannounced visit · November 29, 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 person did not have First Aid documentation. The documentation provided only listed CPR.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 12/13/2023

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. A child listed with asthma did not have a medical action plan or inhaler on site.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 12/4/2023

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. One child's medical action plan was not updated annually. The child's medical action plan expired July 2023.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 12/13/2023

Health and safety training topics were not included as part of on-going training within five years of completing the previous health and safety training topics. One staff person was past due to renew Recognizing and Responding to Child Maltreatment training every five years.

Violation confirmed corrected by letter received from provider on 12/14/2023

DCDEE facility lookup

Before you tour

The Learning Collaborative 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

Who runs it

Who will be with our child

Not yet reported: children per teacher.

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 The Learning Collaborative? 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.