Chicago · Licensed center

Higher Learning Daycare & Education Ctr

Medium Creative Curriculum center, licensed for 62 children.

What these mean, and where they come from

Medium means the middle half of Chicago-area’s 1,949 licensed centers by state-licensed capacity: 49 to 118 children. Small is 8 to 48; large is 119 to 487.

How they teach

Creative Curriculum and STEAM

“STEAM Early Education We introduce science, technology, engineering, art, and math in age-appropriate ways to spark curiosity and critical thinking.”In their words, August 2026.higher-learn.com

“We utilize a proven curriculum that will allow your child to develop in the following areas of development: The Creative Curriculum®”In their words, August 2026.higher-learn.com

One of 26 Chicago-area providers that describe a Creative Curriculum approach, out of 129 that describe any approach at all.

Shortlist doesn’t have these yet: cost, hours and late pickup, ratios and staff, sick and biting policies.

What the state has found

Routine visits: 14 of 18 cited something

Chicago-area centers: the state cites something at about 5 in 6 routine visits.

From Illinois DCFS’s published reports, last checked September 25, 2026.

Read every record and the state’s reports

State record — Illinois DCFS

Last visit: May 6, 2025
On file: 18 visits since January 2010 — 4 cited nothing
Fixed?: The latest correction deadline was February 22, 2025. Illinois DCFS does not publish whether it was made.
Most serious: Illinois DCFS does not publish a severity level for a citation, so there is no most-serious to name.

Illinois DCFS cites each subsection of a rule separately, so one audit of a filing cabinet can produce ten citations. It publishes the rule’s title and a correction deadline, but no description of what was observed.

May 2025 Compliance monitoring visit nothing cited

Mar 2025 Compliance monitoring visit nothing cited

Jan 2025 Monitoring visit 1 finding

Monitoring visit · January 23, 2025

General Requirements for Personnel

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(f) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 361742 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Feb 2024 Monitoring visit 6 findings

Monitoring visit · February 14, 2024

General Requirements for Personnel

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(8) through (f) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(8) · 407.100(f)

Personnel Records

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3) through (4) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3) · 407.120(a)(4)

Cited: FHSEC305

0 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code · Violation corrected

Cited: CCASEC7

0 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 361742 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Jan 2024 Compliance monitoring visit nothing cited

Sep 2023 Compliance monitoring visit nothing cited

Feb 2023 Monitoring visit 5 findings

Monitoring visit · February 8, 2023

General Requirements for Personnel

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(8) through (f) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(8) · 407.100(f)

Special Requirements for Infants and Toddlers

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.210(b) · Violation corrected

Guidance and Discipline

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.270(a) · Violation corrected

Cited: FHSEC305

0 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 361742 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Oct 2020 Monitoring visit 3 findings

Monitoring visit · October 2, 2020

General Requirements for Personnel

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(f) · Violation corrected

Personnel Records

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(4) · Violation corrected

Physical Plant/Indoor Space

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(f)(3) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 361742 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Mar 2019 Monitoring visit 5 findings

Monitoring visit · March 5, 2019

Staffing Structure

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(b) · Violation corrected on site

Personnel Records

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3) · Violation corrected

Grouping and Staffing

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190(a) · Violation corrected on site

Program Requirements for All Ages

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.200(f)(5) · Violation corrected on site

Health Requirements for Children

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 361742 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Mar 2017 Monitoring visit 4 findings

Monitoring visit · March 22, 2017

General Requirements for Personnel

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(6) through (7) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(6) · 407.100(c)(7)

Special Requirements for Infants and Toddlers

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.210(f)(24) · Violation corrected

Physical Plant/Indoor Space

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(n) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 361742 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Jul 2016 Monitoring visit 2 findings

Monitoring visit · July 6, 2016

Grouping and Staffing

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190(a) · Violation corrected

Napping and Sleeping

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.350(b)(1) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 361742 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Apr 2016 Monitoring visit 4 findings

Monitoring visit · April 12, 2016

General Requirements for Personnel

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(a) through (b) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(a) · 407.100(b)

Grouping and Staffing

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190(a) · Violation corrected

Physical Plant/Indoor Space

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(e)(3) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 361742 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Jul 2015 Monitoring visit 1 finding

Monitoring visit · July 28, 2015

Grouping and Staffing

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190(a) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 361742 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Mar 2014 Monitoring visit 1 finding

Monitoring visit · March 14, 2014

Equipment and Materials

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.380 · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 361742 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Aug 2011 Monitoring visit 2 findings

Monitoring visit · August 16, 2011

Staffing Structure

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(a)(2) · Violation corrected

Background Checks for Personnel

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.110 · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 361742 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Feb 2011 Monitoring visit 3 findings

Monitoring visit · February 24, 2011

Background Checks for Personnel

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.110 · Violation corrected

Personnel Records

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(4) · Violation corrected

Physical Plant/Indoor Space

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(e)(3) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 361742 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

May 2010 Monitoring visit 9 findings

Monitoring visit · May 14, 2010

Medications

3 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.360(a) through (g) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.360(a) · 407.360(d)(2) · 407.360(g)

Staffing Structure

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(b) · Violation corrected

Background Checks for Personnel

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.110 · Violation corrected

Personnel Records

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(4) · Violation corrected

Qualifications for Early Childhood Assistants and School-age Assistants

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.150(c) · Violation corrected

Special Requirements for Infants and Toddlers

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.210(b) · Violation corrected

Physical Plant/Indoor Space

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(e)(6) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 361742 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Jan 2010 Monitoring visit 8 findings

Monitoring visit · January 6, 2010

Special Requirements for Infants and Toddlers

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.210(f)(8) through (24) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.210(f)(8) · 407.210(f)(24)

Staffing Structure

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(a)(1) · Violation corrected

Personnel Records

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a) · Violation corrected

Grouping and Staffing

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190 · Violation corrected

Nutrition and Meal Service

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.330(p)(1) · Violation corrected

Diapering and Toileting Procedures

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.340(a)(5) · Violation corrected

Physical Plant/Indoor Space

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(e)(10) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 361742 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

How the comparison is built

Routine visits: across Chicago-area centers, the state cites something at about 5 in 6 routine visits (19,088 visits).

A day here

Meals: Partners with the IL State Board of Education to offer food service
Outdoors: Daily outdoor play, nature walks, and gross motor activities

Details

7737341251

Website: higher-learn.com
Address: 2526 E 73rd St
License: license issued (il)

Do you run Higher Learning Daycare & Education Ctr? Shortlist has no hours, ratios or policies for it, because the state does not publish that. Adding it is free and takes about ten minutes.

Add what is missing

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.

How they teach

Approach — Checked August 2026 higher-learn.com

How they teach

Approach — Checked August 2026 higher-learn.com

State record

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

A day here

Meals — Checked August 2026 higher-learn.com
Outdoors — Checked August 2026 higher-learn.com

Details

Phone, Address, License — Checked July 2026 sunshine.dcfs.illinois.gov. To check it, open sunshine.dcfs.illinois.gov's Licensed Provider Lookup, enter "HIGHER LEARNING DAYCARE & EDUCATION CTR" under Provider Name and 60649 under Zip, and press Search (DCFS provider 361742).
Website — Checked August 2026 higher-learn.com