Joliet · Licensed center

Mary Sears Children's Academy

At a glance

Medium center, licensed for 116 children.

What to know

License: 6 weeks to 12 years (state).

The license is the range the state allows. It does not say which ages have openings.

What the state has found

The state cited rules at 8 of its 11 licensing inspections since July 2010.

See each inspection

Licensing inspections

Sep 11, 20261 citation
- Personnel Records
  Personnel Records
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(4)
Aug 8, 20251 citation
- General Requirements for Personnel
  General Requirements for Personnel
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(f)
Jan 16, 2025Nothing cited
Jul 18, 2024Nothing cited
Aug 30, 2023Nothing cited
Jul 30, 201911 citations
- Provisions Pertaining to the License
  Provisions Pertaining to the License
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.60(g)
- Staffing Structure
  Staffing Structure
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(a)(5)
- General Requirements for Personnel
  General Requirements for Personnel
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(5)
- General Requirements for Personnel
  General Requirements for Personnel
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(6)
- General Requirements for Personnel
  General Requirements for Personnel
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(7)
- Personnel Records
  Personnel Records
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(2)
- Personnel Records
  Personnel Records
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3)
- Personnel Records
  Personnel Records
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(4)
- Health Requirements for Children
  Health Requirements for Children
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(4)
- A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, FHSEC305.
  A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, FHSEC305.
- A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, CCASEC4.
  A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, CCASEC4.
Jul 10, 20188 citations
- Organization and Administration
  Organization and Administration
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(b)
- Staffing Structure
  Staffing Structure
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(a)(5)
- General Requirements for Personnel
  General Requirements for Personnel
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(6)
- Background Checks for Personnel
  Background Checks for Personnel
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.110
- Personnel Records
  Personnel Records
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(f)
- Health Requirements for Children
  Health Requirements for Children
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(4)
- Health Requirements for Children
  Health Requirements for Children
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(6)
- A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, FHSEC305.
  A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, FHSEC305.
Aug 22, 201715 citations
- Organization and Administration
  Organization and Administration
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(b)
- Organization and Administration
  Organization and Administration
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(e)
- Staffing Structure
  Staffing Structure
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(a)(2)
- Staffing Structure
  Staffing Structure
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(a)(3)
- Staffing Structure
  Staffing Structure
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(a)(5)
- General Requirements for Personnel
  General Requirements for Personnel
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(1)
- General Requirements for Personnel
  General Requirements for Personnel
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(5)
- General Requirements for Personnel
  General Requirements for Personnel
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(6)
- General Requirements for Personnel
  General Requirements for Personnel
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(7)
- Background Checks for Personnel
  Background Checks for Personnel
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.110
- Personnel Records
  Personnel Records
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(2)
- Personnel Records
  Personnel Records
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3)
- Personnel Records
  Personnel Records
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(4)
- Personnel Records
  Personnel Records
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(6)
- A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, FHSEC305.
  A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, FHSEC305.
Aug 10, 201610 citations
- Staffing Structure
  Staffing Structure
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(a)(1)
- Staffing Structure
  Staffing Structure
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(a)(3)
- General Requirements for Personnel
  General Requirements for Personnel
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(5)
- General Requirements for Personnel
  General Requirements for Personnel
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(6)
- General Requirements for Personnel
  General Requirements for Personnel
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(7)
- Background Checks for Personnel
  Background Checks for Personnel
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.110
- Personnel Records
  Personnel Records
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(2)
- Personnel Records
  Personnel Records
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3)
- Personnel Records
  Personnel Records
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(4)
- Qualifications for Early Childhood Assistants and School-age Assistants
  Qualifications for Early Childhood Assistants and School-age Assistants
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.150(c)
Feb 20, 20155 citations
- Personnel Records
  Personnel Records
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)
- Personnel Records
  Personnel Records
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3)
- Qualifications for Early Childhood Teachers and School-age Workers
  Qualifications for Early Childhood Teachers and School-age Workers
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.140(h)
- Daily Arrival and Departure of Children
  Daily Arrival and Departure of Children
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.260(d)
- Napping and Sleeping
  Napping and Sleeping
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.350(j)
Jul 21, 20105 citations
- Nutrition and Meal Service
  Nutrition and Meal Service
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.330(i)
- Daily Arrival and Departure of Children
  Daily Arrival and Departure of Children
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.260(d)
- Health Requirements for Children
  Health Requirements for Children
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(h)
- Napping and Sleeping
  Napping and Sleeping
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.350(j)
- Health Requirements for Children
  Health Requirements for Children
  89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(i)(1)

The state cited rules at 8 of this center's 11 inspections. Most Chicago-area centers inspected 10 or more times had rules cited at some but not all of theirs, as this center did: 78% of 868.

How all 868 Chicago-area centers inspected 10 or more times compare

Of the 868 Chicago-area centers the state inspected 10 or more times, how many of those inspections cited a rule:

Some78%This center
All22%

Read every record and the state’s reports

State record — Illinois DCFS

Last visit: September 11, 2026
On file: 11 visits since July 2010 — 3 cited nothing
Fixed?: The latest correction deadline was October 11, 2026. 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.

Sep 2026 Monitoring visit 1 finding

Monitoring visit · September 11, 2026

Personnel Records

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

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 490392 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Aug 2025 Monitoring visit 1 finding

Monitoring visit · August 8, 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 490392 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Jan 2025 Compliance monitoring visit nothing cited

Jul 2024 Compliance monitoring visit nothing cited

Aug 2023 Compliance monitoring visit nothing cited

Jul 2019 Monitoring visit 11 findings

Monitoring visit · July 30, 2019

General Requirements for Personnel

3 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(5) through (7) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(5) · 407.100(c)(6) · 407.100(c)(7)

Personnel Records

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

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(2) · 407.120(a)(3) · 407.120(a)(4)

Provisions Pertaining to the License

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.60(g) · Violation corrected

Staffing Structure

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(a)(5) · Violation corrected

Health Requirements for Children

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(4) · Violation corrected

A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, FHSEC305.

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

A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, CCASEC4.

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

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 490392 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Jul 2018 Monitoring visit 8 findings

Monitoring visit · July 10, 2018

Health Requirements for Children

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(4) through (6) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(4) · 407.310(a)(6)

Organization and Administration

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(b) · Violation corrected

Staffing Structure

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(a)(5) · Violation corrected

General Requirements for Personnel

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(6) · 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(f) · Violation corrected

A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, FHSEC305.

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

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 490392 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Aug 2017 Monitoring visit 15 findings

Monitoring visit · August 22, 2017

General Requirements for Personnel

4 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(1) through (7) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(1) · 407.100(c)(5) · 407.100(c)(6) · 407.100(c)(7)

Personnel Records

4 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(2) through (6) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(2) · 407.120(a)(3) · 407.120(a)(4) · 407.120(a)(6)

Staffing Structure

3 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(a)(2) through (5) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(a)(2) · 407.90(a)(3) · 407.90(a)(5)

Organization and Administration

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(b) through (e) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(b) · 407.70(e)

Background Checks for Personnel

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

A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, FHSEC305.

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

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 490392 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Aug 2016 Monitoring visit 10 findings

Monitoring visit · August 10, 2016

General Requirements for Personnel

3 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(5) through (7) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(5) · 407.100(c)(6) · 407.100(c)(7)

Personnel Records

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

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(2) · 407.120(a)(3) · 407.120(a)(4)

Staffing Structure

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(a)(1) through (3) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(a)(1) · 407.90(a)(3)

Background Checks for Personnel

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

Qualifications for Early Childhood Assistants and School-age Assistants

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

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 490392 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Feb 2015 Monitoring visit 5 findings

Monitoring visit · February 20, 2015

Personnel Records

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

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

Qualifications for Early Childhood Teachers and School-age Workers

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.140(h) · Violation corrected

Daily Arrival and Departure of Children

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.260(d) · Violation corrected

Napping and Sleeping

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

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 490392 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Jul 2010 Monitoring visit 5 findings

Monitoring visit · July 21, 2010

Health Requirements for Children

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(h) through (i)(1) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(h) · 407.310(i)(1)

Daily Arrival and Departure of Children

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.260(d) · Violation corrected

Nutrition and Meal Service

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

Napping and Sleeping

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

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 490392 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Details

Phone: (815) 725-7633
Address: 300 Caterpillar Dr, Joliet, 60436

We couldn’t find some information that may matter to your decision: openings, child care subsidies, cost, hours and late pickup, teaching approach, ratios and staff, a typical day, sick and biting policies, and who owns it. We can ask the program for you and copy you in.

Run Mary Sears Children's Academy? Correct or add anything here, free.

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.

State record

From Illinois DCFS’s published reports, last checked November 8, 2026.

Details

Phone, Address, License — Checked August 2026 sunshine.dcfs.illinois.gov/…/ProviderLookup.aspx. To check it, open sunshine.dcfs.illinois.gov's Licensed Provider Lookup, enter "MARY SEARS CHILDREN'S ACADEMY" under Provider Name and 60436 under Zip, and press Search (DCFS provider 490392).
Ages on the license — Checked November 2026 sunshine.dcfs.illinois.gov/…/ProviderLookup.aspx. To check it, open sunshine.dcfs.illinois.gov's Licensed Provider Lookup, enter "MARY SEARS CHILDREN'S ACADEMY" under Provider Name and 60436 under Zip, and press Search (DCFS provider 490392).

Medium means the middle half of Chicago-area’s 1,948 licensed centers by state-licensed capacity: 49 to 118 children. Small is 8 to 48; large is 119 to 487.

The ages on the license are what the state licenses it to care for, which can be wider than the ages it takes.