Bellevue · Licensed center
Birch Tree Academy - Lake Hills Campus
At a glance
- Large play-based center, licensed for 150 children.
- Hours 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., 5 days a week.
What to know
The license is the range the state allows. It does not say which ages have openings.
What the state has found
Someone reported a concern to the state, and in September 2023 the state found it valid and cited 1 rule. The state also cited rules at 3 of its 4 licensing inspections since August 2023.
See each inspection and complaint
Complaints the state found valid
Received Aug 1, 2023Valid complaint, 1 rule citedresolved Sep 14, 2023
MedicationShort Term. Fix within 10 business days. Rechecked within 15.
“Provider didn't return the medication to parents or follow FDA guidelines when they disposed of it.”
WAC 110-300-0215(3)(d)
Licensing inspections
- Dec 31, 2025Nothing cited
Aug 27, 20253 citations
Safety requirementsSerious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“One of the window blind cords in the Chipmunks classroom is not attached to the wall allowing the formation of a loop.”
WAC 110-300-0165(2)(b)
Food allergies and special dietary needsSerious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“Individual care plans for allergies for a couple of children were missing substitute foods.”
WAC 110-300-0186(1)
MedicationSerious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“The child with Benadryl didn't have a medical form.”
WAC 110-300-0215(3)(a)(i)
Aug 27, 20242 citations
Safety requirementsSerious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“Window blinds in the Chipmunks room are not retrofitted in a manner that eliminates the formation of loops. The blink cords were folded and hung "out of reach."”
WAC 110-300-0165(2)(b)
Safety requirementsSerious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“Charging cables capable of forming a loop around a child's neck were accessible to children.”
WAC 110-300-0165(2)(b)
Aug 2, 20234 citations
Food allergies and special dietary needsSerious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“Child, D.K., doesn't have an individual care plan for his nut allergy.”
WAC 110-300-0186(1)
MedicationSerious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“Epi-pen medical authorization form didn't have side effects listed on it. Unused medicatoin (Epi-pen) not returned to parent and not disposed of according to FDA recommendations.”
WAC 110-300-0215(3)(a)(i)
Emergency preparation and exitingSerious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“Entrance door (exit door) requires special knowledge to open.”
WAC 110-300-0166(3)(a)
Storage of hazardous and maintenance suppliesSerious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“Nail polish stored in the closet in the reception area. Sunscreens labled "keep out of reach of children" accessible to children. Toilet plungers and brushes stored next to the toilets.”
WAC 110-300-0260(5)
The state cited rules at 3 of this center's 4 inspections. Seattle-area centers inspected 4 times split about evenly: about a third had fewer, a third the same, and a third more (272 centers).
How all 272 Seattle-area centers inspected 4 times compare
Of the 272 Seattle-area centers the state inspected 4 times, how many of those inspections cited a rule:
- None7%
- 1 of 415%
- 2 of 417%
- 3 of 433%This center
- All 429%
Read every record and the state’s reports
State record — Washington DCYF
- Last visit
- December 31, 2025
- On file
- 4 visits since August 2023 — 1 cited nothing · 1 complaint investigation
- Most serious
- Serious —
One of the window blind cords in the Chipmunks classroom is not attached to the wall allowing the formation of a loop.
· August 27, 2025
Washington DCYF publishes each citation in the licensor’s own words, with a risk level.
Aug 2025 Licensing visit 3 findings
Licensing visit · August 27, 2025
WAC 110-300-0165(2)(b) · Serious
One of the window blind cords in the Chipmunks classroom is not attached to the wall allowing the formation of a loop.
Food allergies and special dietary needs
WAC 110-300-0186(1) · Serious
Individual care plans for allergies for a couple of children were missing substitute foods.
Aug 2024 Licensing visit 2 findings
Licensing visit · August 27, 2024
WAC 110-300-0165(2)(b) · Serious
Window blinds in the Chipmunks room are not retrofitted in a manner that eliminates the formation of loops. The blink cords were folded and hung "out of reach."
WAC 110-300-0165(2)(b) · Serious
Charging cables capable of forming a loop around a child's neck were accessible to children.
Aug 2023 Licensing visit 4 findings
Licensing visit · August 2, 2023
Food allergies and special dietary needs
WAC 110-300-0186(1) · Serious
Child, D.K., doesn't have an individual care plan for his nut allergy.
WAC 110-300-0215(3)(a)(i) · Serious
Epi-pen medical authorization form didn't have side effects listed on it. Unused medicatoin (Epi-pen) not returned to parent and not disposed of according to FDA recommendations.
Emergency preparation and exiting
WAC 110-300-0166(3)(a) · Serious
Entrance door (exit door) requires special knowledge to open.
Storage of hazardous and maintenance supplies
WAC 110-300-0260(5) · Serious
Nail polish stored in the closet in the reception area. Sunscreens labled "keep out of reach of children" accessible to children. Toilet plungers and brushes stored next to the toilets.
Aug 2023 Complaint 1 valid issue
Complaint · Received August 1, 2023 · Resolved September 14, 2023
WAC 110-300-0215(3)(d) · Short Term · No longer on the state’s site as of September 25, 2026
Provider didn't return the medication to parents or follow FDA guidelines when they disposed of it.
Shortlist replaces people’s names in the state’s text with initials. This is done by rule, not by hand, so it can miss a name or shorten a word that isn’t one. The state’s report, linked on each row, has the original.
What it costs
We couldn’t find it, so if you know, please share. We’ll publish it and work to confirm it with the provider directly too.
A day here
7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., 5 days a week
Sleep and updates for parents
- Sleep
- Infants nap on their own personalized schedules
- Updates for parents
- Menu changes communicated to parents via the Bright Wheel app
How they teach
Play-based and STEAM
“Both play-based curriculums are designed to inspire curiosity, confidence, and joyful engagement while building a strong foundation in early mathematics.”
Details
- Phone
- (425) 502-9072
- Address
- 655 156th Ave. SE #200, Bellevue, 98007
- License
- PL-28028
- Quality program
- Early Achievers Enrolled
We couldn’t find some information that may matter to your decision: openings, Working Connections subsidy, cost, ratios and staff, sick and biting policies, and who owns it. We can ask the program for you and copy you in.
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 birchtreeacademy.com/programs
- Approach — Checked October 2026 birchtreeacademy.com/…/BTA-Bee-Math-Curriculum-Print-Flyer-2026.pdf
State record
From Washington DCYF’s published reports, last checked November 2, 2026.
Washington’s four risk levels, highest first: Immediate, Serious, Short Term, Long Term. Deadlines from DCYF procedure PRO 10.1.21.
Ages
A day here
- Sleep — Checked September 2026 birchtreeacademy.com/…/Infant-Flier.pdf
- Updates for parents — Checked August 2026 birchtreeacademy.com/…/bta-sample-menu-june-2026.pdf
- Hours — Checked September 2026 birchtreeacademy.com
Details
- Phone, Ages on the license — Checked September 2026 findchildcarewa.org
- Website — Checked July 2026 birchtreeacademy.com
- Address, License — Checked June 2026 data.wa.gov
- Quality program — Checked April 2026 data.wa.gov
Large means the biggest quarter of Seattle-area’s 855 licensed centers by state-licensed capacity: 116 to 323 children. Small is 6 to 40; medium is 41 to 115.
The ages on the license are what the state licenses it to care for, which can be wider than the ages it takes.