Birch Tree Academy - Lake Hills Campus

Center · Bellevue · 655 156th Ave. SE #200

What kind of place is this?

Size 150 children licensed Larger than the middle half of Seattle centers, where the middle half licenses 43–121. Measured across 576 Seattle centers, 2026-08-17.
Approach steam

In the program’s own words

“Our STEM-based pre-kindergarten program prepares students for kindergarten while providing an engaging and nurturing environment where children’s natural curiosity drives their learning!” birchtreeacademy.com, August 2026

How this compares

Washington DCYF cited something at 3 of the 4 visits below. Across Seattle centers it cites something at about 67% of visits. Each state decides what gets written up, so this compares Seattle with Seattle and never with another state.

Will it fit our family?

Hours 7:30 AM – 6:00 PM
Days / week 5

What will it cost us?

This provider does not publish pricing.

What Shortlist has verified

State quality rating Early Achievers Enrolled
License status Active

State record — Washington DCYF

Last visit
December 31, 2025
On file
4 visits since August 2023 — 1 cited nothing · 1 complaint investigation
Fixed?
Washington DCYF does not publish whether a finding was corrected.
Most serious
SeriousOne 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 the licensor’s own observation and a risk level for every citation it issues at a licensing visit, with the inspection report attached as a PDF.

Dec 2025 Licensing visit nothing cited Report (PDF)
Aug 2025 Licensing visit 3 findings

Licensing visit · August 27, 2025

Safety requirements

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.

Medication

WAC 110-300-0215(3)(a)(i) · Serious

The child with Benadryl didn't have a medical form.

Report (PDF)

Aug 2024 Licensing visit 2 findings

Licensing visit · August 27, 2024

Safety requirements

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."

Safety requirements

WAC 110-300-0165(2)(b) · Serious

Charging cables capable of forming a loop around a child's neck were accessible to children.

Report (PDF)

Aug 2023 Licensing visit 4 findings

Licensing visit · August 2, 2023

Food allergies and special dietary needs

WAC 110-300-0186(1) · Serious

Child, Damir Karimov, doesn't have an individual care plan for his nut allergy.

Medication

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.

Report (PDF)

Aug 2023 Complaint 1 valid issue

Complaint · August 1, 2023 · Resolved September 14, 2023

Medication

WAC 110-300-0215(3)(d) · Short Term

Provider didn't return the medication to parents or follow FDA guidelines when they disposed of it.

Report (PDF)

Before you tour

Birch Tree Academy - Lake Hills Campus hasn’t published

Cost, sick and biting policies.

Ask what changed after the nine findings Washington DCYF ranked Serious, most recently in August 2025.It does not publish whether a finding was fixed. The rest carry its lower risk levels.

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.

Will it fit our family

Not yet reported: ages served, 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 Birch Tree Academy - Lake Hills Campus? 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.