Seattle · Licensed center
First Place School
At a glance
- Medium center, licensed for 92 children.
- Hours 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
What to know
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 all 3 of its licensing inspections since November 2023. It lists no valid complaint about this center.
See each inspection
Licensing inspections
Feb 5, 20267 citations
Training requirementsSerious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“Licensor observed staff / volunteer that are missing training for prevention of child abuse and neglect.”
WAC 110-300-0106(4)
Training requirementsSerious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“Licensor observed staff with food handlers permit that is expired.”
WAC 110-300-0106(12)
Preservice requirementsSerious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“Licensor observed backgrounds are cleared however the second requirement for preservice is TB. There are staff that do not have TB dates in Merit.”
WAC 110-300-0105(2)
Safety requirementsSerious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“Licensor observed plastic bags, gloves, other sufucation hazards that say keep out of reach of children accessible to children.”
WAC 110-300-0165(2)(d)
Emergency preparation and exitingSerious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“3(3)(a) Licensor observed an exit door that requires special knowledge to open. To open the door, you have to push extremely hard to get the door to open.”
WAC 110-300-0166(3)(a)
Training requirementsShort Term. Fix within 10 business days. Rechecked within 15.
“Licensor observed staff that is missing childcare basics.”
WAC 110-300-0106(3)
Immunizations and exempt childrenLong Term. The state’s lowest risk level. Fix within 20 business days, no recheck.
“Licensor observed child files that do not have current, complete and medically verified CIS immunization record from the Washington state immunization information system (WA IIS).”
WAC 110-300-0210(1)(2)
Feb 12, 20253 citations
Safety requirementsSerious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“Window blinds were note in two of the classrooms upstairs that formed a loop.”
WAC 110-300-0165(2)(b)
Emergency preparation and exitingSerious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“The two classrooms downstairs have gates in front of the doors.”
WAC 110-300-0166(3)(c)
Fire safetyShort Term. Fix within 10 business days. Rechecked within 15.
“The fire extinguisher in room 2 is not on the exit path. The fire extinguisher in room 1 was not mounted and on the handwashing sink.”
WAC 110-300-0170(3)(i)
Nov 9, 20231 citation
Storage of hazardous and maintenance suppliesSerious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“Disinfectant wipes and a bottle of hand sanitizer were observed stored on top of children's wooden lakeshore type cubbies and were viewed not inaccessible to children, but within a child's reach above where a child would hang their coats.”
WAC 110-300-0260(1)(a)
The state cited rules at all 3 of this center's inspections. Most Seattle-area centers inspected 3 times had fewer: 67% of 364.
How all 364 Seattle-area centers inspected 3 times compare
Of the 364 Seattle-area centers the state inspected 3 times, how many of those inspections cited a rule:
- None12%
- 1 of 321%
- 2 of 335%
- All 333%This center
Read every record and the state’s reports
State record — Washington DCYF
- Last visit
- February 5, 2026
- On file
- 3 visits since November 2023 — all of them cited findings
- Most serious
- Serious —
Licensor observed staff / volunteer that are missing training for prevention of child abuse and neglect.
· February 5, 2026
Washington DCYF publishes each citation in the licensor’s own words, with a risk level.
Feb 2026 Licensing visit 7 findings
Licensing visit · February 5, 2026
WAC 110-300-0106(3) · Short Term
Licensor observed staff that is missing childcare basics.
WAC 110-300-0106(4) · Serious
Licensor observed staff / volunteer that are missing training for prevention of child abuse and neglect.
WAC 110-300-0106(12) · Serious
Licensor observed staff with food handlers permit that is expired.
WAC 110-300-0105(2) · Serious
Licensor observed backgrounds are cleared however the second requirement for preservice is TB. There are staff that do not have TB dates in Merit.
WAC 110-300-0165(2)(d) · Serious
Licensor observed plastic bags, gloves, other sufucation hazards that say keep out of reach of children accessible to children.
Emergency preparation and exiting
WAC 110-300-0166(3)(a) · Serious
01663(3)(a) Licensor observed an exit door that requires special knowledge to open. To open the door, you have to push extremely hard to get the door to open.
Immunizations and exempt children
WAC 110-300-0210(1)(2) · Long Term
Licensor observed child files that do not have current, complete and medically verified CIS immunization record from the Washington state immunization information system (WA IIS).
Feb 2025 Licensing visit 3 findings
Licensing visit · February 12, 2025
WAC 110-300-0165(2)(b) · Serious
Window blinds were note in two of the classrooms upstairs that formed a loop.
Emergency preparation and exiting
WAC 110-300-0166(3)(c) · Serious
The two classrooms downstairs have gates in front of the doors.
WAC 110-300-0170(3)(i) · Short Term
The fire extinguisher in room 2 is not on the exit path. The fire extinguisher in room 1 was not mounted and on the handwashing sink.
Nov 2023 Licensing visit 1 finding
Licensing visit · November 9, 2023
Storage of hazardous and maintenance supplies
WAC 110-300-0260(1)(a) · Serious
Disinfectant wipes and a bottle of hand sanitizer were observed stored on top of children's wooden lakeshore type cubbies and were viewed not inaccessible to children, but within a child's reach above where a child would hang their coats.
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
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Meals and schedule
- Meals
- Three meals daily provided to children, plus free 'Good Food' bags
- Schedule
- Full-day program; before and after school childcare available
Details
- Phone
- (206) 629-6288
- Address
- 172 20th Ave, Seattle, 98122
- License
- PL-20937
- Quality program
- Early Achievers Level 4
We couldn’t find some information that may matter to your decision: openings, Working Connections subsidy, cost, teaching approach, 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.
State record
From Washington DCYF’s published reports, last checked November 3, 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
- Meals — Checked September 2026 firstplaceschool.org
- Hours, Schedule — Checked September 2026 firstplaceschool.org
Details
- Phone — Checked April 2026 firstplaceschool.org
- Website — Checked July 2026 firstplaceschool.org
- Address — Checked June 2026 data.wa.gov
- License, Quality program — Checked April 2026 findchildcarewa.org
- Ages on the license — Checked September 2026 findchildcarewa.org
- Ages they serve — Checked September 2026 firstplaceschool.org
Medium means the middle half of Seattle-area’s 855 licensed centers by state-licensed capacity: 41 to 115 children. Small is 6 to 40; large is 116 to 323.
The ages on the license are what the state licenses it to care for, which can be wider than the ages it takes.