Seattle · Licensed center
Smart Start Day School
At a glance
- Small play-based center, licensed for 32 children.
- Hours 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., year round.
- Tuition $1,920 to $2,098 a month, full time; the age it is for isn’t stated. See costs
- Run by a for-profit business.
From their website, read September 2026:
“Classroom accommodates 12 children. Teacher to child ratio 1:6.”
“Classroom accommodates 9 children. Teacher to child ratio 1:9.”
“Classroom accommodates 10 children. Teacher to child ratio 1:10.”
The state’s rule
Washington sets the most children one adult may care for by age, and the largest group size, in WAC 110-300-0356(5).
Infants (birth through 11 months): one adult for every four.
Toddlers (12 through 29 months): one adult for every seven.
Preschoolers (30 months through 6 years, not in kindergarten): one adult for every ten.
School-age children: one adult for every fifteen.
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 4 of its licensing inspections since May 2023. It lists no valid complaint about this center.
See each inspection
Licensing inspections
Mar 31, 20264 citations
Training requirementsSerious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“It was observed that faculty member JJ has not completed the Mandated Reporter: Child Abuse & Neglect training.”
WAC 110-300-0106(4)
Storage of hazardous and maintenance suppliesSerious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“It was observed that a toilet plunger was stored in the bathroom accessible to children in the Forest Ranger classroom.”
WAC 110-300-0260(5)
Outdoor early learning program spaceShort Term. Fix within 10 business days. Rechecked within 15.
“It was observed that gate 1 did not self-close.”
WAC 110-300-0145(11)
Immunizations and exempt childrenLong Term. The state’s lowest risk level. Fix within 20 business days, no recheck.
“It was observed that children 1, 3, and 4 did not have updated Immunization records and child 5 did not have medically verified immunization records.”
WAC 110-300-0210(1)(2)
Mar 5, 20252 citations
Equipment and surfaces in outdoor early learning spaceSerious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“It was observed that a plastic slide was placed over approximately 1" of woodchips that were in good condition.”
WAC 110-300-0146(1)(a)(b)
MedicationSerious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“It was observed that an EpiPen was onsite for a child where the prescription and medication expired 11/2024.”
WAC 110-300-0215(3)(a)(i)
May 14, 20241 citation
Storage of hazardous and maintenance suppliesSerious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“Three step cleaning solution bottles were accessible to children in care.”
WAC 110-300-0260(1)(a)
May 24, 20231 citation
Storage of hazardous and maintenance suppliesSerious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“cleaning/sanitizing products were not in a location that was inaccessible to children in care.”
WAC 110-300-0260(1)(a)
The state cited rules at all 4 of this center's inspections. Most Seattle-area centers inspected 4 times had fewer: 71% of 272.
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%
- All 429%This center
Read every record and the state’s reports
State record — Washington DCYF
- Last visit
- March 31, 2026
- On file
- 4 visits since May 2023 — all of them cited findings
- Most serious
- Serious —
It was observed that faculty member JJ has not completed the Mandated Reporter: Child Abuse & Neglect training.
· March 31, 2026
Washington DCYF publishes each citation in the licensor’s own words, with a risk level.
Mar 2026 Licensing visit 4 findings
Licensing visit · March 31, 2026
WAC 110-300-0106(4) · Serious
It was observed that faculty member JJ has not completed the Mandated Reporter: Child Abuse & Neglect training.
Outdoor early learning program space
WAC 110-300-0145(11) · Short Term
It was observed that gate 1 did not self-close.
Immunizations and exempt children
WAC 110-300-0210(1)(2) · Long Term
It was observed that children 1, 3, and 4 did not have updated Immunization records and child 5 did not have medically verified immunization records.
Storage of hazardous and maintenance supplies
WAC 110-300-0260(5) · Serious
It was observed that a toilet plunger was stored in the bathroom accessible to children in the Forest Ranger classroom.
Mar 2025 Licensing visit 2 findings
Licensing visit · March 5, 2025
Equipment and surfaces in outdoor early learning space
WAC 110-300-0146(1)(a)(b) · Serious
It was observed that a plastic slide was placed over approximately 1" of woodchips that were in good condition.
WAC 110-300-0215(3)(a)(i) · Serious
It was observed that an EpiPen was onsite for a child where the prescription and medication expired 11/2024.
May 2024 Licensing visit 1 finding
Licensing visit · May 14, 2024
Storage of hazardous and maintenance supplies
WAC 110-300-0260(1)(a) · Serious
110-300-0260(1)(d) Three step cleaning solution bottles were accessible to children in care.
May 2023 Licensing visit 1 finding
Licensing visit · May 24, 2023
Storage of hazardous and maintenance supplies
WAC 110-300-0260(1)(a) · Serious
110-300-0260(1)(a) cleaning/sanitizing products were not in a location that was inaccessible to children in care.
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
$1,920 to $2,098 a month
Seattle-area comparison hidden until they say which age this price is for.
- Part time
- $1,235 to $1,570 a month
- Application fee
- $165
- Deposit
- $335, not refundable
A day here
8 a.m. to 6 p.m., year round
Meals, outdoors and schedule
- Meals
- Organic breakfast, morning snack and two afternoon snacks provided; parents provide lunch in a lunch box/thermos with an ice pack
- Outdoors
- Daily outdoor play focused on large muscle development, balance, and coordination
- Schedule
- Full-day
How they teach
Play-based
“SmartStart is a small, 32 student, child care center offering an excellent play-based preschool program along with an individualized, enriching curriculum.”
Details
- Phone
- (425) 202-6138
- Address
- 12729 35th Ave NE, Seattle, 98125
- License
- PL-78011
- Quality program
- Early Achievers Enrolled
- Established
- 2014
We couldn’t find some information that may matter to your decision: openings, Working Connections subsidy, and sick and biting policies. 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.
Children per adult
- Children per adult — Checked September 2026 smartstartschool.net
How they teach
- Approach — Checked August 2026 smartstartschool.net
What it costs
- Monthly tuition, Second price, Application fee, Deposit — Checked September 2026 smartstartschool.net
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 smartstartschool.net
- Outdoors — Checked August 2026 smartstartschool.net
- Hours, Calendar, Schedule — Checked September 2026 smartstartschool.net
Details
- Phone, Ages on the license — Checked September 2026 findchildcarewa.org
- Website — Checked July 2026 smartstartschool.net
- Address, License — Checked June 2026 data.wa.gov
- Quality program — Checked September 2026 data.wa.gov
- Established — Checked September 2026 smartstartschool.net
- Who runs it — Checked September 2026 data.seattle.gov
Small means the smallest quarter of Seattle-area’s 855 licensed centers by state-licensed capacity: 6 to 40 children. Medium is 41 to 115; 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.