Lynnwood · Licensed center
The Goddard School
At a glance
- Large center, licensed for 176 children.
- Hours 11 hours a day, 5 days a week.
- The Goddard School franchise; the brand is owned by Sycamore Partners (private equity).
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 concerns to the state, and it found all 5 valid, most recently in September 2026. The state also cited rules at 1 of its 3 licensing inspections since May 2024.
See each inspection and complaint
Complaints the state found valid
Received Aug 25, 2026Valid complaint, 1 rule citedresolved Sep 30, 2026
“Concerns child was left unattended on the playground for approximately 10 minutes or more.”
The state’s description of the complaint
Supervising childrenShort Term. Fix within 10 business days. Rechecked within 15.
“Staff confirm that the appropriate safety checks were not completed and a lack of supervision resulted in a child being left unattended on the playground.”
WAC 110-300-0345(3)
Received May 22, 2026Valid complaint, 1 rule citedresolved Jun 15, 2026
“Concerns child had their socks and shoes taped to their body to prevent them continually taking them off throughout the day.”
The state’s description of the complaint
Prohibited behavior and discipline, and physical separation of childrenSerious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“The staff person admits to taping the child's socks and shoes to their ankles to prevent them from removing them throughout the day.”
WAC 110-300-0331(1)
Received Feb 24, 2026Valid complaintresolved Mar 13, 2026
“Concerns child tripped and fell bumping her head on the floor; the child appeared unresponive for approximately 1 minute and later EMS was notified for an evaluation.”
The state’s description of the complaint
Received Jul 2, 2025Valid complaint, 1 rule citedresolved Oct 2, 2025
Food allergies and special dietary needsSerious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“A child with a documented food allergy was exposed to a known allergen due to staff error, placing the child's health at significant risk. Staff did not follow center protocols to ensure the safety of children. Staff person was terminated due to violating health and safety protocols.”
WAC 110-300-0186(4)
Received Feb 14, 2025Valid complaintresolved Mar 11, 2025
Of the 210 Seattle-area centers licensed for 116 to 323 children, 98 (47%) have no valid complaint in the last three years; 15 (7%) have five or more, as this center does.
How all 210 similar-size centers compare
Of the 210 Seattle-area centers licensed for 116 to 323 children, how many valid complaints each had in the last three years:
- None47%
- Fewer than 546%
- 5 or more7%This center
Licensing inspections
- Jan 22, 2026Nothing cited
Oct 3, 20241 citation
Supervising childrenShort Term. Fix within 10 business days. Rechecked within 15.
“Multiple doors to the outside and interior doors did not have working alarms or bells.”
WAC 110-300-0345(5)(b)
- May 14, 2024Nothing cited
The state cited rules at 1 of this center's 3 inspections. Most Seattle-area centers inspected 3 times had more: 68% of 364 had rules cited at 2 or more.
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%This center
- 2 of 335%
- All 333%
Read every record and the state’s reports
State record — Washington DCYF
- Last visit
- September 3, 2026
- On file
- 3 visits since May 2024 — 2 cited nothing · 5 complaint investigations
- Most serious
- Serious —
The staff person admits to taping the child's socks and shoes to their ankles to prevent them from removing them throughout the day.
· May 28, 2026
Washington DCYF publishes each citation in the licensor’s own words, with a risk level.
Aug 2026 Complaint 1 valid issue
Complaint · Received August 25, 2026 · Resolved September 30, 2026
“Concerns child was left unattended on the playground for approximately 10 minutes or more.”
The state’s description of the complaint
Reported to the state by the program
Serious injury, valid issues and self-report are Washington’s own fields on its complaint listing.
WAC 110-300-0345(3) · Short Term
Staff confirm that the appropriate safety checks were not completed and a lack of supervision resulted in a child being left unattended on the playground.
May 2026 Complaint 1 valid issue
Complaint · Received May 22, 2026 · Resolved June 15, 2026
“Concerns child had their socks and shoes taped to their body to prevent them continually taking them off throughout the day.”
The state’s description of the complaint
Prohibited behavior and discipline, and physical separation of children
WAC 110-300-0331(1) · Serious
The staff person admits to taping the child's socks and shoes to their ankles to prevent them from removing them throughout the day.
Feb 2026 Complaint 1 valid issue
Complaint · Received February 24, 2026 · Resolved March 13, 2026
“Concerns child tripped and fell bumping her head on the floor; the child appeared unresponive for approximately 1 minute and later EMS was notified for an evaluation.”
The state’s description of the complaint
Reported to the state by the program
Serious injury, valid issues and self-report are Washington’s own fields on its complaint listing.
Jul 2025 Complaint 2 valid issues
Complaint · Received July 2, 2025 · Resolved October 2, 2025
Reported to the state by the program
Serious injury, valid issues and self-report are Washington’s own fields on its complaint listing.
Food allergies and special dietary needs
WAC 110-300-0186(4) · Serious
A child with a documented food allergy was exposed to a known allergen due to staff error, placing the child's health at significant risk. Staff did not follow center protocols to ensure the safety of children. Staff person was terminated due to violating health and safety protocols.
Feb 2025 Complaint 1 valid issue
Complaint · Received February 14, 2025 · Resolved March 11, 2025
Reported to the state by the program
Serious injury, valid issues and self-report are Washington’s own fields on its complaint listing.
Oct 2024 Licensing visit 1 finding
Licensing visit · October 3, 2024
WAC 110-300-0345(5)(b) · Short Term
Multiple doors to the outside and interior doors did not have working alarms or bells.
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
- Hours
- 11 hours a day, 5 days a week
Details
- Phone
- (425) 510-7055
- Address
- 18802 55th Ave W, Lynnwood, 98036
- License
- PL-84125
- Quality program
- Early Achievers Level 5
We couldn’t find some information that may matter to your decision: openings, Working Connections subsidy, cost, teaching approach, ratios and staff, a typical day, 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.
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
- Hours — Checked July 2026 goddardschool.com
Details
- Phone, Ages on the license — Checked September 2026 findchildcarewa.org
- Website, Who runs it — Checked October 2026 goddardschool.com
- Address, License — Checked June 2026 data.wa.gov
- Quality program — Checked October 2026 data.wa.gov
- Who runs it — Checked October 2026 sycamorepartners.com
- Who runs it — Checked September 2026 goddardschool.com
The private-equity firm Sycamore Partners lists Goddard Systems as a current investment. sycamorepartners.com
Goddard’s own site says “All Goddard Schools are independently owned and operated.” goddardschool.com
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.