Licensed Child Care Center · Houston, TX 77067
Between Oct 20, 2021 and Oct 20, 2026, the state cited Building Blocks Academy VTM for 25 deficiencies — the Texas HHSC term for rule violations — over 10 routine inspections and 3 other visits (investigations or paperwork reviews); 4 were under rules the state weights High. The rule cited most often here is 746.3407 (5 times, most recently Sep 22, 2025).
The state lists Building Blocks Academy VTM as serving infant, toddler, pre-kindergarten, and school-age children, open 06:00 AM to 07:00 PM (Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri). Programs on file: School Age Care, Before School Care, Accredited, Meals Provided, After School Care, Snacks Provided, Drop-In Care, Part Time Care, Transportation to/from School, Field Trips. Program type: Child Care Program.
Of the 25 violations at Building Blocks Academy VTM, 4 fall under rules Texas weights High and 15 under Medium High; the state sets each rule’s weight by the risk a violation poses to children. How weights work
| Weight | Violations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| High | 4 | 16% |
| Medium High | 15 | 60% |
| Medium | 6 | 24% |
| Medium Low | 0 | 0% |
| Low | 0 | 0% |
Building Blocks Academy VTM had 25 violations in five years, more than the median of 11 across Houston’s 923 licensed child care centers, and 2.4 per routine inspection against a median of 1.0 — a count of state records, not a rating.
5 rules were cited more than once at Building Blocks Academy VTM in the last five years.
| Rule | Times | What the rule covers |
|---|---|---|
| 746.3407 Medium High | 5 | The center must clean, repair, and maintain its building, grounds, and equipment to protect children's health. This includes sanitizing toys that children put in their mouths, keeping garbage out of children's reach, keeping floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair, and labeling cleaning supplies and storing them away from food and out of children's reach. Official rule text Most recent: Sep 22, 2025 · first: Oct 3, 2023 |
| 746.4913 Medium | 2 | Required Documentation for Unitary Surfacing Materials Most recent: Sep 28, 2026 · first: Sep 11, 2026 |
| 746.3701 Medium High | 2 | All areas children can reach must be free of hazards. The rule lists examples such as childproof covers on outlets for children under five, heaters and fans mounted out of reach or guarded, poisonous plants kept out of reach, pools, buckets, and other water kept away from children, and TVs anchored so they cannot tip over. Official rule text Most recent: Sep 11, 2026 · first: Oct 1, 2024 |
| 746.4907 Medium High | 2 | Loose-fill surfacing under play equipment must be kept at least six inches deep when the highest play surface is five feet or lower, and at least nine inches deep when it is higher. It may not be laid over concrete or asphalt or used indoors, and equipment posts must be marked to show the required depth. Official rule text Most recent: Oct 17, 2025 · first: Sep 22, 2025 |
| 746.1205 High | 2 | Each caregiver must know which children they are responsible for, how many there are, and each child's name and age. The caregiver must stay close enough to see or hear what each child is doing, as the situation calls for, and be able to step in when needed. Official rule text Most recent: Sep 22, 2025 · first: Sep 22, 2025 |
| Year | Routine inspections | All state visits | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 (from Oct 20) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2024 | 4 | 6 | 11 |
| 2025 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
| 2026 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
13 visits on record since Oct 20, 2021, newest first, including visits that found nothing.
| Date | Type | Rules checked | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 28, 2026 | Inspection | 3 | 1 |
| Sep 11, 2026 | Inspection | 590 | 5 |
| Oct 17, 2025 | Inspection | 4 | 1 |
| Sep 22, 2025 | Inspection | 682 | 6 |
| Oct 1, 2024 | Inspection | 511 | 4 |
| Jul 17, 2024 | Inspection | 2 | 2 |
| Jul 3, 2024 | Investigation (report) | 2 | None |
| Mar 8, 2024 | Inspection | 3 | None |
| Feb 26, 2024 | Inspection | 71 | 4 |
| Jan 24, 2024 | Investigation (report) | 5 | 1 |
| Oct 3, 2023 | Inspection | 575 | 1 |
| Oct 4, 2022 | Inspection | 643 | None |
| Date | Type | Rules checked | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 30, 2022 | Investigation (report) | 2 | None |
Medium · Sep 28, 2026 · Inspection
The operation was unable to provide the unitary surfacing materials documentation during the inspection that covered the required impact rating for the height of the playground equipment.
Official text of rule 746.4913
Medium High · Sep 11, 2026 · Inspection
A caregiver was observed wiping a child's nose without using a glove. This was corrected during the inspection when the caregiver put gloves on to wipe a child's nose.
Official text of rule 746.3425
Medium High · Sep 11, 2026 · Inspection
The toilet in one of the classrooms was not able to flush. The playground structure in the outdoor playground area had a crack in the slide. The interior of the back seat of a transportation van was exposed with a hole in it.
Plain-English explanation above
Medium High · Sep 11, 2026 · Inspection
Three seatbelts on a transportation van were unable to fasten.
In plain English: Each child being transported must be secured in a car seat, booster seat, vest, harness, or seat belt that fits the child's age, height, and weight, meets federal crash-test standards, is installed per the maker's instructions, and has not expired, been damaged, or been in an accident. Children 12 and younger may not ride in the front seat. Official rule text
High · Sep 11, 2026 · Inspection
The child safety alarms in two of the three observed vehicles did not have a functioning child safety alarm.
In plain English: A vehicle that seats eight or more, is used to transport children, and was bought or leased on or after December 31, 2013, must have an electronic child alarm that is installed and maintained per the maker's instructions and used on every trip with children. Before turning off the alarm at the rear of the vehicle, the driver or a designated employee must account for every child and walk through the vehicle to check that no child is left inside. Official rule text
Medium · Sep 11, 2026 · Inspection
The operation was unable to provide the unitary surfacing materials documentation during the inspection.
Official text of rule 746.4913
Medium High · Oct 17, 2025 · Inspection
The loose fill in the outdoor play area measured a depth of 3.5 inches.
Plain-English explanation above
Medium High · Sep 22, 2025 · Inspection
An observed infant crib sheet was not tight-fitting. This was corrected when the caregiver replaced the crib sheet with a tight-fitting crib sheet.
In plain English: Centers may not use baby walkers, doorway jumpers, accordion gates, toys small enough to swallow or choke on, or bean bags, waterbeds, or foam pads as sleeping equipment for infants. For an infant younger than 12 months, the crib or play yard must be bare except for a tight-fitting sheet and, if used, a thin, tight-fitting mattress cover made for that mattress. Official rule text
Medium · Sep 22, 2025 · Inspection
Two of the reviewed children files did not have a current shot record.
In plain English: The center must keep a record for each enrolled child, including the enrollment agreement, admission information, a health statement from a health-care professional, and immunization records, plus items such as sign-in and sign-out records and medication records when they apply. These records must be kept at the center, available during operating hours, generally until three months after the child's last day. Official rule text
Medium High · Sep 22, 2025 · Inspection
The loose fill in the outdoor play area measured a depth of 3.5 inches.
Plain-English explanation above
Medium High · Sep 22, 2025 · Inspection
The toddler outdoor playground set has two large holes with sharp edges. There is a large hole in the ground in the outdoor playground area that poses as a hazard. There were spray bottles of cleaning supplies located on the changing table within reach of children. This was corrected when the caregiver placed the cleaning supplies out of reach of the children.
Plain-English explanation above
High · Sep 22, 2025 · Inspection
The caregivers were unaware of how many children were in the classroom.
Plain-English explanation above
High · Sep 22, 2025 · Inspection
A child was seen in the hallway opening the front door for an employee. A caregiver left the children in the classroom unattended to monitor the children in the hallway. This was corrected when another caregiver came into the hallway to monitor the children.
Plain-English explanation above
Medium High · Oct 1, 2024 · Inspection
There is chipped paint in the two year old classroom within reach of children. The fence on the playground is bent at the top.
Plain-English explanation above
Medium · Oct 1, 2024 · Inspection
Two vans in use do not have the guide to first aid in their first aid kit.
In plain English: Each first-aid kit must hold a first-aid guide, adhesive tape, antiseptic, adhesive bandages, scissors, sterile gauze pads, a thermometer, tweezers, and waterproof disposable gloves. None of the supplies may be expired. Official rule text
Medium High · Oct 1, 2024 · Inspection
A TV on a cart is not anchored. It is on a piece of cardboard on a cart. This was corrected during the inspection when the TV was removed from the classroom. Per the director the TV will not be used.
Plain-English explanation above
Medium · Oct 1, 2024 · Inspection
A tunnel and play structure are within each other's use zone.
In plain English: The use zone around stationary play equipment (other than slides and soft contained play equipment) must extend at least six feet in every direction from the equipment's edge, and it may not overlap other use zones. Official rule text
Medium High · Jul 17, 2024 · Inspection
There are cracks in the floor in the three's, pre-k and after schoolers classrooms. In the 2's classroom there is chipped paint within reach of children. In the infant room where water comes in after severe storms. There are black spots on the base board. Pictures were taken.
Plain-English explanation above
Medium · Jul 17, 2024 · Inspection
The after schoolers were playing video games that were not educational. This was corrected when the teacher had the children put up their electronics and had them engage in activities that were educational such as playing at centers.
In plain English: Centers may not use screen time for children under two. For older children, screen time may only add to other activities, not replace them, and it must be tied to planned learning goals, age-appropriate, no more than one hour a day, free of ads and violence, and not used during meals, snacks, naps, or rest times. Official rule text
Medium High · Feb 26, 2024 · Inspection
In the 2's classroom the changing mat had holes in it. A picture was taken. This was corrected during the inspection when the mat was replaced.
In plain English: The center must have a smooth, non-absorbent, easy-to-clean diaper-changing surface and a hand-washing sink in the diapering area, and may not change diapers where children play or eat. When a child is on a raised changing surface, the caregiver must use a guard such as raised sides, keep a hand on the child, or stay facing the child within arm's reach. Official rule text
Medium High · Feb 26, 2024 · Inspection
The emergency preparedness plan does not address how children who have limited mobility, or who otherwise may need assistance in an emergency, such as children who have mental, visual or hearing impairments.
In plain English: The center's written emergency plan must explain how staff will evacuate, relocate, or shelter and lock down children, including children under 24 months and those who need extra help, and how every child will be accounted for. It must also cover how the center will contact authorities and parents, bring each child's emergency contacts and medical authorization, keep caring for children until they are picked up, and reunite them with parents. Official rule text
Medium High · Feb 26, 2024 · Inspection
In the 2's classroom the walls have chipped paint. A picture was taken.
Plain-English explanation above
High · Feb 26, 2024 · Inspection
A 3 year old was placed in a high chair for 2 minutes per the teacher. This was a form of punishment.
In plain English: No child may be treated in a harsh, cruel, or unusual way. Banned methods include physical punishment or threats of it, punishment tied to food, naps, or toilet training, grabbing or pulling a child, yelling at or humiliating a child, and putting a child in a locked or dark room. Official rule text
Medium High · Jan 24, 2024 · Investigation (report)
A caregiver tapped a child on the hand to stop them from climbing a shelf.
In plain English: Discipline must fit each child, be consistent and suited to the child's understanding, and aim to teach acceptable behavior and self-control through positive methods such as praise, clear daily reminders of expectations, and redirection. A brief supervised time out may be used when it suits the child's age and development, but for no more than one minute per year of the child's age. Official rule text
Medium High · Oct 3, 2023 · Inspection
In the schoolers boy's bathroom is chipped wood on the wall. It had sharp edges. Pictures were taken.
Plain-English explanation above
Based on the kinds of rules cited at Building Blocks Academy VTM:
More in ZIP 77067 and all of Houston.
This page reports the state’s records for Building Blocks Academy VTM; it is not a rating, a recommendation, or a background check, and may not be used for employment, tenant, credit, or insurance decisions.
Explanations follow the current rules (HHSC minimum standards, revised December 2025).