Licensed Child Care Center · Houston, TX 77079
Between Oct 20, 2021 and Oct 20, 2026, the state cited Smaller Scholars Montessori Academy for 28 deficiencies — the Texas HHSC term for rule violations — over 12 routine inspections and 7 other visits (investigations or paperwork reviews); 7 were under rules the state weights High. The rule cited most often here is 746.5101 (3 times, most recently Jun 17, 2026).
The state lists Smaller Scholars Montessori Academy as serving toddler, pre-kindergarten, and school-age children, open 07:00 AM to 06:00 PM (Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri). Programs on file: Meals Provided, Snacks Provided, Field Trips. Program type: Child Care Program.
Of the 28 violations at Smaller Scholars Montessori Academy, 7 fall under rules Texas weights High and 9 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 | 7 | 25% |
| Medium High | 9 | 32% |
| Medium | 8 | 29% |
| Medium Low | 3 | 11% |
| Low | 1 | 4% |
Smaller Scholars Montessori Academy had 28 violations in five years, more than the median of 11 across Houston’s 923 licensed child care centers, and 1.8 per routine inspection against a median of 1.0 — a count of state records, not a rating.
6 rules were cited more than once at Smaller Scholars Montessori Academy in the last five years.
| Rule | Times | What the rule covers |
|---|---|---|
| 746.5101 High | 3 | The center must have a fire inspection by a state or local fire marshal before its first permit is issued and at least once every 12 months. Centers in public school buildings run by the local school district are exempt, and if no inspection is available the center must get written proof of that from a fire marshal or county judge. Official rule text Most recent: Jun 17, 2026 · first: Jul 13, 2022 |
| 746.303 Medium Low | 3 | The center must tell the state in writing within five days when its designee, the head of its governing body, their address, or its director changes. Each year by January 15, it must report online how many employees stopped working there during the previous year. Official rule text Most recent: Jan 28, 2025 · first: Jan 18, 2024 |
| 746.1315 Medium High | 3 | Each caregiver and the center director must hold a current certificate in pediatric first aid (including rescue breathing and choking) and in pediatric CPR. A new caregiver may work with children before getting the CPR certificate, but at least one employee or caregiver with a current pediatric CPR certificate must be on the premises whenever children are in care. Official rule text Most recent: Apr 24, 2024 · first: Jul 13, 2022 |
| 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: Dec 17, 2024 · first: May 1, 2024 |
| 746.605 Medium High | 2 | Before admitting a child, the center must collect set information, including the child's name and birth date, how to reach the parents, an emergency contact for when parents can't be reached, the people allowed to pick up the child, and permission to get emergency medical care. It must also record the child's special care needs, any allergies with a food allergy emergency plan if needed, and permission for transportation, field trips, or water activities if the center offers them. Official rule text · rule revised September 2024 Most recent: Jun 20, 2023 · first: Jul 13, 2022 |
| 746.603 Medium | 2 | 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 Most recent: Jul 13, 2022 · first: Jul 13, 2022 |
| Year | Routine inspections | All state visits | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 (from Oct 20) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
| 2023 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 2024 | 4 | 7 | 9 |
| 2025 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
| 2026 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
19 visits on record since Oct 20, 2021, newest first, including visits that found nothing.
| Date | Type | Rules checked | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 17, 2026 | Assessment | 1 | 1 |
| Apr 23, 2026 | Inspection | 3 | 1 |
| Mar 24, 2026 | Inspection | 914 | 1 |
| Mar 20, 2026 | Investigation (self-report) | 3 | 1 |
| Apr 15, 2025 | Inspection | 457 | 6 |
| Jan 30, 2025 | Inspection | 1 | None |
| Jan 28, 2025 | Assessment | 1 | 1 |
| Dec 20, 2024 | Inspection | 1 | None |
| Dec 17, 2024 | Investigation (report) | 1 | 1 |
| May 13, 2024 | Inspection | 1 | None |
| May 3, 2024 | Inspection | — | None |
| May 1, 2024 | Investigation (self-report) | 3 | 1 |
| Date | Type | Rules checked | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 24, 2024 | Inspection | 800 | 6 |
| Jan 18, 2024 | Assessment | 1 | 1 |
| Oct 16, 2023 | Inspection | — | None |
| Jun 20, 2023 | Inspection | 640 | 1 |
| Nov 7, 2022 | Inspection | 2 | 2 |
| Oct 25, 2022 | Investigation (report) | 4 | None |
| Jul 13, 2022 | Inspection | 587 | 5 |
2 rules cited at Smaller Scholars Montessori Academy changed after some of these citations (marked “rule revised”), so the wording that applied at the time may differ from our plain-English explanation.
High · Jun 17, 2026 · Assessment
Documentation reviewed during the follow up inspection showed the last fire inspection was completed on April 2, 2025.
Plain-English explanation above
High · Apr 23, 2026 · Inspection
Documentation reviewed during the follow up inspection showed the last fire inspection was completed on April 2, 2025.
Plain-English explanation above
Medium High · Mar 24, 2026 · Inspection
The operation did not have a current gas inspection report for licensing to review. The last inspection was completed 2/9/24.
In plain English: A center that uses natural or LP gas must be inspected for gas leaks before its first permit and every two years after that, unless it is in a public school building run by the local school district. Official rule text
High · Mar 20, 2026 · Investigation (report)
A caregiver placed a child alone in a dark restroom for approximately six minutes as a form of prohibited 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 · Apr 15, 2025 · Inspection
Playground checklist has not been completed since June 2024.
In plain English: The director or a designee must check the active play space and equipment every day before play and do a fuller check at least monthly using a written checklist. Hazards or defects found must be removed or repaired promptly, children must be kept off the equipment until then, and inspection and repair records must be kept for at least three months. Official rule text
Medium High · Apr 15, 2025 · Inspection
Fire extinguishers has not been serviced since August 2023.
In plain English: The director or a designee must inspect the fire extinguishers every month and record the date and the employee's name. Extinguishers must be serviced as the manufacturer or the fire marshal requires. Official rule text
Medium · Apr 15, 2025 · Inspection
The children's product certification was last certified on 2/2/24.
In plain English: The center must check the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recall list and keep recalled children's products out of the center, except antiques or items being repaired that children cannot use or reach. Each year it must certify in writing on a state form that it has done this, and it must post a notice telling parents and staff how to find the recall list. Official rule text
Medium · Apr 15, 2025 · Inspection
2 out of 4 files reviewed did not have a health statement available for licensing to review.
In plain English: For each child who does not attend pre-K or school away from the center, the center must have a health statement on file within one week of admission. This is usually a written statement from a health-care professional who examined the child in the past year saying the child can take part in the program; the rule also allows a parent's religious affidavit, or a parent's interim statement followed by the professional's statement within 12 months. Official rule text
Medium · Apr 15, 2025 · Inspection
I observed an expired Epi pen for that is kept at the operation for a child in care with an allergy. The Epi pen expired in 12/2024. NOTE: This was corrected during the inspection, it was removed and sent home with parent.
In plain English: The center must throw away medication or return it to the parent when the child leaves the center, when the medication is out of date, or when the child no longer needs it. Official rule text
Medium · Apr 15, 2025 · Inspection
Nap mats were not properly labeled during the inspection.
In plain English: Each walking child through age four must have an individual waterproof or washable cot, bed, or mat to sleep or rest on, provided by the center or the parent. Each must be labeled with the child's name (or a number with an assignment map), and floor mats must be marked so the sleeping side can be told apart from the floor side. Official rule text
Medium Low · Jan 28, 2025 · Assessment
Operation has not reported their staffing changes for the year 2024 by the due date of 1/15/2025. NOTE: Director provided proof of compliance same day.
Plain-English explanation above
High · Dec 17, 2024 · Investigation (report)
Caregiver left a child unattended on a path leading from playground to the classroom for 9 minutes.
Plain-English explanation above
High · May 1, 2024 · Investigation (report)
The director reported that a child was left outside unsupervised for 6-7 minutes.
Plain-English explanation above
Medium High · Apr 24, 2024 · Inspection
Swings and slides did not have loosefill to proper depth.
In plain English: 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
Medium High · Apr 24, 2024 · Inspection
There was a change in director and licensing was not notified within 5 days that director was no longer associated with center. We were informed of the change at inspection.
Plain-English explanation above
Medium High · Apr 24, 2024 · Inspection
One caregiver did not have a current CPR training certificate, expired 2022. Another caregiver did not have hands-on CPR training.
Plain-English explanation above
Low · Apr 24, 2024 · Inspection
One caregiver was missing a notarized affidavit of employment.
In plain English: Each center employee must meet the background check rules, have a current tuberculosis exam record if the health department requires it, and complete two state affidavit forms (a notarized Form 2985 and Form 2912) before being hired. Official rule text · rule revised August 2024
Medium High · Apr 24, 2024 · Inspection
Caregiver did not have current First Aide training. Training expired in 2022.
Plain-English explanation above
Medium Low · Apr 24, 2024 · Inspection
Emergency telephone numbers were not posted. Corrected at inspection. Emergency numbers were posted during inspection.
In plain English: The center must keep certain items posted at all times, including its license, the letter or form from its most recent licensing inspection or investigation, its emergency evacuation diagram, each group's activity plan, the daily menu, and a list of current employees' first and last names. It must also post required state notices and phone numbers and a list of children's food allergies that need an emergency plan. Official rule text
Medium Low · Jan 18, 2024 · Assessment
A review of the Employees Who Left Employment in 2023, revealed the center had not reported the number of employees who left employment in 2023 by January 15, 2024, as required.
Plain-English explanation above
Medium High · Jun 20, 2023 · Inspection
1 out 6 children records reviewed was missing emergency contact address information.
Plain-English explanation above · rule revised September 2024
High · Nov 7, 2022 · Inspection
A caregiver was observed in a classroom with 18 children present who had direct access to children. Another caregivers background check results are still pending and the caregiver was present with direct access to children. The operation has not obtained an eligibility notification from CBCU stating the individuals are eligible to be present. Corrected during Inspection
In plain English: An operation must get notice from the state's background check unit that a person is eligible, eligible with conditions, or provisionally eligible with conditions before letting that person be at the operation. While waiting, the person may attend orientation or pre-service training only if they have no contact with children in care. Official rule text
Medium High · Nov 7, 2022 · Inspection
It was observed that two caregivers once completing diaper changing did not wash the children's hands. Corrected during Inspection.
In plain English: Children must wash their hands before eating and before water-table play, and after using the toilet or having a diaper changed, after outdoor activities, after playing in sand, and after feeding or touching animals. They must also wash any other time a caregiver has reason to believe they touched something that could harm them. Official rule text
Medium · Jul 13, 2022 · Inspection
Health statement was missing on file for four out of eight records checked.
Plain-English explanation above
Medium · Jul 13, 2022 · Inspection
Doctor's information was missing on file for three out of eight records checked.
Plain-English explanation above · rule revised September 2024
Medium · Jul 13, 2022 · Inspection
Immunization record was missing on file for two out of eight records checked.
Plain-English explanation above
Medium High · Jul 13, 2022 · Inspection
Current first aid and CPR training was missing for the director.
Plain-English explanation above
High · Jul 13, 2022 · Inspection
There was no current fire inspection avalable for this operation.
Plain-English explanation above
Based on the kinds of rules cited at Smaller Scholars Montessori Academy:
More in ZIP 77079 and all of Houston.
This page reports the state’s records for Smaller Scholars Montessori Academy; 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).