A Step Above Preparatory Academy Inc.
Licensed Center in Arcola, Texas. License #1395446, issued January 17, 2012.
- Address
- 5203 Fm 521 Rd, Arcola, TX 77583
- Phone
- (281) 431-5353
- Licensed capacity
- 95 children
- Licensed for
- Infant, Toddler, Pre-Kindergarten, School
- Hours
- 05:30 AM-06:30 PM
- Days
- Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri
- Child care subsidies
- Accepted
- Website
- astepaboveprep.com
Programs listed with the state: School Age Care, Before School Care, Meals Provided, After School Care, Snacks Provided, Drop-In Care, Part Time Care, Transportation to/from School, Field Trips.
Openings
This program has not told us about its openings. We only publish what a program confirms itself, so there is nothing here yet. Ring them to ask.
Texas Rising Star
Texas Rising Star 2-star of a possible 4
A quality rating the state awards after an on-site assessment. Four stars is the highest.
In effect since July 1, 2024. From the state's provider report of June 9, 2026.
Where this is
A map of this address loads when you ask for it. Nothing is requested from the map host until then, so opening this page does not tell anyone which program you were reading about.
The pin is where the US Census geocoder placed this address. About one in eight is interpolated along a street rather than resolved to a building, so treat it as the right block rather than the right doorway. How we source this.
What inspectors checked
Texas HHSC records how many individual standards it evaluated in each area of the rules, and how many it found violated. Across 22 areas it checked 3,180 standards at A Step Above Preparatory Academy Inc. between June 27, 2022 and September 30, 2026 and recorded 15 violations. Those correspond to the citations listed above that were recorded from 2021 onward; anything older than that is in the citation list but not in these counts.
The 22 areas, one by one
| Area of the rules | Visits | Standards checked | Violated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope, administration, and communication | 3 | 363 | 0 |
| Record keeping | 3 | 327 | 3 |
| Personnel | 3 | 436 | 1 |
| Ratios and group sizes | 3 | 162 | 0 |
| Activities | 3 | 104 | 0 |
| Infants | 3 | 267 | 1 |
| Toddlers | 3 | 66 | 0 |
| Pre-kindergarten | 3 | 55 | 0 |
| School-age | 3 | 60 | 0 |
| Discipline | 2 | 40 | 0 |
| Naptime | 2 | 24 | 0 |
| Field trips | 3 | 33 | 0 |
| Get well care | 2 | 54 | 0 |
| Nighttime care | 2 | 26 | 0 |
| Nutrition and food care | 2 | 90 | 0 |
| Health practices | 2 | 226 | 1 |
| Safety practices | 2 | 154 | 1 |
| Physical facilities | 2 | 150 | 0 |
| Outdoor safety | 2 | 192 | 1 |
| Pools | 2 | 54 | 0 |
| Fire safety | 2 | 135 | 0 |
| Transportation | 3 | 132 | 0 |
The table adds up to 3,150 of those standards. The remaining 30, including 7 of the violations, were recorded under the state's own catch-all heading, “Individual Standards Evaluated”, which names no area. They are reported here rather than folded into an area above, because the state did not say which area they belong to and we are not going to decide for it.
A high number of standards checked is not a compliment and a low one is not a criticism: how many apply depends on a program's size, its ages served and what the inspector was there to look at. We publish the two counts the state published and do not turn them into a score. This data begins in 2021, which is later than the inspection history above it.
Ask about an opening
This goes to A Step Above Preparatory Academy Inc. and nobody else. They reply to you directly: we do not sit in the middle of it, and we never pass your details on or sell them.
Tell me about new inspections
One short message each time Texas HHSC records an inspection here, saying that it happened and linking to the record. We do not tell you what the inspector found: a finding without whether it was corrected is misleading, and that pair belongs on the page rather than split across an email.
We ask for nothing but the address, and we send a confirmation first. Your list is never shown to this program, never sold, and every message has a link to stop. An inspection is routine: programs are visited on a schedule and after a complaint, and a visit is not a finding.
State inspection record
HHSC records 11 visits to this operation since October 2017, most recently on September 30, 2026, and 15 citations.
- 1High
- 9Medium High
- 4Medium
- 1Medium Low
Every citation below records a correction.
Citations
Showing all 15. Indented text is the inspector's own, reproduced verbatim.
- Medium High September 16, 2026 Correction verified September 30, 2026
746.5537(a)(1): Electric or Battery-Operated Carbon Monoxide Detector-Install new Battery in Each CO Detector Annually
The smoke detectors in the front of the building are beeping.
- Medium High September 16, 2026 Correction verified October 12, 2026
746.4907(d): Installation and Maintenance of Loose-fill Surfacing - Proper Depth Maintained
The loose fill has grass growing through out it and needs maintained to ensure it meets the required depth.
- Medium Low September 16, 2026 Correction verified September 18, 2026
746.901(4): Required Personnel Records - Required Affidavit (Form 2985)
Two caregivers have affidavits that do not have a notary stamp on them.
- Medium September 16, 2026 Correction verified September 23, 2026
746.603(a)(4): Children's Records - Immunizations
Two childre's files have screen shots for their immunization record.
- Medium High September 16, 2026 Correction verified September 30, 2026
746.3407: Maintenance of Building, Grounds and Equipment
A pole in the back building was observed to be missing paint and exposing not only the sheet rock but a metal bracket.
- Medium September 16, 2026 Corrected at inspection
746.1013(a)(3): Director's Absence - Caregiver in Charge Has Access to All Records
The caregiver in charge did not have access to personnel and children files while the director was away. Note: It was discussed with the director that access must be given to the caregiver left in charge while both directors are out of the building.
- High September 16, 2026 Correction verified September 30, 2026
746.2426(a)(1): Infant May Not Sleep in a Restrictive Device
A 2 month old infant was observed sleeping in a swing. Note: The caregiver removed the infant from the swing.
- Medium High September 17, 2025 Correction verified September 29, 2025
746.3701: Safety - Areas Free From Hazards
A board is broken in half and hanging loose on the hand rail to the ramp leading into the back building.
- Medium High September 17, 2025 Correction verified September 30, 2025
746.4907(a)(1): Installation and Maintenance of Loose-fill Surfacing - Six Inches if Equipment 5 Ft or Less
The loose fill is not at the required six inches according to the heigth of the climbing structure.
- Medium September 17, 2025 Correction verified September 18, 2025
746.801(3): Required Records Maintained and Made Available - Personnel and Training Records
The staff files were not available during my inspection.
- Medium High September 27, 2023 Correction verified December 11, 2023
746.2405(4): Infant Care Area Furnishings and Equipment - Hand-washing Sink
The infant caregivers are using the hand washing sink to wash bottles as well as washing hands.
- Medium High September 27, 2023 Correction verified December 11, 2023
746.3407: Maintenance of Building, Grounds and Equipment
School age room: The cork board on the wall is peeling. The wall near the restroom is peeling. Ceiling Tiles are drooping in the restroom. The vent fan in the restroom is visibly dusty. The white shelf is missing a chunk of material on the top exposing a screw. Outside: On the play structure there is a broken support clamp. Paint is peeling on two of the hand rails used for the ladder part of the climbing structure.
- Medium High October 5, 2022 Correction verified October 14, 2022
746.3407: Maintenance of Building, Grounds and Equipment
A whole was observed in the wall in the toddler classroom. Paint was observed chipping and peeling in the pre-k and school age classrooms. The wood hand railing into the pre-k and school age building is split causing the wood to separate and pose a risk for splinters, lacerations, and possible entrapment. Note: Pictures were taken for the file.
- Medium October 5, 2022 Correction verified October 14, 2022
746.603(a)(4): Children's Records - Immunizations
One child's file out of six reviewed is missing a completed immuniztion record.
- Medium High July 5, 2022 Corrected at inspection
746.3407(9): Floors, ceilings and Walls in Good Repair and Clean
The elctrical outlet cover is broken in the school age room. Note: A picture was taken for the file. This was corrected when the director replaced the cover.
Do you have a child enrolled here?
If A Step Above Preparatory Academy Inc. confirms you are enrolled, you can tell us what you actually pay. We publish price ranges by city and age so other families know what to expect, and the only reliable source for that is people paying it.
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About this record
Every figure on this page comes from the Texas HHSC Child Care Regulation open data published at data.texas.gov, reproduced as the state recorded it. We do not grade, score or rank programs. A citation is a finding by a state inspector on a given day; it is not a judgment about a program today, and the correction status beside each one is part of the record. This page reflects data retrieved on November 7, 2026. Full methodology.
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