First Step Learning Center
Licensed Center in Dallas, Texas. License #535928, issued December 1, 1998.
- Address
- 5641 Southwestern Medical Ave, Dallas, TX 75235
- Phone
- (214) 352-8608
- Licensed capacity
- 365 children
- Licensed for
- Infant, Toddler, Pre-Kindergarten, School
- Hours
- 06:30 AM-06:30 PM
- Days
- Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri
- Child care subsidies
- Accepted
Programs listed with the state: Meals Provided, Snacks Provided, Drop-In Care, Skill Classes.
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 3-star of a possible 4
A quality rating the state awards after an on-site assessment. Four stars is the highest.
In effect since April 1, 2024. From the state's provider report of October 31, 2026.
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 3,882 standards at First Step Learning Center between December 7, 2021 and December 22, 2025 and recorded 14 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 | 358 | 0 |
| Record keeping | 3 | 331 | 0 |
| Personnel | 3 | 442 | 1 |
| Ratios and group sizes | 3 | 162 | 0 |
| Activities | 3 | 104 | 0 |
| Infants | 3 | 267 | 2 |
| Toddlers | 4 | 88 | 0 |
| Pre-kindergarten | 3 | 55 | 0 |
| School-age | 3 | 60 | 0 |
| Discipline | 3 | 60 | 0 |
| Naptime | 5 | 60 | 0 |
| Field trips | 3 | 33 | 0 |
| Get well care | 3 | 81 | 0 |
| Nighttime care | 3 | 39 | 0 |
| Nutrition and food care | 3 | 134 | 0 |
| Health practices | 3 | 338 | 0 |
| Safety practices | 3 | 220 | 0 |
| Physical facilities | 4 | 298 | 0 |
| Outdoor safety | 3 | 288 | 0 |
| Pools | 3 | 78 | 0 |
| Fire safety | 3 | 203 | 0 |
| Transportation | 3 | 132 | 0 |
The table adds up to 3,831 of those standards. The remaining 51, including 11 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 First Step Learning Center 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 23 visits to this operation since October 2017, most recently on December 22, 2025, and 14 citations.
- 3High
- 8Medium High
- 3Medium
Every citation below records a correction.
Citations
Showing all 14. Indented text is the inspector's own, reproduced verbatim.
- Medium High December 30, 2024 Corrected at inspection
746.3701: Safety - Areas Free From Hazards
During the inspection, it was observed that several classrooms contained bleach, cleaning supplies, and air freshener within reach of children. This was corrected at inspection. The items were moved to a higher shelf or locked cabinet.
- Medium High December 30, 2024 Corrected at inspection
746.1203(3)(C): Janitorial duties
During the inspection, it was observed that caregivers were engaged in washing dishes and mopping the floor while children were seated at a kidney-shaped table and appearing to fall asleep. This situation was addressed and corrected during the inspection process.
- Medium High December 30, 2024 Corrected at inspection
746.3415(5): Employee Handwashing After Assisting a Child with Toileting
Caregiver did not wash her hands after assiting a child in the restroom.
- High December 30, 2024 Corrected at inspection
746.3701(9): Safety - Bodies of Water Inaccessible to Children
A bucket of mop water was observed in a children's bathroom, providing direct access to its contents. This was corrected at inspection. The bucket was empited.
- Medium High March 12, 2024 Corrected at inspection
746.2409(a)(2): Safety Requirements for Cribs - Snug Fitting Sheets
6 of infant cribs inspected had loose fitting sheets on the mattress.
- High December 1, 2023 Correction verified February 29, 2024
746.305(a)(6): Report Situation Placing Children at Risk
A parent of a child in care notified the staff about concerns over a possible injury the child may have sustained while in care. However, the staff did not notify licensing of the possible injury that may have placed a child at risk of harm.
- Medium High November 2, 2023 Correction verified December 1, 2023
746.4103(b): Policies for Release of Children - Record Identity of Person
The staff did not request the identification of an individual when arrived to pick up a child and the individual had never been to the center before.
- High May 8, 2023 Correction verified May 25, 2023
745.641: AP Background check results - Must receive notification prior to allowing subject to be present at your operation
During a inspection staff member was present prior to receiving their background check determination. This was corrected at inspection when the staff member was asked to leave.
- Medium May 8, 2023 Correction verified May 25, 2023
746.2421(b): Written Feeding Instructions - Review and Update Every 30 Days
Fourteen infant feeding instruction reviewed had not been updated within the required time frame.
- Medium High April 18, 2023 Correction verified June 29, 2023
746.1203(10): Responsibilities of Caregivers - Share Information with Incoming Caregivers
This standard was evaluated as part of an investigation and was deficient. It was determined that the morning caregiver failed to notify the evening caregiver of the child incident before parent pick up.
- Medium April 18, 2023 Correction verified June 28, 2023
746.307(c): Parental Notification of Less Serious Injuries
The operation did not notify the parent upon pick when their child had an injury.
- Medium High May 12, 2022 Correction verified June 9, 2022
746.1301(5)(A): Training Requirements for Employees and Caregivers - 24 Annual Training
When reviewing personnel files 11 of the11 files reviewed were missing the 24 hours of annual training as required.
- Medium January 12, 2022 Corrected at inspection
746.4501(b): Chairs - Safety Straps Used if Required by Manufacturer
During an inspection, children were seated at a table in bucket chairs equipped with safety straps, however, neither of the children had the safety straps fastened.
- Medium High December 7, 2021 Corrected at inspection
746.2407: Infant Care Area Furnishings and Equipment -Use of Safety Straps
A chair used to feed infants/toddlers at a table did not have the required safety strap. The chair was in use at the time of the inspection. This was corrected during the inspection.
Do you have a child enrolled here?
If First Step Learning Center 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.
There are no reviews on this site and we are not adding them. We publish the state's inspection record and facts families confirm, not opinions. Your address is never shown publicly; it goes to the program so they can confirm you, and nowhere else.
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.
Operate this program? Write to corrections@childcaretx.com and we will publish your response beside any record here.