Lil School House Cottage
Licensed Center in Buffalo Gap, Texas. License #1708847, issued January 25, 2021.
- Address
- 618 West St, Buffalo Gap, TX 79508
- Phone
- (325) 572-3500
- Licensed capacity
- 61 children
- Licensed for
- Infant, Toddler, Pre-Kindergarten, School
- Hours
- 06:45 AM-05:30 PM
- Days
- Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri
- Child care subsidies
- Not accepted
Programs listed with the state: Meals Provided, Snacks Provided.
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 June 22, 2026. From the state's provider report of June 22, 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 8,060 standards at Lil School House Cottage between November 10, 2021 and August 6, 2026 and recorded 27 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 | 4 | 477 | 0 |
| Record keeping | 4 | 437 | 0 |
| Personnel | 10 | 1,482 | 2 |
| Ratios and group sizes | 11 | 594 | 0 |
| Activities | 4 | 144 | 1 |
| Infants | 12 | 1,071 | 0 |
| Toddlers | 3 | 66 | 0 |
| Pre-kindergarten | 3 | 57 | 0 |
| School-age | 3 | 60 | 0 |
| Discipline | 4 | 80 | 0 |
| Naptime | 4 | 48 | 0 |
| Field trips | 3 | 33 | 0 |
| Get well care | 3 | 81 | 0 |
| Nighttime care | 3 | 39 | 0 |
| Nutrition and food care | 4 | 179 | 0 |
| Health practices | 9 | 1,013 | 2 |
| Safety practices | 10 | 744 | 0 |
| Physical facilities | 5 | 373 | 0 |
| Outdoor safety | 5 | 480 | 1 |
| Pools | 3 | 78 | 0 |
| Fire safety | 5 | 339 | 0 |
| Transportation | 3 | 132 | 0 |
The table adds up to 8,007 of those standards. The remaining 53, including 21 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 Lil School House Cottage 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 34 visits to this operation since October 2017, most recently on August 6, 2026, and 27 citations.
- 8High
- 15Medium High
- 4Medium
Every citation below records a correction.
Citations
Showing the 25 most recent of 27. Indented text is the inspector's own, reproduced verbatim.
- Medium August 6, 2026 Correction verified August 13, 2026
746.4751(b): Maintenance Procedures for Active Play - Monthly Maintenance Checklist
The operation does not have a safety checklist for active play space areas.
- Medium High August 6, 2026 Correction verified August 26, 2026
746.1315(b): Each Caregiver and the Director Must Have Current Training in pediatric CPR
A caregiver had an expired CPR training which expired July 2026.
- High August 28, 2023 Correction verified September 11, 2023
746.1205(a)(4): Supervision ensures each child?s safety, well-being, including physical proximity and auditory or visual awareness of each child?s on going activity
Upon entry, a caregiver was observed down the hall and out of their classroom where 6 children ages 18mo-20mo were left unsupervised. This was corrected at inspection when the caregiver entered the classroom with the children.
- Medium High June 20, 2023 Correction verified July 19, 2023
746.3407(5): Sanitize Potty-Chairs
Potty chairs used in the two year old room had dried urine around the rim. Furthermore, the small urinal contained urine. This was corrected at inspection when the potty chairs were sanitized and the urinal was emptied.
- Medium High June 20, 2023 Correction verified July 19, 2023
746.3701: Safety - Areas Free From Hazards
3 outlets were observed to not have protective covers. The outdoor area had a green electrical cord in reach of children in care. The toddler room had diaper cream that stated "keep out of reach in children" accessible to children in care on top of the toilet. This was corrected at inspection when plug covers were placed on the outlets. The electrical cord was removed from the outdoor area and the diaper cream was placed out of reach of children.
- Medium High June 20, 2023 Correction verified July 19, 2023
746.3415(4): Employee Handwashing After Diapering a Child
A caregiver in the infant room did not wash hands after diapering a child and did not sanitize the diaper changing table. Furthermore, the caregiver did not was the infant's hands after diapering. Thsi was corrected at inspection when the caregiver washed their hands, washed the infants hands and sanitized the changing table.
- Medium June 20, 2023 Correction verified June 20, 2023
746.4135(b): Children's Products- Annual Certification
The CPSC form had not been certified since July of 2020. This was corrected at the inspection when the form was certified.
- Medium June 20, 2023 Correction verified June 26, 2023
746.2209: Posting of Activity Plan
2 classrooms did not have activity plans posted for reivew.
- Medium High May 9, 2023 Correction verified May 23, 2023
746.1601: Child/ Caregiver Ratio - 13 or More Children
The infant room had 7 infants with one caregiver. The ages of the infants: 6 months, 7 months, 7 months, 9 months, 9 months, 12 months, 13 months.
- Medium High May 9, 2023 Correction verified May 23, 2023
746.2407: Infant Care Area Furnishings and Equipment -Use of Safety Straps
2 toddlers were observed not buckled into the toddler table seats during snack time. This was corrected at inspection when the children were buckled in.
- High May 9, 2023 Correction verified May 23, 2023
746.2415(b): AP Cribs - Only Snug Fitting Sheet and Crib Mattress Cover Allowed if Infant Younger than 12 Months of Age
There was a 9 month old infant sleeping in the crib with a blanket covering their face. This was corrected at inspection when the blanket was removed from the crib.
- High May 9, 2023 Correction verified May 23, 2023
746.1205(a)(2): Responsibilities of Caregivers - Know number of children responsible for
A caregiver in the 18 month to 3 yr old napping room with combined ages groups was unware of how many children they were responsible for. The caregiver stated they had 8 children in their group. However, there were 7 children in the group the caregiver was responsible for. There were 14 children total in the napping room. There were 2 caregivers in the room.
- Medium High May 9, 2023 Correction verified May 23, 2023
746.1203(3)(D): Personal use of electronic devices, such as cell phones, MP3 players, tablets, and video games
A caregiver in the toddler room and a caregiver in the infant room were observed using their phones for personal use while supervising children.
- High March 29, 2023 Correction verified May 9, 2023
746.2805(1): Prohibited Punishments - Corporal Punishment
During the course of the investigation it was determined that a caregiver threatened corporal punishment with a belt towards children in care.
- High March 29, 2023 Correction verified May 9, 2023
746.3707(b): Firearms, Hunting Knives, Bows and Arrows, Weapons Prohibited Unless Residence
It was determined through the course of the investigation that a caregiver entered the operation with a firearm on their person and did not immediately remove it from the operation.
- Medium High March 29, 2023 Correction verified April 5, 2023
746.1601: Child/ Caregiver Ratio - 13 or More Children
The infant room was out of ratio with 2 caregivers and 11 infants with a specified age group of 11 months. This was corrected at inspection when an infant's parent arrived to pick up an infant.
- Medium High March 14, 2023 Correction verified April 5, 2023
746.1605(1): Child/Caregiver Ratio - 18 Months Difference in Age
It was determined while viewing video footage that a school age child was allowed to enter the infant room and play on the floor along with the infants.
- Medium High March 14, 2023 Correction verified April 5, 2023
746.1601: Child/ Caregiver Ratio - 13 or More Children
It was determined while reviewing video footage that a caregiver exited the classroom leaving one caregiver alone for approximately 14 minutes to supervise 6 infants.
- Medium High February 23, 2023 Correction verified March 7, 2023
746.1601: Child/ Caregiver Ratio - 13 or More Children
During naptime a classsroom was observed out of ratio when a caregiver left the room. The room required 3 caregivers during naptime. The ages in the room were 12 months - 24 months. There were 23 children in the room. This was corrected inspection when another caregiver entered the room.
- High June 21, 2022 Correction verified July 1, 2022
746.2428: No Swaddling of Infant Unless Completed Sleep Exception Form on File
A five month old was swaddled and sleeping in the playyard. Photo taken.
- Medium High June 21, 2022 Correction verified July 1, 2022
746.3701: Safety - Areas Free From Hazards
The older aged playground was observed to have multiple hazards. There was a water hose strung out across the playground. Other hazards observed were trash bags full of leaves, miracle grow fertilizer, a large metal screw and a broken piece of wood. Photos taken.
- Medium March 29, 2022 Correction verified May 26, 2022
746.1311(a): Director Annual Training 30 Hours Required
The center director has not maintained the required 30 annual training hours.
- Medium High March 29, 2022 Correction verified April 8, 2022
746.3317(6): Food Service and Preparation Requirement - Use Sanitary Holders
Infants were observed to be eating on the front porch and picking up snacks off of the front porch that was soiled with dirty. The front porch also was not a safe area for them to be eating as they could easily fall through the slats of the porch.
- High March 29, 2022 Corrected at inspection
746.3317(7): Food Service and Preparation Requirement - No Foods That Present Choking Risk
Infants aged 10 to 16 months old were observed to be eating pretzels for snack. These were removed at inspection.
- Medium High March 29, 2022 Correction verified April 8, 2022
746.3407: Maintenance of Building, Grounds and Equipment
Trash cans without lids were observed to have soiled diapers. Diaper changing pads were observed to be torn which reduces ability to properly sanitize them.
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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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