Little Steps Academy
Licensed Center in Fort Worth, Texas. License #1626087, issued December 21, 2016.
- Address
- 3121 Forest Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76112
- Phone
- (817) 881-2501
- Licensed capacity
- 47 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: 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 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 May 29, 2026. From the state's provider report of October 29, 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 4,223 standards at Little Steps Academy between November 10, 2021 and September 2, 2026 and recorded 44 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 | 481 | 1 |
| Record keeping | 4 | 440 | 3 |
| Personnel | 4 | 596 | 2 |
| Ratios and group sizes | 4 | 216 | 0 |
| Activities | 4 | 140 | 2 |
| Infants | 4 | 357 | 2 |
| Toddlers | 4 | 88 | 0 |
| Pre-kindergarten | 4 | 74 | 0 |
| School-age | 4 | 80 | 0 |
| Discipline | 4 | 80 | 0 |
| Naptime | 4 | 48 | 0 |
| Field trips | 2 | 22 | 0 |
| Get well care | 2 | 54 | 0 |
| Nighttime care | 2 | 26 | 0 |
| Nutrition and food care | 2 | 89 | 0 |
| Health practices | 3 | 338 | 0 |
| Safety practices | 3 | 220 | 0 |
| Physical facilities | 3 | 224 | 0 |
| Outdoor safety | 3 | 288 | 1 |
| Pools | 2 | 54 | 0 |
| Fire safety | 2 | 135 | 0 |
| Transportation | 2 | 83 | 0 |
The table adds up to 4,133 of those standards. The remaining 90, including 33 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 Little Steps Academy 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 24 visits to this operation since October 2017, most recently on September 2, 2026, and 44 citations.
- 6High
- 29Medium High
- 7Medium
- 2Medium Low
Every citation below records a correction.
Citations
Showing the 25 most recent of 44. Indented text is the inspector's own, reproduced verbatim.
- High May 15, 2026 Correction verified May 27, 2026
745.509: Licensed Operations Required Fees
Operation has not paid background check fee.
- Medium High April 17, 2026 Correction verified May 15, 2026
746.2431(3): Infant Daily Report - Times of Diaper Changes
Based on the investigation findings, this standard was reviewed and found to be in non-compliance with The Minimum Standards for Child Care Centers. The operation was not providing an infant daily report to the parents of infants ages 0-17 months old noting the times of diaper changes. The operation has since been providing this information to the parents of the children in the infant classroom.
- Medium High April 17, 2026 Correction verified May 15, 2026
746.2431(2): Infant Daily Report - Times and Amount of Food
Based on the investigation findings, this standard was reviewed and found to be in non-compliance with The Minimum Standards for Child Care Centers. The operation was not providing an infant daily report to the parents of infants ages 0-17 months old noting the times and amount of food the infant was ingesting. The operation has since been providing this information to the parents of the children in the infant classroom.
- Medium High January 2, 2026 Correction verified January 7, 2026
746.3701: Safety - Areas Free From Hazards
The outdoor play space has three active ant piles and thorny vines around the fence.
- Medium High January 2, 2026 Correction verified January 7, 2026
746.4751(c): Maintenance Procedures for Active Play - Hazards Removed or Repaired
The a.c unit is accessible to children.
- Medium July 11, 2025 Correction verified October 2, 2025
746.1013(a)(2): Director's Absence - Caregiver in Charge Knows Responsibilities
Director did not leave a person in charge in their absence. The deficiency is related to a DFPS Abuse/Neglect investigation.
- Medium High July 11, 2025 Correction verified October 2, 2025
746.1013(a)(1): Director's Absence - Caregiver in Charge Knows in Charge
There was no person in charge. The deficiency is related to a DFPS Abuse/Neglect investigation.
- Medium Low January 16, 2025 Correction verified January 27, 2025
746.303(b): Report Number of Employees
The provider did not report the number of employees that left in 2024 in the allotted timeframe required.
- Medium December 31, 2024 Correction verified February 10, 2025
746.2206(3)(A): Written Activity Plan - Child-Initiated - Equipment/Materials In Reach
The classrooms had little to no toys available for children to initiate play. Toys were put up out of reach and had to be retrived by a caregiver.
- Medium High December 31, 2024 Correction verified February 10, 2025
746.1301(a)(2)(A): Training Requirements for Employees, Caregivers, and Directors - Pre-Service Training
At the time of the inspection, 2 caregivers did not have pre-service training and did not have the 2 years od required experince in a regulated center.
- Medium High December 31, 2024 Correction verified February 10, 2025
746.2415(c)(2): Crib Mattress Cover - Snug-Fitting and Thin
The sheets on the infant cribs were not tight fitting and created an entanglement hazard.
- Medium High December 31, 2024 Correction verified February 10, 2025
746.2405(5): Infant Care Area Furnishings and Equipment -Sufficient Number of Toys
Infant room had a very little selection of toys available for infant engagement.
- Medium High February 27, 2024 Correction verified February 29, 2024
746.4751(a): Maintenance Procedures for Active Play - Inspect Daily
The playground has multiple tripping hazards including PVC pipes and black rubber covering for the water pipe. There are also holes on the side of the building that need to be filled and leveled out to avoid risk of tripping.
- Medium Low January 17, 2024 Correction verified January 18, 2024
746.303(b): Report Number of Employees
Report not submitted as of 1/16/2023.
- Medium High October 12, 2023 Correction verified October 19, 2023
746.605(6): Required Admission Information - Emergency Contact
A child's enrollment form did not have their emergency contact's address.
- Medium High October 12, 2023 Correction verified October 19, 2023
746.403(b): Posting Requirements - Child's Food Allergy Plans
Two children's allergies were not posted in their classrooms or in the kitchen where food gets prepared.
- Medium October 12, 2023 Correction verified October 19, 2023
746.801(5): Required Records Maintained and Made Available - Employees' Attendance
Two staff members did not have current attendance records on file.
- Medium High October 12, 2023 Correction verified October 19, 2023
746.3415(4): Employee Handwashing After Diapering a Child
A caregiver did not wash their hands after diapering a child.
- Medium High October 12, 2023 Correction verified October 19, 2023
746.1205(a)(3): Responsibilities of Caregivers - Know children's names and ages
A caregiver did not know the ages of the children they were responsible for.
- Medium High October 12, 2023 Correction verified October 19, 2023
746.3819: Food Allergy Emergency Plan Signed by Parents and Health Care Professional
Two children with diagnosed food allergies did not have their food allergy emergency plan on file.
- High October 12, 2023 Correction verified October 19, 2023
745.641: AP Background check results - Must receive notification prior to allowing subject to be present at your operation
A caregiver with a pending background check was present and alone with children.
- Medium October 12, 2023 Correction verified October 19, 2023
746.603(a)(3): Children's Records - Health Statement
Three children's files were missing the healthcare professional statement.
- Medium October 12, 2023 Correction verified October 19, 2023
746.4503(a): Individual Cot, Bed, or Mat for Each Walking Child Through 4 Years of Age
A walking child was placed in a crib with a crib bed that was too high, causing risks of the child standing up and falling out, climbing out, and injuring themselves.
- Medium October 12, 2023 Correction verified October 19, 2023
746.2203(b): Written Activity Plans - Plan Followed by Caregiver
Caregivers are expected to follow the activity plan to ensure consistency in the children's daily activities.
- Medium High October 12, 2023 Correction verified October 19, 2023
746.3701: Safety - Areas Free From Hazards
There were loose cords hanging from a TV in the classroom.
Do you have a child enrolled here?
If Little Steps Academy 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.
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