The Little Engine Learning Center
Licensed Center in San Antonio, Texas. License #1573396, issued July 1, 2016.
- Address
- 4122 Avenida Prima St, San Antonio, TX 78233
- Phone
- (210) 653-7545
- Licensed capacity
- 106 children
- Licensed for
- Infant, Toddler, Pre-Kindergarten, School
- Hours
- 06:30 AM-06:30 PM
- Days
- Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri
- Child care subsidies
- Not accepted
Programs listed with the state: School Age Care, Meals Provided, After School Care, Snacks Provided, 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 July 22, 2025. From the state's provider report of October 16, 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 5,778 standards at The Little Engine Learning Center between December 15, 2021 and August 13, 2026 and recorded 40 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 | 365 | 1 |
| Record keeping | 3 | 334 | 2 |
| Personnel | 3 | 465 | 2 |
| Ratios and group sizes | 4 | 216 | 0 |
| Activities | 3 | 104 | 0 |
| Infants | 7 | 624 | 3 |
| Toddlers | 3 | 66 | 0 |
| Pre-kindergarten | 3 | 55 | 0 |
| School-age | 4 | 80 | 0 |
| Discipline | 3 | 60 | 0 |
| Naptime | 5 | 60 | 0 |
| Field trips | 4 | 44 | 0 |
| Get well care | 3 | 81 | 0 |
| Nighttime care | 3 | 39 | 0 |
| Nutrition and food care | 2 | 90 | 0 |
| Health practices | 6 | 676 | 3 |
| Safety practices | 7 | 518 | 5 |
| Physical facilities | 6 | 448 | 0 |
| Outdoor safety | 7 | 672 | 4 |
| Pools | 6 | 150 | 0 |
| Fire safety | 5 | 338 | 3 |
| Transportation | 5 | 230 | 1 |
The table adds up to 5,715 of those standards. The remaining 63, including 16 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 The Little Engine 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 35 visits to this operation since October 2017, most recently on August 13, 2026, and 40 citations.
One of those visits began with The Little Engine Learning Center reporting something to the state itself rather than HHSC finding it. We publish that because it is part of the record and the state records it separately, not because it is good or bad: a program with none may have had nothing to report. 3,674 of the 12,933 programs listed here have at least one.
- 6High
- 22Medium High
- 11Medium
- 1Low
Every citation below records a correction.
Citations
Showing the 25 most recent of 40. Indented text is the inspector's own, reproduced verbatim.
- Medium High August 13, 2026 Correction verified August 18, 2026
746.3407: Maintenance of Building, Grounds and Equipment
The toilet in the school-age restroom was backed up due to another child clogging it with toilet paper. There was also feces in the toilet that emitted a smell of feces.
- Medium High August 13, 2026 Corrected at inspection
746.3417(4): Children Handwashing After Outdoor Activities
Children were observed coming from the playground outside and not washing their hands.
- Medium High August 13, 2026 Corrected at inspection
746.1316(a): Transportation Safety Training -Director and Employee Complete 2 Hours Annually
The director last completed transportation training on 7/4/2025. She completed the transportation training today on 8/13/2026.
- Low February 12, 2026 Correction verified February 20, 2026
746.611(a)(1): Required Health Statement - Written, dated within past year, indicates child is physically able to participate in operation's child-care program
Two out of eight children's files reviewed did not have a health statement on file.
- Medium High February 12, 2026 Correction verified February 18, 2026
746.1301(a)(3)(A): Training Requirements for Employees, Caregivers, and Directors - Pediatric First Aid with Rescue Breathing
One out of seven staff files reviewed had a First Aid certificate that expired on 10.12.2025.
- Medium High February 12, 2026 Correction verified February 18, 2026
746.1301(a)(4)(A): Training Requirements for Employees, Caregivers, and Directors - Pediatric CPR
One out of seven staff files reviewed had a CPR certificate that expired on 10.12.2025.
- Medium High September 5, 2025 Correction verified September 25, 2025
746.4907(a)(1): Installation and Maintenance of Loose-fill Surfacing - Six Inches if Equipment 5 Ft or Less
The depth of the loose fill under the swings at the big playground was less than an inch. The depth of the loose fill at the merry-go-round in the toddler playgound was one inch.
- Medium High March 21, 2025 Correction verified April 7, 2025
746.613(b): Immunization Records, Exceptions, and Exemptions Current
Three of ten children's records reviewed did not have current immunization records in their files.
- Medium High December 16, 2024 Correction verified December 30, 2024
746.1601: Child/ Caregiver Ratio - 13 or More Children
The infant classroom was over ratio by one infant. The specified age group was 8 months and 5 infants were being supervised by one caregiver. Note: This was corrected at inspection when one infant was moved to another classroom.
- Medium October 29, 2024 Correction verified November 8, 2024
746.603(a)(3): Children's Records - Health Statement
Two of ten children's records reviewed did not have a health statement on file.
- High September 17, 2024 Correction verified September 25, 2024
746.1205(a)(2): Responsibilities of Caregivers - Know number of children responsible for
The caregivers in the infant classroom gave incorrect number of children in the classroom. Caregivers stated there were six infants when there were seven infants. Note: This was corrected at inspection when the caregiver confirmed an additional child had been dropped off.
- Medium March 26, 2024 Corrected at inspection
746.4751(b): Maintenance Procedures for Active Play - Monthly Maintenance Checklist
There was no documentation that monthly maintenance checklists were completed. Note: This was corrected at inspection when the Director conducted an inspection of the active play areas.
- Medium High March 26, 2024 Correction verified April 24, 2024
746.2409(a)(2): Safety Requirements for Cribs - Snug Fitting Sheets
Six cribs had loose sheets covering the crib mattresses. Note: This was corrected at inspection when caregivers replaced sheets.
- Medium High March 26, 2024 Correction verified April 24, 2024
746.3701(3): Safety - Air Conditioners, Fans, Heaters Safeguarded
Three classrooms had a fan on top of children's cubbies unsecured.
- Medium High March 26, 2024 Correction verified April 24, 2024
746.4751(c): Maintenance Procedures for Active Play - Hazards Removed or Repaired
The afterschool outdoor play area had a rusted play tub with rusted bolts, a leaning fun hoop funnel and gap in the fence.
- Medium November 8, 2023 Correction verified December 1, 2023
HRC 42.04271: Parent's Rights
During the inspection the director stated that the Provider's Guide to Parent's Rights had not been passed out to parents.
- Medium High October 19, 2023 Correction verified October 27, 2023
746.5401: Requirement of Gas Leak Inspection
The gas inspection was due 9/30/2023.
- Medium October 19, 2023 Corrected at inspection
746.3809: Medication No Longer Used
The medication drawer had a prescription that was two years old. This was corrected at inspection with the director disposed of the medication.
- Medium October 19, 2023 Corrected at inspection
746.4135(b): Children's Products- Annual Certification
The operation has not certified that they have reviewed each of the recall notices issued by the CPSC and that there are no unsafe products in the center. This was corrected at inspection when the second director filled out the Children's Products Certification form and signed it.
- Medium High October 19, 2023 Corrected at inspection
746.5307(a): Inspect Fire Extinguishers Monthly
Fire extinguishers are not current on their checks. This was corrected at inspection when the director conducted a fire extinguisher check.
- Medium October 19, 2023 Corrected at inspection
746.4135(c): Children's Products-Posting of CPSC website
The operation does not have the Children's Products Certification form posted. This was corrected at inspection when the second director posted the form.
- Medium October 19, 2023 Correction verified October 24, 2023
746.2421(b): Written Feeding Instructions - Review and Update Every 30 Days
Two children in the infant room, who are not yet on table food, did not have current feeding instructions.
- High July 27, 2023 Correction verified August 2, 2023
746.5007(b): Fencing Around Swimming Pool -Gates Self-closing/ Self-latching/Locked
Recite- Swimming pool gate was missing the self lock mechanism.
- Medium High July 24, 2023 Correction verified September 22, 2023
746.3317: Food Service and Preparation Requirement - Safe and Sanitary
Based on the evidence and interviews conducted it was determined that the operation served a meal that was unsafe and unsanitary to consume.
- High July 12, 2023 Correction verified July 27, 2023
746.4601(7): Safety Requirements for Active Play Equipment - No Pinch, Crush, or Shear Points
Three push toys were found worn off and broken in the toddler playground. Broken toys that were going to be discarded were found accessible to children.
Do you have a child enrolled here?
If The Little Engine 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 8, 2026. Full methodology.
Operate this program? Write to corrections@childcaretx.com and we will publish your response beside any record here.