C.U.S.D.#80 - C.T.A. Liberty Elementary - School-Age/Preschool

AAC R9-5-603.D. D. A licensee shall ensure that the following is provided and maintained within the fall zones of swings and climbing equipment in an outdoor activity area: 1. A shock-absorbing unitary surfacing material manufactured for such use in outdoor activity areas; or 2. A minimum depth of 6 inches of a non-hazardous, resilient material such as fine loose sand or wood chips.

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer’s observation, the Kid's Express outdoor activity area lacked the following resilient surfacing: *4 of the required 6 inches of wood chips in the fall zones of the climbing cubes and the small climbing structure. *6 - 3 of the required 6 inches of wood chips in the fall zones of the swings. On the Preschool playground, the shock-absorbing resilient surface was damaged in the fall zone of the climbing structure.”

AAC R9-5-403.B. B. A licensee shall ensure that: 1. Each staff member who provides child care services completes 24 or more clock hours of training every 12 months after the effective date of this Chapter or the staff member’s starting date of employment or volunteer service in at least two topics listed below: a. Child growth and development, including: i. Infant growth and development, including sudden infant death syndrome prevention and safe sleeping practices; ii. Brain development; iii. Basic child development, including cognitive, social, emotional, and physical, as well as approaches to learning; iv. Language development; v. Observation and child assessment; vi. Developmentally-appropriate activities; vii. Child guidance and methods of positive discipline which may include techniques to promote healthy social-emotional development and reduce challenging behaviors; or viii. Developmentally-appropriate activity areas. b. Health and safety issues, including: i. Accident and emergency procedures, including CPR and first aid for infants and children; ii. Recognition of signs of illness and infestation; iii. Nutrition and developmentally-appropriate eating habits; iv. Child abuse detection, reporting, and prevention; v. Safety of indoor and outdoor activity areas; and vi. Sun safety policies and procedures; vii. Water safety; viii. Prevention and control of infections diseases, including immunizations; ix: Prevention and response to emergencies due to food and allergic reactions, including anaphylactic shock; x. Building and physical premises safety, including identification of and protection from hazards that can cause bodily injury such as electrical hazards, bodies of water, and vehicular traffic; xi. Emergency preparedness, response, and recovery planning for emergencies resulting from a natural disaster or a human-caused event; xii. Administration of medication, consistent with standards for parental or guardian consent; xiii. Handling and storage of hazardous materials and the appropriate disposal of biocontaminants; xiii. Handling and storage of hazardous materials and the appropriate disposal of biocontaminants; xiiii. Prevention of shaken baby syndrome, pediatric abusive head trauma, and child maltreatment; or xv. Physical restraint techniques. c. Program administration, planning, development, or management; and d. Availability of community services and resources, including those available to children with a special health care need or a disability; and 2. As part of the required 24 hours of training in subsection (B)(1): a. A staff member who has less than 12 months of child care experience before the staff member’s starting date, completes at least 12 hours in one or more of the topics in subsection (B)(1)(a) in the staff member’s first 12 months at the facility; b. A staff member who has 12 months or more of child care experience, completes at least 6 hours in one or more of the topics in subsection (B)(1)(a) every 12 months after the staff member’s starting date; c. A staff member who provides child care services to an infant completes at least 6 hours in subsection (B)(1)(a)(i) every 12 months after the staff member’s starting date; and d. A facility director completes at least six hours in subsection (B)(1)(c) every 12 months after the facility director’s starting date. e. A child educator for school-aged children shall complete six of the 24 hours of training within the first three months of hire.

“Findings: Based on the facility documentation and the Compliance Officer's observation, it was determined that 1 out of 9 staff files reviewed lacked the required training: *Staff #1 (date of employment: 7/19/2023) - 24 of the 24 hours of annual training for the time period of 8/3/2025-8/3/2026”

AAC R9-5-501.B.6. B. A licensee shall ensure that a staff member: 6. For enrolled children five-years or younger, and except as provided in subsection (C), prepares, posts, and implements a dated lesson plan in each indoor activity area for each calendar week, which is maintained on facility premises for 12 months after the lesson plan date and provides opportunities for each child to: a. Gain a positive self-concept; b. Develop and practice social skills; c. Think, reason, question, and experiment; d. Acquire language skills; e. Develop physical coordination skills; f. Participate in structured large muscle physical activity; g. Develop habits that meet health, safety, and nutritional needs; h. Express creativity; i. Learn to respect cultural diversity of children and staff; j. Learn self-help skills; and k. Develop a sense of responsibility and independence;

“Findings: Based on facility documentation and the Compliance Officer's observation, the lesson plan posted in the preschool classroom was not current. The plan was dated August 12 - August 21, 2026.”

AAC R9-5-512.D. D. A licensee shall ensure that toilet bowls, lavatory fixtures, and floors in toilet rooms and kitchens are cleaned and sanitized as often as necessary to maintain them in a clean and sanitized condition or at least once every 24 hours.

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer's observation, there was a crack in the tile floor of the first stall in the girls' hallway bathroom used by the children enrolled in the Kid's Express program.”

AAC R9-5-309.C. C. A licensee shall maintain on facility premises: 1. A current fire inspection report including documentation of any repairs or corrections required by the fire inspection report; and 2. If there are gas pipes that run from a gas meter to an appliance or location on the facility premises, a current gas inspection report including documentation of any repairs or corrections required by the gas inspection report.

“Findings: Based on facility documentation and the Compliance Officer's observation, it was determined that the Licensee lacked a current, violation-free fire inspection report as required. The fire inspection report reviewed expired 3/10/2026.”

AAC R9-5-403.A. A. Within 10 calendar days of the starting date of employment or volunteer service, a licensee shall provide, and each staff member who provides child care services shall complete, training for new staff members that includes all of the following: 1. Facility philosophy and goals; 2. Names and ages of and developmental expectations for enrolled children for whom the staff member will provide child care services; 3. Health needs, nutritional requirements, any known allergies, and information about adaptive devices of enrolled children for whom the staff member will provide child care services; 4. Lesson plans; 5. Child guidance and methods of positive discipline, including separation; 6. Hand washing techniques; 7. Diapering techniques and toileting, if assigned to diaper changing duties; 8. Food preparation, service, sanitation, and storage, if assigned to food preparation; 9. If a staff member is assigned to feeding infants, the preparation, handling, and storage of infant formula and breast milk; 10. Recognition of signs of illness and infestation; 11. Child abuse or neglect detection, prevention, and reporting; 12. Accident and emergency procedures; 13. Staff responsibilities as required by A.R.S. Title 36, Chapter 7.1, Article 1 and this Chapter; 14. Sun safety policies and procedures; 15. Safety in outdoor activity areas; 16. Transportation procedures, if applicable; 17. Field trip procedures, if applicable; 18. Infant tummy time, if applicable; 19. Prevention of sudden infant death syndrome and use of safe sleeping practices, if applicable; and 20. Prevention of shaken baby syndrome, pediatric abusive head trauma, and child maltreatment.

“Findings: Based on facility documentation and the Compliance Officer's observation, the file for Staff #2 (date of employment 7/15/2026)and Staff #3 (date of employment 7/15/2026) lacked documentation of a 10-day new-hire orientation.”

AAC R9-5-303.B. B. A licensee shall ensure that the licensed capacity of each indoor activity area or room is posted in that activity area or room.

“Findings: Based on the facility documentation and the Compliance Officer's observation, the capacity for the preschool classroom was not posted.”

AAC R9-5-203.G. G. As required by A.R.S. § 8-804, before an individual’s starting date of employment or volunteer service, a licensee shall comply with the submission requirements in A.R.S. § 8-804(C) for the individual.

“Findings: Based on facility documentation and the Compliance Officer's observation, the files for Staff #2 (date of employment 7/15/26) and Staff #3 (date of employment 7/15/26) lacked a Central Registry Background check.”

AAC R9-5-603.B. B. Except as provided in subsection (D) a licensee shall ensure that an outdoor activity area: 1. Is enclosed by a fence: a. A minimum of 4 feet high; b. Secured to the ground; and c. With either vertical or horizontal open spaces on the fence or gate that do not exceed 4.0 inches; 2. Is maintained free from hazards, such as exposed concrete footings and broken toys; and 3. Has gates that are kept closed while an enrolled child is in the outdoor activity area

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer's observation, on the preschool playground, the following hazards were accessible to enrolled children: *Exposed concrete at the base of the fence posts located near the parking lot. *A 3" drop between the base of the concrete drain and the ground near the gate. *Damaged and exposed black, plastic drain pipe with sharp edges located near the gate.”

AAC R9-5-501.A.12. A. A licensee shall ensure that: 12. The facility premises, including the buildings, are maintained free from hazards;

“Finding: Based on the Compliance Officer's observation, in the bathrooms used by the Kids Express program, the following hazards were observed: *There was a loose seat on the toilet in the 4th stall of the girls' bathroom near the MPR room. *There was a loose seat on the toilet in the 2nd stall of the girls' bathroom in the hallway.”

AAC R9-5-401.4. A licensee shall ensure that staff members meet the following qualifications for employment or volunteer service at a facility: 4. An assistant child educator is 16 years of age or older and provides the licensee with documentation of one of the following: a. Current and continuous enrollment in high school or a high school equivalency class; b. High school or high school equivalency diploma; c. Enrollment in vocational rehabilitation, as defined in A.R.S. § 23-501; or d. Employment or service as a volunteer in a licensed child care facility for 12 months;

“Findings: Based on facility documentation and the Compliance Officer's observation, it was determined that Preschool Staff #1 (date of hire 7/16/2025) lacked documentation of an evaluated diploma issued in a foreign country that is equivalent to a degree in the United States.”

AAC R9-5-512.C. C. A licensee shall ensure that floor coverings are: 1. Clean; and 2. Free from: a. Dampness, b. Odors, and c. Hazards.

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer's observation, there were cracked tiles on the floors of the bathrooms used by the Kids Express program. The floor in the girls bathroom near the MPR room, had a crack in the tile to the right of the toilet of the 1st stall. The floor in the boys bathroom in the hallway, had a chip in the tile of the 2nd stall.”

AAC R9-5-501.B.6. B. A licensee shall ensure that a staff member: 6. For enrolled children five-years or younger, and except as provided in subsection (C), prepares, posts, and implements a dated lesson plan in each indoor activity area for each calendar week, which is maintained on facility premises for 12 months after the lesson plan date and provides opportunities for each child to: a. Gain a positive self-concept; b. Develop and practice social skills; c. Think, reason, question, and experiment; d. Acquire language skills; e. Develop physical coordination skills; f. Participate in structured large muscle physical activity; g. Develop habits that meet health, safety, and nutritional needs; h. Express creativity; i. Learn to respect cultural diversity of children and staff; j. Learn self-help skills; and k. Develop a sense of responsibility and independence;

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer's observation, in Preschool Room #1, the posted lesson plan was not current. The lesson plan was dated 8/21 - 8/25/2025.”

AAC R9-5-516.I. I. Except as specified in A.R.S. § 36-2229(B) through (D), a licensee shall ensure that a facility does not stock a supply of medications for administration to enrolled children, including: 1. Any prescription medication; or 2. A nonprescription medication such as aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or cough syrup.

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer's observation, there was a tube of triple-antibiotic ointment in the first aid kit reviewed for the Preschool.”

AAC R9-5-603.B. B. Except as provided in subsection (D) a licensee shall ensure that an outdoor activity area: 1. Is enclosed by a fence: a. A minimum of 4 feet high; b. Secured to the ground; and c. With either vertical or horizontal open spaces on the fence or gate that do not exceed 4.0 inches; 2. Is maintained free from hazards, such as exposed concrete footings and broken toys; and 3. Has gates that are kept closed while an enrolled child is in the outdoor activity area

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer's observation, in the outdoor area, the following hazards were observed: Kids Express Playground: *There was an exposed concrete footing on the 1st Tether Ball post. *There were two open spaces in the fence located along the back of the playground that measured 7 inches from the ground to the base of the fence. Preschool Playground: *There was an exposed concrete footing on a fence post located on the west side of the playground.”

AAC R9-5-603.D. D. A licensee shall ensure that the following is provided and maintained within the fall zones of swings and climbing equipment in an outdoor activity area: 1. A shock-absorbing unitary surfacing material manufactured for such use in outdoor activity areas; or 2. A minimum depth of 6 inches of a non-hazardous, resilient material such as fine loose sand or wood chips.

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer's observation, the Kids Express outdoor area lacked the following resilient surfacing: *6 of the required 6 inches of woodchips in the fall zone of the spiral slide of the large climber. *3 of the required 6 inches of woodchips in the fall zones of the overhead bars and the double slide of the large climber. *2 of the required 6 inches of woodchips in the fall zones of the swings and the overhead bars of the small climber.”

AAC R9-5-304.B. B. Except as required in A.R.S. § 36-3009, before an enrolled child receives child care services, a licensee shall require the enrolled child’s parent to complete an Emergency, Information, and Immunization Record that is no more than a two-page written notice, and is signed by the enrolled child’s parent containing: 1. The child’s name, home address, sex, and date of birth; 2. The date of the child’s enrollment; 3. The name, home address, email address, and telephone number of each parent of the child; 4. The name and contact telephone number of at least two individuals authorized by the child’s parent to collect the child from the facility in case of emergency, or if the child’s parent cannot be contacted; 5. The name and contact telephone number of the child’s health care provider; 6. The written authorization for emergency medical care of the enrolled child when the parent cannot be contacted at the time of the emergency; 7. The name of the individual to be contacted in case of injury or sudden illness of the child; 8. The written instructions of a child’s parent or health care provider for the nutritional and dietary needs of the child including, if applicable, the request in R9-5-509(C)(14); and 9. A written record completed by the child’s parent or health care provider noting the child’s susceptibility to illness, physical conditions of which a staff member should be aware, and any individual requirements for health maintenance.

“Findings: Based on facility documentation and the Compliance Officer's observation, it was determined that 8 out of 8 enrolled Preschool children's Emergency, Information, and Immunization Record cards reviewed lacked the following required information: *Child # 1, Child #3, and Child #5: The name and contact number for the child's health care provider and the signature of the enrolling parent. *Child #2, Child #4, Child #6, Child #7 and Child #8: The signature of the enrolling parent.”

AAC R9-5-309.C. C. A licensee shall maintain on facility premises: 1. A current fire inspection report including documentation of any repairs or corrections required by the fire inspection report; and 2. If there are gas pipes that run from a gas meter to an appliance or location on the facility premises, a current gas inspection report including documentation of any repairs or corrections required by the gas inspection report.

“Findings: Based on facility documentation and the Compliance Officer’s observation, the Licensee lacked documentation of a current violation-free fire inspection report as required.”

AAC R9-5-306.B. B. A licensee shall: 1. Develop, document, and implement policies and procedures to ensure that a staff member maintains daily documentation of the presence of an enrolled child in an activity area that includes a method to account for any temporary absences of the enrolled child from the activity area, and 2. Maintain the documentation of the presence of enrolled children in an activity area required in subsection (B)(1) on facility premises for 12 months after the date of the documentation.

“Findings: Based on facility documentation and the Compliance Officer’s observation, the roster in the MPR listed 58 children with 25 children present. The roster on the playground listed 27 children with 31 present.”

AAC R9-5-303.A. A. A licensee shall post in a place that can be conspicuously viewed by individuals entering or leaving the facility or activity area, the:1. Facility’s license; 2. Name of the facility director; 3. Name of the individual designated to act on behalf of the facility director when the facility director is not present in the facility, as prescribed by R9-5-301(B)(1); 4. Schedule of child care services fees and policy for refunding fees as prescribed by A.R.S. § 36-882(P); 5. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack menus for each calendar week at the beginning of the calendar week; 6. Notice of the presence of any communicable disease or infestation listed in 9 A.A.C. 6, Article 2, Table 2, from the date of discovery through the incubation period of the communicable disease or infestation; 7. Notice of the Department’s intent to deny, revoke, or suspend as prescribed by A.R.S. § 36-888 at the expiration of time in the notice for the licensee to respond; 8. Notice of an intermediate sanction imposed as prescribed by A.R.S. § 36-891.01 within 10 calendar days after the licensee received notice of the intermediate sanction; 9. Notice of a legal injunction imposed as prescribed by A.R.S. § 36-886.01 when the licensee receives the legal injunction; and 10. Notice of the availability of facility inspection reports for public viewing at the facility premises.

“Findings: Based on facility documentation and the Compliance Officer’s observation, the main posting board lacked a current facility license.”

AAC R9-5-401.3. A licensee shall ensure that staff members meet the following qualifications for employment or volunteer service at a facility:3. A teacher-caregiver is 18 years of age or older and provides the licensee with documentation of one of the following: a. Six months of child care experience and: i. A high school diploma or high school equivalency diploma; or ii. At least 12 credit hours from an accredited college or university, including at least six credit hours in early childhood, child development, or a closely-related field; b. Associate or bachelor degree from an accredited college or university in early childhood, child development, or a closely-related field; or c. N.A.C., C.D.A., or C.C.P. credential;

“Findings: Based on facility documentation and the Compliance Officer’s observation, Staff #1 was a teacher-caregiver in Kids Express. Staff #1 was not qualified as a teacher-caregiver because the staff file lacked documentation of six months of child care experience.”