Methodology
How we score every daycare in California
Every facility score and tuition estimate on this site comes from public California records. No black box — here's the exact formula and a worked example.
- Facilities scored
- 28,000+
- Coverage
- 58 counties
- Data refresh
- Weekly
What we do
Clear answers for every California daycare decision.
We pull every licensed California daycare into one place, score each from the public compliance record, and surface real pricing data — so families can compare providers side by side without chasing PDFs or phone calls.
Every licensed facility, free to browse
All 28,000+ licensed California daycares — whether or not the provider pays us. Filter by city, age group, program style, hours, and more.
Start searchingTransparent facility scoring
Every facility gets a 0–100 score from its public inspection and complaint history. The formula, tiers, and a worked example are all published.
See the formulaReal pricing, not guesses
County median benchmarks for infant, toddler, and preschool care — plus owner-verified tuition when the provider has claimed their listing. Clearly labeled either way.
How we estimatePart 1
Data & Disclosures
CaliforniaDaycares.com is an independent, third-party directory. We're not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the State of California or any California licensing agency. All facility information is sourced from public California licensing records and used for informational purposes only.
Disclaimer of warranties & accuracy
The information on this site is provided strictly for informational purposes. CaliforniaDaycares.com makes no representations, warranties, or guarantees — express, implied, or statutory — regarding the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or adequacy of any information presented. Data may contain errors, omissions, or outdated information. Users should independently verify all facility details with the licensing authority directly for the most current records.
Limitation of liability
Under no circumstances shall CaliforniaDaycares.com, its owners, operators, or affiliates be held liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from or related to the use of, or inability to use, this website or any reliance upon its content.
Not professional advice
Nothing on this site constitutes professional, legal, or daycare advisory services. Parents and guardians are solely responsible for evaluating and selecting daycare providers.
For the full terms governing use of this site, see our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Part 2
Facility Score
Every facility starts with a base score of 100 points. Points are deducted based on the facility's compliance history from official California licensing records.
Worked example
A sample licensed facility
Final score
Tier: Good
Penalties
What each event deducts, before the time-weight multiplier.
| Event | Base penalty |
|---|---|
| Serious citation | −10 pts |
| Minor citation | −5 pts |
| Substantiated complaint allegation | −5 pts |
| Any complaint (regardless of outcome) | −2 pts |
Time weighting
Older events matter less. Each penalty is scaled by how recent it is.
Citation totals from the licensing record are aggregate counts without individual dates. Their time weight is estimated from the recency profile of the facility's inspection and complaint reports. If no reports exist, citations receive full weight as a conservative default.
Score tiers
Part 3
Tuition Estimates
When we show a tuition number, it comes from one of three sources — always in this priority order.
Owner-verified pricing
PreferredThe facility owner claimed their listing and submitted real monthly tuition by age group. Overrides everything below.
County median benchmark
County-level medians from aggregated public pricing data, broken out by infant / toddler / preschool and by center vs. family child care home. Used when the owner hasn't verified.
Multi-year projection
For years beyond the latest data, we apply a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) calculated from the most recent seven years of trend data. Projections are clearly marked and should be read as directional.
Limitations we're honest about
- County medians don't capture neighborhood-level variation within a large county.
- Our estimates can lag real-world pricing changes by several months.
- Owner-verified numbers are self-reported — we don't audit them, but we flag suspicious entries.
Part 4
Updates & Corrections
The site refreshes against official California records on a regular cadence. When something slips through, you can reach us directly.
Licensing data
Refreshed weekly. New licenses, status changes, and citation totals roll in with the next sync.
Tuition benchmarks
Refreshed annually when new aggregated pricing data becomes public. Projections update the same day.
Owner edits
Verified facility owners can update hours, programs, photos, and tuition at any time. Edits go live after staged review.
Spotted an error?
Send us the facility name and what looks wrong. We review corrections within 48 hours and update the record — or explain why the official record disagrees.
Report a correction