Child care center · Merced, California
Margaret Sheehy Preschool
Merced · Licensed for 21 children · licensed since 2003
Preschools aren’t tested, scored or ranked.
Licensed since 2003. No serious violations in 6 state visits.
Common questions
Is it licensed?
Yes: an active child care center licence, no. 243801992, first issued October 23, 2003. Evidence ↓
Has the state found problems?
6 state visits on file, with no Type A finding and 1 Type B finding across them. Type A means an immediate risk to health or safety. Evidence ↓
How many children are there?
Up to 21 children at once under the licence. That’s the state’s maximum, not current enrollment; ask how many are enrolled and their ages. Evidence ↓
More questions (3)
What does it cost?
We have no source for its prices. Ask for the weekly or monthly rate and what it includes. Evidence ↓
When could my child start free TK instead?
The September after they turn 4: TK is free at public elementary schools for children who turn 4 by September 1. 18 public and charter campuses in Merced have a TK class. Evidence ↓
How do I visit?
Call (209) 385-6680 and ask to visit during the day, while children are there. Evidence ↓
State licensing
What does the state record about Margaret Sheehy Preschool?
Licensed for 21 children since 2003: 6 state visits on file, no Type A finding.
California Community Care Licensing
Child Care Center, licence 243801992
Type A means an immediate risk to health or safety.
- StatusActive
- Licensed capacity21 childrenThe most allowed at once, not current openings or group size
- First licensedOctober 23, 2003When this licence was issued
- State visits on file6Latest recorded visit: May 20, 2026
- Type A findings0Across 6 state visits
- Type B findings1Across 6 state visits. CCLD reports findings as totals, not tied to a visit
- Complaint visits0Investigations; the record doesn’t show whether complaints were upheld
- Citation codes listed101700.3A code doesn’t say when a finding happened or whether it was corrected
Source: California Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing · synced August 13, 2026 · Full state record for licence 243801992 ↗
Licensing records describe regulatory oversight, not teaching or daily experience. Check the state’s current inspection records ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Ask: When was your last state licensing visit, and what did it find?
Visit dates and visit types
Dates are listed as supplied by CCLD. Finding totals above are not attached to individual visits.
- Inspection visits
- 5
- Other visits
- 1
TK and kindergarten
When could free TK start instead?
California’s public transitional kindergarten (TK) is free for children who turn 4 by September 1.
California’s TK rule
- Margaret Sheehy Elementary0.0 mi · Merced City Elementary
- Leontine Gracey Elementary0.5 mi · Merced City Elementary
- Don Stowell Elementary1.4 mi · Merced City Elementary
2 more nearby
- Farmdale Elementary1.6 mi · Weaver Union
- John Muir Elementary1.8 mi · Merced City Elementary
Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level. Distance isn’t an attendance boundary; check TK and kindergarten entry with the district.
Next steps
How do I visit Margaret Sheehy Preschool, and what should I ask?
- When was your last state licensing visit, and what did it find?
- Licensed for 21 children: how many share your child’s room, and with how many adults?
- Which ages do you take, and how does a new child settle in?
- What are the daily hours and closure dates, and is there care before or after?
- What does a year cost in total, and when could our child start?
On a visit, watch how adults talk with children, how play and rest are set up, and how staff handle a hard morning.
- Address
- 1240 W 6th St, Merced 95341
- Phone
- (209) 385-6680
- Licensed as
- Child Care Center
- Facility number
- 243801992
Source recordsstate licensing
The inspection source covers child care centers, not family child care homes. Check each license’s sync date and the current state reports, then confirm routines and enrollment with the program.
Data source: California Community Care Licensing Division (CCLD) · Licensing record synced August 13, 2026
Inspection reports ↗ · Parent reviews on Winnie ↗ · Pre-K vs TK vs preschool in California: a 2026 parent’s guide · Montessori, Waldorf and Reggio · Preschool cost guide