Recognition of Excellence · Gardena, CA · 2026

PACE - St. John Head Start Center

14517 Crenshaw Blvd, Gardena, CA 90249
https://pacela.org/
🏆 Ranked #8 in Gardena · 5.3 / 10 overall
Awards Earned
Top 10 in City
Top 10 in City
Ranked among the top 10 childcare centers in Gardena. Fewer than half of all centers in the city reach this level across our full 11-dimension scoring.
Full Ranking Detail
childcarehead-startincome-eligible

PACE - St. John Head Start Center is a CCLD-licensed child care center serving 45 children in Gardena, providing free early childhood education through the PACE Head Start program for income-qualifying families. Staff are CPR and first aid certified, and the center offers meals, outdoor play, and a smaller setting that may support individualized attention. The center has experienced regulatory compliance issues, including Type B citations on record and a complaint investigation filed in January 2025, warranting careful review of current operational practices. Income eligibility requirements mean access is limited to families meeting federal poverty thresholds.

Safety5.0
Curriculum6.0
Art / Music5.0
Infant care4.0
Kindergarten readiness5.0
Teacher quality6.0
Compassion6.0
Management5.0
Culture6.0
Extracurriculars5.0
Recognition of Excellence — Website Badge
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Top 10 in City
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This recognition is awarded independently by Creative Minds Montessori based on publicly available parent reviews and public records. Centers do not pay for or request these rankings. Scores reflect editorial synthesis of verified parent experience — not center marketing materials. Rankings are updated periodically as new reviews are analyzed.

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