Report
TheVardellReport
Thigpen Zavala Head Start
Licensed child care center
2500 Galveston Ave
Mcallen, TX 78501
Report
← Thigpen Zavala Head Start, free profile
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The Vardell Report.Thigpen Zavala Head Start
The deeper story, beautifully organized. Available records, historical context, and questions worth asking.
- Provider Category
- Childcare
- Location
- Mcallen, TX
- Record Period
- 2021–2026
- Source Documents
- 11
This report is free. Vardell does not certify, grade or endorse; it shows what the record documents.
The Essentials
Summary
Across 10 licensing visits from December 2021 to September 2026, HHSC cited 4 deficiencies at Thigpen Zavala Head Start; 4 have a recorded correction.
- Visits
- 10
- 2021–2026, inspections, investigations and assessments
- Deficiencies
- 4
- Standards cited by HHSC inspectors
- Corrected
- 4
- Of 4 deficiencies, with a recorded correction date
- Investigations
- 0
- Licensing investigations, whatever prompted them
Deficiencies by Year
- Deficiencies
- Of which, high risk
* Partial year, through October 31, 2026.
| Year | Visits | Deficiencies | Of which, high risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 2023 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2026 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What the Record Shows
- 4 of 4 deficiencies have a recorded correction date.
- HHSC’s files name no enforcement action in this window. They say whether a program is under corrective or adverse action, not what the action was.
- No investigation appears in this window. HHSC publishes what an investigation cited, not what the report to it alleged.
- The latest inspection, September 8, 2026, recorded no deficiencies.
What to Ask About
Report at a Glance
- Facility
- Thigpen Zavala Head Start
- Address
- 2500 Galveston Ave, Mcallen, TX 78501
- Operation Number
- TX-1722732
- License Type
- Licensed child care center
- Licensed Capacity
- 108 children
- Permit
- Full Permit
- Ages Served
- pre-kindergarten
- Hours
- Mon–Fri, 7 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
- Record Window
- November 1, 2021 to October 31, 2026
Chronology
Inspection History
Every visit in the record window, newest first. A deficiency is a licensing standard Texas inspectors found was not met. HHSC publishes what an investigation cited, not what the report to it alleged.
- 2026
Inspection
No deficiencies
Source: Inspection, investigation or assessment, with the deficiencies cited (data.texas.gov: m5q4-3y3d and tqgd-mf4x), 905144087
- 2025
Inspection
No deficiencies
Source: Inspection, investigation or assessment, with the deficiencies cited (data.texas.gov: m5q4-3y3d and tqgd-mf4x), 905144086
- 2024
Inspection
No deficiencies
Source: Inspection, investigation or assessment, with the deficiencies cited (data.texas.gov: m5q4-3y3d and tqgd-mf4x), 905144085
- 2023
Inspection
No deficiencies
Source: Inspection, investigation or assessment, with the deficiencies cited (data.texas.gov: m5q4-3y3d and tqgd-mf4x), 905144084
- 2023
Inspection
2 deficiencies
- 746.3407Maintenance of Building, Grounds and EquipmentMedium-high riskCorrected Nov 7, 2023
- 746.3819Food Allergy Emergency Plan Signed by Parents and Health Care ProfessionalMedium-high riskCorrected Oct 31, 2023
Source: Inspection, investigation or assessment, with the deficiencies cited (data.texas.gov: m5q4-3y3d and tqgd-mf4x), 905144083
- 2023
Inspection
No deficiencies
Source: Inspection, investigation or assessment, with the deficiencies cited (data.texas.gov: m5q4-3y3d and tqgd-mf4x), 905144082
- 2023
Inspection
No deficiencies
Source: Inspection, investigation or assessment, with the deficiencies cited (data.texas.gov: m5q4-3y3d and tqgd-mf4x), 905144081
- 2022
Inspection
No deficiencies
Source: Inspection, investigation or assessment, with the deficiencies cited (data.texas.gov: m5q4-3y3d and tqgd-mf4x), 905144080
- 2022
Inspection
2 deficiencies
- 746.4503(b)Cots, Beds, Mats Labeled With Child's NameMedium riskCorrected May 16, 2022
- 746.3407Maintenance of Building, Grounds and EquipmentMedium-high riskCorrected May 22, 2022
Source: Inspection, investigation or assessment, with the deficiencies cited (data.texas.gov: m5q4-3y3d and tqgd-mf4x), 905144079
- 2021
Inspection
No deficiencies
Source: Inspection, investigation or assessment, with the deficiencies cited (data.texas.gov: m5q4-3y3d and tqgd-mf4x), 905144078
Texas gives every licensing standard one of five risk levels, from low to high, by how likely a deficiency is to harm a child.
Context
Patterns Worth Examining
A repeated citation can merit attention, but context and corrective action must be reviewed before drawing a conclusion.
- 1
Maintenance of Building, Grounds and Equipment, Cited in Two Visits
HHSC inspectors cited 746.3407 in May 2022 and October 2023. The agency describes it this way: Maintenance of Building, Grounds and Equipment. None rose above medium-high risk. Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
21222223232323242526746.3407 across all 10 visits, oldest to newest
For Your Next Visit
Questions to Ask on Your Visit
Bring these to the tour. Each one comes from something in the record; the reason is under the question.
- 01
What changed after 746.3407 was cited, and how do you check it now?
Maintenance of Building, Grounds and Equipment: cited in two visits, most seriously at medium-high risk.
- 02
What is the ratio in the room my child would join, and how is every child accounted for at nap time, pickup and on the playground?
Ratios change through the day, so they are worth counting yourself on a visit.
- 03
Has the center ever been under corrective or adverse action, and what changed afterward?
HHSC’s files name no enforcement action in this window. They say whether a program is under corrective or adverse action, not what the action was.
The Evidence
Sources and Coverage
Program details, licensing visits and the deficiencies cited at each are published by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission's Child Care Regulation in its daily files on data.texas.gov.
- Child Care Licensing operations (data.texas.gov)View Dataset ↗
Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Child Care Regulation · 1722732
Published Oct 31, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Inspection, investigation or assessment, with the deficiencies cited (data.texas.gov: m5q4-3y3d and tqgd-mf4x)View Dataset ↗
Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Child Care Regulation · 905144078
Visit Dec 1, 2021 · Published Oct 31, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Inspection, investigation or assessment, with the deficiencies cited (data.texas.gov: m5q4-3y3d and tqgd-mf4x)View Dataset ↗
Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Child Care Regulation · 905144079
Visit May 13, 2022 · Published Oct 31, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Inspection, investigation or assessment, with the deficiencies cited (data.texas.gov: m5q4-3y3d and tqgd-mf4x)View Dataset ↗
Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Child Care Regulation · 905144080
Visit Nov 15, 2022 · Published Oct 31, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Inspection, investigation or assessment, with the deficiencies cited (data.texas.gov: m5q4-3y3d and tqgd-mf4x)View Dataset ↗
Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Child Care Regulation · 905144081
Visit Aug 10, 2023 · Published Oct 31, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Inspection, investigation or assessment, with the deficiencies cited (data.texas.gov: m5q4-3y3d and tqgd-mf4x)View Dataset ↗
Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Child Care Regulation · 905144082
Visit Aug 23, 2023 · Published Oct 31, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Inspection, investigation or assessment, with the deficiencies cited (data.texas.gov: m5q4-3y3d and tqgd-mf4x)View Dataset ↗
Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Child Care Regulation · 905144083
Visit Oct 24, 2023 · Published Oct 31, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Inspection, investigation or assessment, with the deficiencies cited (data.texas.gov: m5q4-3y3d and tqgd-mf4x)View Dataset ↗
Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Child Care Regulation · 905144084
Visit Nov 9, 2023 · Published Oct 31, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Inspection, investigation or assessment, with the deficiencies cited (data.texas.gov: m5q4-3y3d and tqgd-mf4x)View Dataset ↗
Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Child Care Regulation · 905144085
Visit Sep 10, 2024 · Published Oct 31, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Inspection, investigation or assessment, with the deficiencies cited (data.texas.gov: m5q4-3y3d and tqgd-mf4x)View Dataset ↗
Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Child Care Regulation · 905144086
Visit Sep 10, 2025 · Published Oct 31, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Inspection, investigation or assessment, with the deficiencies cited (data.texas.gov: m5q4-3y3d and tqgd-mf4x)View Dataset ↗
Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Child Care Regulation · 905144087
Visit Sep 8, 2026 · Published Oct 31, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Coverage
Record windowNovember 1, 2021 – October 31, 2026
- This record is HHSC's list of operations as of October 2026, with the inspections, investigations and assessments in HHSC's files, which run from November 2021.
- Listed family homes (one caregiver with up to three unrelated children, listed with HHSC but not inspected on a schedule) are not in this record.
- HHSC's narrative for each deficiency is left out because it can name children, parents and staff; the rule cited, its risk level and the correction dates are kept.
What This Report Cannot Tell You
- Inspector narratives
- Published by HHSC but left out of this record because they can name people.
- Enforcement actions
- HHSC's files say whether an operation is under corrective or adverse action, not what the action was.
- Complaints not investigated
- Reports HHSC screened out without an investigation are not published.
- Staff qualifications and turnover
- Not part of the published licensing record.
Historical coverage varies by agency and location. Missing records do not mean that no complaint or violation occurred.
Data architecture: Cierto supplies the source-backed machine-readable bundle. Life by Vardell independently creates the narrative, design, and consumer report.