The Learning Experience, a national early childhood education franchise, has been the subject of a range of lawsuits and regulatory actions, including negligence suits by parents of injured children, a state license revocation proceeding tied to abuse allegations, a defamation suit against parents who posted negative reviews, an employment discrimination complaint, franchise litigation, and a COVID-19 insurance coverage fight. Several of the matters remain open. Below is what has been alleged, what has been decided, and where things stand.
Texas Negligence Suit Over a Toddler’s Injuries
In August 2025, a Lewisville, Texas family filed a negligence lawsuit in the District Court of Collin County against The Learning Experience at Castle Hills. Their two-year-old daughter, they say, slipped in May 2024 on a wet floor caused by rainwater leaking near the playground door. The fall chipped a tooth that had to be extracted, displaced two front teeth in her gums, discolored another tooth, and may have caused bone damage affecting her future adult teeth.1Star-Telegram. Lewisville Family Sues Daycare for Ignoring Child’s Injuries
According to the complaint, staff knew about the leak but did not block off the area until after the child was hurt. Parents Hailey Scott and Christopher Mirzaie also allege caregivers did not call 911 or seek emergency care. Instead, the lawsuit says, the center called the mother, told her the child was “doing fine” after an ice pack, and discouraged her from coming in.2Star Local Media. Lewisville Family Sues Daycare for Ignoring Child’s Injuries
After a state investigation, the center was cited for failing to maintain a safe environment and for failing to exercise good judgment. It had also been cited the prior year for not ensuring the director and staff completed required pediatric first aid and CPR training. The family seeks more than $1 million in damages. As of mid-2026, the case is pending with no reported trial date or settlement.1Star-Telegram. Lewisville Family Sues Daycare for Ignoring Child’s Injuries
Northport, New York: Abuse Investigation and Pending License Revocation
On April 10, 2026, the Suffolk County Police Department’s Special Victims Unit opened an investigation into allegations that a former employee at the TLE location on Fort Salonga Road in Northport, New York, had abused at least one child. As of the most recent reporting, no criminal charges have been filed and police have not publicly identified the subject.3Newsday. Learning Experience Day Care Center Northport Police Investigation
Inspections in late March and early April 2026 by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services cited the facility for corporal punishment, harsh discipline during toilet training that allegedly left children “frightened or humiliated,” failure to report suspected abuse, and inadequate behavior management plans. Inspectors also found staff lacked the character, qualifications, and emotional stability required.4Newsday. Learning Experience Northport Abuse Allegations
The state moved the license to pending revocation status and removed the center from the official referral list. Because the Northport facility serves as a Universal Pre-Kindergarten placement site, state legislators and the local superintendent stepped in to help parents find alternatives. The center remained open and licensed as of April 2026 while the administrative process ran.4Newsday. Learning Experience Northport Abuse Allegations The owner said in a phone interview that the facility has operated for more than 16 years and “has always followed state requirements for reporting suspected abuse,” and confirmed the employee at the center of the allegations no longer works there.5News 12. Northport Day Care Owner Responds to Abuse Allegations
Recurring Violations at Other New York Locations
Northport is not the only New York TLE with a compliance history worth knowing about.
The Dobbs Ferry, New York location was placed in pending revocation status in January 2019 after inspectors found improper staff background checks, missing required training, choking hazards, and a failure to promptly notify parents about serious injuries. The reporting tied to that action followed an incident in which a toddler’s fingertip was amputated at the center.6NBC New York. Parents Toddler Loses Fingertip Daycare Violations Westchester New York The facility is open, with no formal enforcement actions listed since June 2021. Inspections in May and June 2026 flagged uncorrected violations including failure to maintain proper teacher-to-child ratios, noncompliance with criminal background check requirements, and operating without proper licensing documentation.7NY OCFS. The Learning Experience – Facility Profile
The Massapequa, New York location was cited in a substantiated complaint inspection in May 2025 for “prohibited abuse or maltreatment of a child.” The state record provides no detail about the underlying incident and notes the violation was corrected. The same facility was cited three times for failure to provide competent supervision between June 2024 and April 2026, and its most recent supervision violation remained uncorrected as of April 2026.8NY OCFS. The Learning Experience – Facility Profile
Florida Defamation Suit Against Parents Over Negative Reviews
In 2019, a TLE franchise location in Sunrise, Florida sued two parents, Kimberly Moore and Marc LaRocco, in Broward County court over negative online reviews. The parents had alleged the daycare repeatedly fed their son dairy products despite being told about his severe milk allergy, causing rashes and vomiting. Their reviews included the line, “If you value your child’s life, do not allow them to attend this facility.”9CBS News Miami. South Florida Daycare Dispute Defamation Lawsuit
The franchisee claimed the reviews were “false and injurious,” made with “reckless disregard for the truth,” and reached at least 500,000 people. Moore and LaRocco filed a counterclaim alleging the owner and authorized members had posted glowing reviews without disclosing their connection to the business; the franchisee moved to dismiss that counterclaim.9CBS News Miami. South Florida Daycare Dispute Defamation Lawsuit TLE’s corporate office told reporters the litigation “was brought independently by a local franchisee without our involvement.”
Employment Discrimination Complaint
In January 2024, the Law Office of David H. Rosenberg filed a verified complaint with the New York State Division of Human Rights on behalf of a former lead teacher at a TLE location operated by Mattea, Edward, and Ben’s Enrichment Corporation. The complaint names the corporation, owners Edward and Brooke Attard, and several directors.10Employee Law New York. The Learning Experience Accused of Sex Familial Status and Marital Discrimination
The complainant, a single mother, alleged she was paid an assistant teacher rate of $16.50 an hour despite performing lead teacher duties and being promised $17.50. She also alleged she was unfairly disciplined for a child’s injury on a day she was not scheduled to work. After she reported concerns about her own child’s treatment at the facility to the Office of Children and Family Services, center director Marie Springman allegedly told her, “Your little call to the state almost lost you your job.” She says she was later fired following a verbal dispute in which she said, “You don’t like me because I’m a single mom who defends her son.” The complaint alleges sex discrimination, familial and marital status discrimination, and retaliation. No public outcome has been reported.10Employee Law New York. The Learning Experience Accused of Sex Familial Status and Marital Discrimination
Franchise Litigation
TLE has been on both sides of franchise disputes.
In a case decided in 2015, Colorado-based franchisee Creative American Education sued TLE in the Southern District of Florida, alleging breach of contract, fraudulent and negligent misrepresentation, violations of federal securities laws, and violations of Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, among other claims. The franchisee said TLE failed to provide promised training and guidance and improperly seized the franchise. TLE counterclaimed for breach of the franchise agreements. The court granted TLE summary judgment on the fraud and securities claims, and after a bench trial in June 2015 ruled entirely in TLE’s favor.11CaseMine. Creative American Education v. Learning Experience Systems
In 2020, TLE itself sued Nicole Collins, Brite Tikes LLC, and others in the Eastern District of New York, alleging the defendants had fraudulently operated a TLE childcare center by fabricating and doctoring required staff background checks and medical clearance forms. Under New York City Health Code requirements, childcare centers must conduct criminal background checks and child abuse registry screenings for all staff before employment and on a recurring basis. In a September 2023 ruling, the court denied TLE’s motion for summary judgment, granted summary judgment for one defendant, and partially granted it for others. A final outcome has not been reported.12vLex. The Learning Experience Systems v. Collins
COVID-19 Insurance Coverage Suit
The Learning Experience Corp. and its subsidiaries sued Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance in the District of New Jersey, seeking coverage for business income losses tied to pandemic closures and alleging breach of contract and bad faith denial. The court sided with the insurer, finding the policy’s virus exclusion unambiguous and holding it “completely barred coverage.” The case was dismissed in December 2021.13vLex. The Learning Experience Corp. v. Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Ins. Co.
Checking a Specific Location
Because most of these matters involve individual franchise locations rather than the corporate parent, a compliance history at one center says little about another. In New York, the Office of Children and Family Services publishes facility profiles listing violations, corrective actions, and enforcement history for each licensed daycare; the Dobbs Ferry and Massapequa records cited above come from that system. Parents evaluating a specific TLE center can check the equivalent state licensing database for their state, and can ask the center directly about any pending investigations, license status, and staff training records.