A special-education preschool in Goshen is fighting to hold onto its child-care license after state officials moved to revoke it following a July incident in which a student was allegedly left unsupervised for more than a minute. Inspire Kids, located at 2 Fletcher Street, says it will keep operating normally while it appeals the state's decision.
According to News 12 Long Island, Inspire was notified on Aug. 26 that New York intended to revoke its daycare license in response to the incident, which the preschool says occurred on July 16. Inspire filed an appeal and said the Goshen facility will remain open and continue operating normally throughout that process. Online licensing data cited by the outlet currently lists the facility's status as pending revocation and denial, though a separate search snippet from the New York State Office of Children and Family Services places the program in a broader category covering pending revocation, pending denial or license-suspended status without specifying which applies.
Inspire Kids serves children with developmental delays or other challenges, with students placed there by local school districts' committees on preschool special education and receiving services under individualized education programs. The preschool also runs inclusive classes for typically developing children alongside its special-education students.
What Inspire Says It Has Changed
Inspire told the station it has since installed automatic alarms in classrooms and on exterior exit doors, trained staff on protocols for children leaving supervised areas, and placed teachers at classroom doors during busing transitions. The preschool says it works with school districts to keep students' individualized education programs current and maintains ongoing communication with families.
Denise Robinson wrote that any lapse in student supervision is unacceptable, and said Inspire is working with the state Office of Children and Family Services to renew the Goshen license, per the same News 12 report. Inspire operates three preschools total, in Newburgh, Goshen and Monroe, each serving students with unique abilities under its own independent license — meaning action against the Goshen site does not automatically affect the other two. The organization says it has served communities for 76 years and is committed to keeping each license in good standing.
Inspection History Shows Two Prior Violations
Online inspection data for the Goshen facility lists 12 inspections total, with violations found during two of them. One violation, cited following an April 21 inspection, involved the requirement that children receive competent supervision at all times; the online record lists that violation as corrected, the station reports.
New York's child-care facilities generally receive an annual unannounced inspection, while initial licensing and renewal inspections tend to be scheduled in advance. Complaint investigations are not announced ahead of time, and the state prioritizes complaints based on potential danger to children. Investigations involving imminent danger are supposed to begin by the next day a program is operating, serious complaints are generally investigated within five days, and nonemergency complaints are generally addressed within 15 days.
Pending Revocation Doesn't Mean Immediate Closure
A pending revocation does not necessarily force a facility to shut its doors — a provider can request a hearing and may generally keep operating while the matter plays out, unless the license is also suspended. A suspension, by contrast, requires immediate closure, but only when the state has evidence of an imminent danger to children.
That distinction has played out differently across the Hudson Valley in recent years. In 2025, the state moved to revoke the license of Pattycake Playhouse in the Town of Newburgh after at least one child allegedly wandered away from the facility, citing inadequate supervision and a failure to immediately report a serious incident; that facility is currently listed as licensed and operating. A related report from News 12 Hudson Valley noted the underlying incident happened at Pattycake's Route 9W location on May 7. Separately, CheckedCare records list Pattycake Playhouse, Inc. among the 29 child-care operations on file for Newburgh as of earlier this month — 24 licensed, four registered, and one marked pending revocation.
By comparison, Little Scholars in Chester was ordered to close temporarily in 2024 after a 3-year-old allegedly wandered outside unnoticed; because the state cited an imminent danger to children, that facility's license was immediately suspended. It is now listed as licensed and operating again. Stepping Stones at the Park in Highland faced state action earlier this year after a mother alleged a teacher put soap in her son's mouth, causing him to vomit, and online data lists that facility's status as pending revocation. In 2024, Kidz Town in Wappingers Falls came under investigation after former employees accused a worker of repeatedly touching children inappropriately; state police said their investigation found no criminality, Kidz Town denied the allegations, said the employee was fired, and had also failed to notify authorities or parents about the alleged incidents as required.
How Parents Can Check a Facility's Record
The New York Office of Children and Family Services regulates child-care programs statewide, and parents can search the state's child-care program database by facility name, address, city, zip code or license number. Child-care complaints can be made by calling 1-800-732-5207, and suspected child abuse or maltreatment can be reported by calling 1-800-342-3720. Anyone who believes a child is in immediate danger should call 911.
