“The Denver Cooperative Preschool (DCP) is a play-based, parent cooperative preschool.” denvercooperativepreschool.org, July 2026
Colorado Department of Early Childhood cited something at 3 of the 4 visits below. Across Denver centers it cites something at about 55% of visits. Each state decides what gets written up, so this compares Denver with Denver and never with another state.
Not yet reported: ages served, hours, days / week, schedule, holiday closures.
This provider does not publish pricing.
Colorado’s Department of Early Childhood lists each program’s complaints on its Colorado Shines page, with the department’s verdict on each and a report behind it, going back about three years. Older complaints are released only on request. The department does not rank complaints by severity in either place.
Original Change of Location/Type visit · August 8, 2025
2.122.A
No documentation of fire inspection.
2.230.B · Correction due August 8, 2025
Toddler and Preschool playgrounds to have incomplete resilient surfacing and several sharp tools and hazardous materials on both playgrounds accessible to children and posing a potential hazard.
Required correction: Immediately make all hazardous areas and items inaccessible to children and make all resilient surfacing complete and prepared for children. Submit documentation in the form of photographs of full playgrounds with written response to specialist. Correct by 08/08/2025
2.120.I · Correction due August 8, 2025
Reviewed 18 staff files and observed no current documentation of Trails clearance for existing Staff Member #1.
Required correction: All individuals requiring a background check must review Navigating the Background Check Investigation Unit's (BIU) Webpage powerpoint. Submit verification that staff member #1 has reviewed the powerpoint within 24 hours. Submit documentation of TRAILS Clearance Letters for staff member #1 with written response to the Specialist. Correct by 08/08/2025
Supervisory visit · November 7, 2024
2.120.I · Correction due November 7, 2024
Reviewed 8 staff files and observed no current documentation of Trails clearance letters for staff members Shandon W, Julie S.
Required correction: All individuals requiring a background check must review Navigating the Background Check Investigation Unit's (BIU) Webpage powerpoint. Submit verification that staff members Shandon W., Julie S. have reviewed the powerpoint within 24 hours. Submit documentation of Trails Clearance Letters for staff members Shandon W., Julie S. with written response to the Specialist. Correct by 11/07/2024
2.121.D.5
Reviewed 8 staff files and observed no current documentation of FBI clearance letters for staff members Shandon W, Julie S.
2.223.A.2 · Correction due November 7, 2024
Specialist asked staff member in Older Preschool how many children were present and staff member stated 14. Specialist asked to review attendance tracking where staff member then identified that actually 16 children were present. Specialist asked staff member if the group had done any transitions yet in the day and staff member stated that the group went outside, but specialist identified through the attendance tracking document that no documentation of attendance had been made during the transition.
Required correction: Staff members must complete written attendance verification periodically throughout the day, including during transitions. Correct by 11/07/2024
2.229.C · Correction due November 7, 2024
Three bottles of strong glue in a low unlocked drawer of the toddler room labeled 'keep out of reach of children' accessible to children and posing a potential hazard..
Required correction: Immediately make all hazardous items inaccessible to children. CORRECTED AT TIME OF INSPECTION - staff member removed glue from the room and placed on a high shelf in the office making them inaccessible to children. No response required. Correct by 11/07/2024
Supervisory visit · January 11, 2024
2.229.C · Correction due January 11, 2024
A tube of Balmex labeled "keep out of reach of children" was observed sitting on the changing table in the preschool bathroom in a location accessible to children.
Required correction: Items labeled "keep out of reach of children" must be inaccesible to children. Correct Immediately. Teacher moved the item to a high shelf above the table so it was out of reach of children. No further action required. Correct by 01/11/2024
2.229.D · Correction due January 11, 2024
Staples used on the bulletin board in the toddler classroom.
Required correction: Staples must be inaccessible to children less than three years of age. Correct immediately. Teacher taped over staples. No further action required. Correct by 01/11/2024
2.229.E · Correction due January 11, 2024
Tacks were used on a bulletin board outside office in entry area of program where toddlers pass through.
Required correction: Thumb tacks must not be used in areas accesible to children less than three (3) years of age. Correct immediately. Assistant director removed tacks at time of visit. No further action required. Correct by 01/11/2024
2.229.G · Correction due January 11, 2024
A box of empty ziploc bags was sitting on a table accessible to children in the preschool room upstairs.
Required correction: Loose plastic bags must be stored in areas inaccessible to children. Correct immediately. Teacher moved the plastic bags to a high shelf above the art supplies so they are inaccessible to children. No further action required. Correct by 01/11/2024
The Department of Early Childhood keeps about three years of complaints on a program’s public page. Anything older is released only on request, as a single file covering the whole state. Shortlist asked for that file under the Colorado Open Records Act and renews it yearly; it is what this page shows for complaints older than the department’s own window.
The file this page is built from arrived on September 13, 2026 and covers complaints the department publishes today, and complaints back to January 2023 obtained by records request. The next request goes in September 2027.
The department publishes a report for each of these visits. Shortlist has not read those reports yet, so this page shows when the state came and not what it found.
The department will also review one program’s complete file on request, which is more than either source above contains. Leave your email and Shortlist will ask for Denver Cooperative Preschool’s file specifically, instead of waiting for the next one.
Cost, hours and late pickup, a typical day, sick and biting policies.
Ask which of these findings were serious, and what changed.Colorado Department of Early Childhood publishes a correction deadline, never whether the work was done or how serious it was.
Where every fact on this page came from, and when Shortlist last checked it against that source. Anything Shortlist could not source is named here rather than left blank.
Every state visit and complaint on file, shown in full and never edited. Open a date to read what the state wrote.
Do you run Denver Cooperative Preschool? Shortlist has no tuition, hours or ratios for it, because the state does not publish that. Add what is missing. It is free and takes about ten minutes.