Jefferson County Head Start

Center · Arvada · 5150 Allison St

What kind of place is this?

Size 402 children licensed The largest licensed capacity in Denver centers, where the middle half licenses 40–113. Measured across 1,156 Denver centers, 2026-08-17.

Who runs it

Ownership Government-run Colorado Department of Early Childhood records this as a programme operated by a public school district. data.colorado.gov

Will it fit our family?

Not yet reported: ages served, hours, days / week, schedule, holiday closures.

What will it cost us?

This provider does not publish pricing.

What Shortlist has verified

State quality rating Colorado Shines Level 1
License status Active

State record — Colorado Department of Early Childhood

Last visit
May 12, 2026
On file
3 visits since August 2024 · 4 complaint investigations
Fixed?
The latest correction deadline was January 20, 2026. Colorado Department of Early Childhood does not publish whether it was made.
Most serious
Colorado Department of Early Childhood does not publish a severity level for a citation, so there is no most-serious to name.

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.

May 2026 Supervisory visit report not read State records file
Jan 2026 Complaint 3 findings

Complaint · January 20, 2026

2.223.A.1 · Correction due January 20, 2026

Ch1 was in the bathroom alone and unsupervised for a period of about two minutes.

Required correction: All children must be under the direct supervision of a qualified adult at all times. Correct by 1/20/2026. Correct by 01/20/2026 Complaint Allegation : Document ID: 5f55eec5e51887da114ed5456517e3d41d6e60c34f09c75027fe10da5d95bd4d

2.223.A.2 · Correction due January 20, 2026

Verified through written report provided by the facility and interview with staff that attendance verification was not completed at the time of the incident.

Required correction: Staff must complete attendance verification periodically, including during transitions. Correct by 1/20/2026. Correct by 01/20/2026

2.229.C · Correction due January 20, 2026

In classroom 18 observed dish soap and sunscreen in a bin on a low cabinet by the sink labeled "keep out of reach of children". Observed in classroom 23 Barbisol shaving cream on a cabinet by the outside exit door labeled "keep out of reach of children". Observed in classroom 9 polyurethane paint labeled "keep out of the reach of children" in a closet with unlocked doors. All products were accessible to children and posed a potential safety concern.

Required correction: Items labeled "keep out of reach of children" must be inaccessible to children. Correct by 1/20/2026. Corrected at the time of inspection. All of the items were removed and placed up out of the reach of the children by staff. No response is required for this violation . Correct by 01/20/2026

State records file

Jan 2026 Complaint Founded

Complaint · January 20, 2026

Founded

The state lists this complaint on the provider’s record and publishes an investigation report for it. Shortlist has not read that report, so this row includes no citation detail.

State records file

Aug 2025 Supervisory visit 6 findings

Supervisory visit · August 21, 2025

2.232.A.5 · Correction due August 21, 2025

The forest north playground did not have a minimum of 150 square feet of shaded area to guard children against the hazards of excessive sun and heat, posing a potential safety hazard.

Required correction: Ensure to have a minimum of 150 square feet of shaded area. Correct immediately. Correct by 08/21/2025

2.222.A.1.b · Correction due August 21, 2025

Diaper supplies accessible in the bathroom to children.

Required correction: Diapers and supplies must be inaccessible to children at all times. Correct immediately. Corrected at the time of inspection, Director moved the supplies to be inaccessible. No response required. Correct by 08/21/2025

2.209.B.4

Reviewed 24 children files and found one missing and one expired health statements.

2.213.F · Correction due August 21, 2025

Reviewed 38 staff files and found 6 to have expired First Aid and CPR trainings.

Required correction: Obtain and maintain documentation of current first aid and CPR training. Correct immediately. Correct by 08/21/2025

2.213.J · Correction due September 21, 2025

Reviewed 38 staff files and found an Assistant Director to be missing the Department-approved Working with an Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant training. Hire dates: 12/13/2011

Required correction: Obtain and maintain the Department-approved Working with an Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant training for all Directors and Assistant Directors. Correct within 30 days. Correct by 09/21/2025

2.213.K · Correction due September 21, 2025

Reviewed 38 staff files and found both Assistant Directors to be missing the Department-approved Introduction to Child Care Health Consultation training. Hire dates: 12/13/2011 and 08/01/2023.

Required correction: Obtain and maintain documentation of Department-approved Introduction to Child Care Health Consultation training for all Directors and Assistant Directors. Correct within 30 days. Correct by 09/21/2025

State records file

Aug 2024 Supervisory visit 7 findings

Supervisory visit · August 20, 2024

2.230.C.8 · Correction due August 20, 2024

In the forest west and forest east playgrounds exposed tree roots and exposed matting around the trees, posing a potential tripping hazard.

Required correction: All outdoor play areas used for children's activities must be checked daily and kept safe and free from hazardous materials. Correct immediately. Send verification with written response to Specialist. Correct by 08/20/2024

2.212.G

Reviewed forty-nine (49 ) staff files and observed Alyissa F. file to be missing a medical statement, signed and dated by a physician or other health care provider. Alyissa F. Hire date: 1/9/2023.

2.210.A.3 · Correction due August 20, 2024

Reviewed forty-nine (49) staff files and observed Leslie D.and Alyissa F. files to be missing immunization statement. Leslie D. hire date: 8/29/2022 and Alyissa F. hire date 1/9/2023.

Required correction: Obtain an immunization statement for one (1) staff member. Send verification with written response to Specialist. Correct by 08/20/2024

2.121.D.4.a · Correction due August 20, 2024

Reviewed forty-nine (49) staff files and observed Lana A. and Kayleigh M. files to be missing a CBI and FBI clearance letter. Lana A. hire date: 8/9/2019 and Kayleigh M. hire date: 8/5/2019

Required correction: All individuals requiring a background check must review Navigating the Background Check Investigation Unit's (BIU) Webpage power Point. Submit verification that staff members Lana A. and Kayleigh M. have reviewed the PowerPoint within 24 hours. Submit documentation of CBI and FBI clearance letter clearance letter for staff members Lana A. and Kayleigh M. with written response to the Specialist. Correct by 08/20/2024

2.120.C.1.a.1 · Correction due August 20, 2024

Reviewed forty-nine (49) staff files and observed Maria L. file to be missing a TRAILS clearance letter. Maria L. hire date: 04/18/2022

Required correction: All individuals requiring a background check must review Navigating the Background Check Investigation Unit's (BIU) Webpage power Point. Submit verification that staff members Maria L. and Phillip T. have reviewed the PowerPoint within 24 hours. Submit documentation of TRAILS clearance letter clearance letter for staff members Maria L. and Phillip T. with written response to the Specialist. Correct by 08/20/2024

2.213.C · Correction due August 20, 2024

Reviewed forty-nine (49) staff files and observed Edna L., Cassandra T. Madeleine A. and files to have expired department-approved safe sleep training.

Required correction: Obtain a department-approved safe sleep training for Edna L., Cassandra T. Madeleine A. Correct immediately. Send verification with written response to Specialist. Correct by 08/20/2024

2.213.G

Reviewed forty-nine (49) staff files and observed Linda H. and Madeline A. files to have expired Department-approved training about child abuse prevention. Linda H. expired on 8/2/2023 and Madeline A. expired on 7/24/202.

State records file

Dec 2023 Complaint Unfounded

Complaint · December 7, 2023

Unfounded

The state lists this complaint on the provider’s record and publishes an investigation report for it. Shortlist has not read that report, so this row includes no citation detail.

State records file

Complaint

Complaint

7.702.72.C.8 · Correction due December 7, 2023

In the East Forest playground two (2) broken wheelbarrow toys with split plastic posing a potential safety concern,

Required correction: All outdoor play areas used for children's activities must be checked daily and kept safe and free from hazardous materials. Correct immediately. The violation was corrected at the time of the inspection. The facility's Administrator removed the items from the playground area. No response is necessary. Correct by 12/07/2023 No response is necessary for this Report of Inspection.

State records file

Where this record comes from

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 1, 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.

Ask for this program’s record now

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 Jefferson County Head Start’s file specifically, instead of waiting for the next one.

Before you tour

Jefferson County Head Start hasn’t published

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.

Sources and dates

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.

What kind of place is this

Not yet reported: established, teaching approach.

Who runs it

Licensing and contact

State record

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 Jefferson County Head Start? 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.