Smart Bear Learning

Center · Highlands Ranch · 6388 E County Line Rd

What kind of place is this?

Size 112 children licensed In the middle half for Denver centers, where the middle half licenses 40–113. Measured across 1,156 Denver centers, 2026-08-17.

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
February 26, 2026
On file
3 visits since April 2024 · 1 complaint investigation
Fixed?
The latest correction deadline was February 26, 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.

Feb 2026 Supervisory visit 7 findings

Supervisory visit · February 26, 2026

2.230.B · Correction due February 26, 2026

At the time of inspection, the specialist observed trash and debris on the playground in the corner near the entrance of the Preschool Classroom, causing a potential hazard for children. Also in the Preschool Classroom, the specialist observed a black garden boarder causing a potential tripping hazard to children.

Required correction: Indoor and outdoor equipment, materials, and furnishings must be sturdy, safe, and free of hazards. ****Corrected at time of inspection, the previous owner picked up the trash and debris and removed the garden boarder. No response is required. Correct by 02/26/2026

2.230.C.1.a · Correction due February 26, 2026

At the time of inspection the specialist observed 3 slides that measured 22 inch tall on the toddler playground that did not meet the requirment of 6 inches of resilient material in the use zone surrounding the equipment.

Required correction: All climbing equipment 18 inches or higher must have resilient surfacing of at least 6 inches in the use zone surrounding the equipment. ***Corrected at time of inspection the previous owner removed the slides to the preschool playground. No response is required. Correct by 02/26/2026

2.218.E · Correction due February 26, 2026

At the time of inspection the specialist observed CH1 in the Toddler Classroom not walking on their own and identified through staff statment that CH1 isnt not walking independently.

Required correction: If the parents agrees that the center should care for a child in the Toddler Program who is 12 month old but not walking independently the center must have on file a written statement from a health care provider. ****Corrected at time of inspection the previous owner moved CH1 back to the Infant program. No response is required. Correct by 02/26/2026

2.230.C.1.c · Correction due February 26, 2026

On the Preschool Playground, the specialist observed a slide with little to no resilient material at the bottom of the slide.

Required correction: Loose fill resilient surface must be raked regularly to retain its resiliency and to retain a depth of at least 6 inches. Submit a written response of compliance to the specialist Correct by 02/26/2026

2.217.A.15.e · Correction due February 26, 2026

At the time of inspection, the specialist observed the top half of the door of the Toddler Classroom open.

Required correction: Toddler age groups of children must be seperated from each other by permanent or portable dividers or other methods as approved by the Department. ****Corrected at time of inspection the previous owner closed and locked the top half door. Seperating the Toddler age group of children. No response is required. Correct by 02/26/2026

Reviewed 11 staff files and observed SM1 missing current documentation of Child Abuse and Neglect

2.216.A.1 · Correction due February 26, 2026

At the time of inspection SM2 was observed in the Preschool Classrom acting as an ECT qualified staff member supervising 20 children ages 3 years to 4 years. After reviewing the SM2 file the specialist observed no documentaiton of ECT qualifications.

Required correction: Obtain documentation of ECT qualifications for SM2. *****Corrected at time of inspection, the owner moved SM2 to another classroom and placed SM4 that had documentation of ECT qualifications on file into the role of ECT in the Preschool Classroom. No response is required. Correct by 02/26/2026

State records file

Mar 2025 Complaint Unfounded

Complaint · March 26, 2025

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

Mar 2025 Supervisory visit 7 findings

Supervisory visit · March 26, 2025

2.209.A.7 · Correction due March 26, 2025

Reviewed 5 child files and observed 1 child to be missing a current emergency medical authorization

Required correction: Obtain a current medical statement for the child. Submit a written response of compliance to the specialist. Correct by 03/26/2025

2.209.B.4 · Correction due April 26, 2025

Reviewed 5 child files and observed two children missing a current health statement.

Required correction: Obtain a current health statement for both children. Submit a written response of compliance to the specialist Correct by 04/26/2025

2.230.C.1.c · Correction due March 26, 2025

On the preschool playground observed less than 6 inches of resilient material at the end of the slide.

Required correction: Loose fill resilient surface must be raked regularly to retain its resiliency and to retain a depth of at least 6 inches. ***Corrected at the time of inspection Owner moved some resilient material in front of the slide, to meet the requirement of 6 inches. No response is required. Correct by 03/26/2025

2.229.K.3 · Correction due March 26, 2025

At the time of inspection, observed the mattress propped up and leaning against the crib that was labeled evacuation crib.

Required correction: Immediately ensure that evacuation equipment is ready for use. Submit a written response of compliance to the specialist. Correct by 03/26/2025

2.213.L · Correction due March 26, 2025

Reviewed 12 staff files and observed Meenal to be missing child development training.

Required correction: Obtain child development training for staff members. Submit a written response of compliance to the specialist. Correct by 03/26/2025

2.212.G

Reviewed 12 staff files and observed Meenal and Carmen to be missing a current health statement signed and dated by a physician.

2.138.F · Correction due March 26, 2025

Reviewed drill documentation and observed no documentation of a fire drill in March of 2024.

Required correction: A record of drills held over the past 12 months must be maintained by the facility. Submit a written response of compliance to the specialist. Correct by 03/26/2025

State records file

Apr 2024 Original-Change of Owner visit 1 finding

Original-Change of Owner visit · April 26, 2024

2.230.B · Correction due April 26, 2024

On the Preschool Playground specialist observed chipped paint on the bottom window frame, causing a potential hazard to children.

Required correction: All indoor and outdoor equipment must be sturdy, safe and free of hazards. Submit a written response of compliance to specialist. ****Corrected at time of inspection, Owner of the program painted the bottom window frame while the specialist was at the program finishing the report of inspection. No response is required. Correct by 04/26/2024

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 Smart Bear Learning’s file specifically, instead of waiting for the next one.

Before you tour

Smart Bear Learning 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.

All checked July 2026.

What kind of place is this

Not yet reported: established, teaching approach.

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 Smart Bear Learning? 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.