Colorado Department of Early Childhood cited something at 4 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.
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 · February 17, 2026
2.122.A · Correction due February 17, 2026
At the time of visit, the facility did not have an approving fire inspection for the facilities new location.
Required correction: Following the renovation of the facility and at least every 2 years all child care facilities must be inspected and obtain an approving inspection report. Submit documentation and written statement of compliance by 3/12/2026. Correct by 02/17/2026
2.122.C · Correction due February 17, 2026
At the time of visit,the facility did not have a zoning letter for the facilities new location.
Required correction: All child care facilities must operate in compliance with local planning and zoning requirements. Submit documentation and written statement of compliance by 3/12/2026. Correct by 02/17/2026
Supervisory visit · September 18, 2025
2.238.G · Correction due September 18, 2025
At the time of visit, observed the emergency exit door in the preschool room to be locked.
Required correction: Immediately 9/18/2025, exit doors shall be openable from the inside without the use of a key or any special knowledge or effort. Corrected at the time of visit, the director unlocked the door and informed staff that the door needs to be unlocked. Submit a written statement of future compliance by 9/25/2025. Correct by 09/18/2025
Supervisory visit · September 20, 2024
2.212.G · Correction due September 20, 2024
Reviewed 7 staff files. Julissa missing documentation of a medical statement.
Required correction: Immediately review all staff files. All staff must have a medical statement, signed and dated by a physician, prior to using the subsequent self-reported health history. Submit a written statement of compliance by 10/20/2024. Correct by 09/20/2024
At the time of visit, in the Pikes Peak classroom, one teacher was supervising 7 children between the ages of 12-24 months, exceeding required ratios for toddlers.
2.223.D.4.b · Correction due September 20, 2024
At the time of visit, throughout the facility, nap mats had torn and frayed corners.
Required correction: Immediately, all sleeping mats must be in good repair at all times. Submit a written statement of compliance by 10/20/2024. Correct by 09/20/2024
2.229.C · Correction due September 20, 2024
At the time of visit, in the Longs Peak classroom, two sharpie markers and a bottle of white out were in a caddy on a low table and accessible to children.
Required correction: Immediately, all items labeled keep out of reach of children must be inaccessible to children at all times. Corrected at time of visit, the center director moved the sharpie markers and white out to a high shelf making the items inaccessible to children. No response needed. Correct by 09/20/2024
2.229.H
At the time of visit, in the Torrey's Peak classroom, a staple remover was in a low, unlocked drawer and accessible to children.
Required correction: Immediately, sharp tools must be inaccessible to chidlren at all times. Corrected at time of visit, the center
2.229.L · Correction due September 20, 2024
At the time of visit, in the Torrey's Peak classroom, a bucket of small beads were on a low shelf; and an open bag of mini clothespins, small stickers, and pieces of chalk were in low, unlocked drawers. The classroom children were 2-3 years old and the items were choking hazards for children under 3 years old.
Required correction: Immediately, all materials must not be a choke hazard at any time and must not be accessible to children. Corrected at time of visit, the center director removed the items from the classroom making them inaccessible to children. Submit a written statement of future compliance by 10/20/2024. Correct by 09/20/2024
2.230.B · Correction due September 20, 2024
At the time of visit, on the playground, the railroad ties are splitting, warped, and broken and are both a tripping hazard and safety hazard for children.
Required correction: Immediately, all outdoor equipment and furnishings must be sturdy, safe, and free of hazards at all times. Submit photo documentation and a written statement of compliance by 10/20/2024. Correct by 09/20/2024
2.237.D · Correction due September 20, 2024
At the time of visit, in the Torrey's Peak classroom, a staff purse was on a low shelf and the purse strap was dangling within reach of children, making the staff purse accessible to children.
Required correction: Immediately all staff purses and other hazardous items must be inaccessible to children at all times. Submit a written statement of compliance by 10/20/2024. Correct by 09/20/2024
Complaint · November 27, 2023
7.702.71.K · Correction due November 27, 2023
At the time of visit, in the Mt Evans infant classroom, a bouncy seat was being stored in an evacuation crib.
Required correction: Immediately, nothing may be stored in or under any evacuation equipment at any time. Corrected at time of visit, the director moved the bouncy seat out of the evacuation crib. Submit a written statement of future compliance by 12/11/2023. Correct by 11/27/2023
7.702.71.L · Correction due November 27, 2023
At the time of visit, in the Mt Evans infant classroom, tinsel was on the diaper changing table and accessible to children which is a choking hazard for infants.
Required correction: Immediately, any materials accessible to children under three (3) years of age must not be a choke hazard or able to be inhaled at any time. Corrected at time of visit, the director removed the tinsel from the diaper table and threw it away, making it inaccessible to children. Submit a written statement of future compliance by 12/11/2023. Correct by 11/27/2023
7.702.81.A.3 · Correction due November 27, 2023
At the time of visit, a staff member was caring for an infant while working in the preschool classroom which is licensed for children ages 2.6-13 years.
Required correction: Immediately, rooms licensed for specific ages of of children cannot be used for other ages of children at any time. Corrected at time of visit, the staff member moved to the Infant classroom with the infant bringing the program into compliance. Submit a written statement of future compliance by 12/11/2023. Correct by 11/27/2023
7.702.51.A.2.b · Correction due December 14, 2023
Reviewed one child file. Missing a statement of the child's current health status.
Required correction: Review all child files. All children must have a statement of the child's current health status, signed and dated by a health care provider, within thirty (30) calendar days of admission. Submit a written statement of compliance by 12/14/2023. Correct by 12/14/2023
Complaint · November 27, 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.
Supervisory visit · October 27, 2023
Correction due October 27, 2023
Reviewed 12 staff files. Maria missing documentation of an FBI clearance letter and has unsupervised access to children.
Required correction: Immediately, all individuals with unsupervised access to children must have a successfully completed FBI criminal background check prior to having unsupervised access to children. All individuals requiring a background check must review Navigating the Background Check Investigation Unit's (BIU) Webpage PowerPoint on the CDEC website. Submit verification that staff member Maria has reviewed the video within 24 hours. Submit documentation of CBI or FBI Clearance Letters for staff member Maria with a written statement of compliance by 11/10/2023. Correct by 10/27/2023
At the time of visit, in the Torreys Peak classroom, a bottle of glitter was in a low drawer and accessible to
7.702.71.L · Correction due October 27, 2023
At the time of visit, in the Torreys Peak classroom, broken crayons, small stickers, and broken pieces of chalk were in a low drawer and accessible to children under three (3) years of age that posed a choking hazard.
Required correction: Immediately, all toys and materials accessible to children under three (3) years of age must not be a choke hazard at all times. Submit a written statement of compliance by 11/10/2023. Correct by 10/27/2023
7.702.72.C.1.a · Correction due October 27, 2023
At the time of visit, on the Toddler playground, two slides over 18 inches were placed on unapproved resilient surface.
Required correction: Immediately, all climbing equipment over eighteen (18) inches must have resilient surfacing of at least six (6) inches in the use zone surrounding the equipment at all times. Submit a written statement of compliance by 11/10/2023. Correct by 10/27/2023
7.702.91.B
At the time of visit, in the Pikes Peak classroom, there was paint peeling on three walls.
Required correction: Immediately, buildings must be kept in good repair and maintained in a safe condition at all times. Submit photo
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.
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 Stepping Stones Academy & Family Center’s file specifically, instead of waiting for the next one.
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.
Not yet reported: teaching approach.
Pricing per provider website, checked July 2026.
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 Stepping Stones Academy & Family Center? 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.