Colorado Department of Early Childhood cited something at 2 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.
Complaint · August 22, 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.
Supervisory visit · August 22, 2025
2.237.B · Correction due August 22, 2025
At the time of visit, observed in the Red and Blue room to have paint chipping throughout the classroom.
Required correction: Immediately 8/22/2025, the building must be kept in good repair and maintained in a safe condition. Submit documentation and a written statement of compliance by 8/29/2025. Correct by 08/22/2025
2.229.C · Correction due August 22, 2025
At the time of visit, observed a closet door to be unlocked and containing cleaning supplies labeled "keep out of reach". Observed on the toddlers playground a bag of potting soil to be labeled "keep out of reach". Observed in the purple classroom, to have a bag of grass seeds labeled "keep out of reach of children".
Required correction: Immediately 8/22/2025, items labeled "keep out of reach of children" must be inaccessible to children. Corrected at the time of visit, the director removed all items labeled "keep out of reach". Submit a written statement of future compliance by 8/29/2025. Correct by 08/22/2025
2.229.R.7 · Correction due August 22, 2025
At the time of visit, observed in the Purple classroom to be lacking musical equipment available.
Required correction: Immediately 8/22/2025, a variety of music materials and equipment must be available. Corrected at the time of visit, the director made music equipment available to children. Submit a written statement of future compliance by 8/29/2025. Correct by 08/22/2025
2.230.B · Correction due August 22, 2025
At the time of visit, observed on the preschool playground to have fabric matting to be exposed posing as a tripping hazard.
Required correction: Immediately 8/22/2025, indoor and outdoor equipment, materials, and furnishings must be sturdy, safe, and free of hazards. Submit a written statement of compliance by 8/29/2025. Correct by 08/22/2025
2.223.A.2 · Correction due August 22, 2025
At the time of visit, observed 15 children in the purple classroom. The Staff member in the purple classroom were unaware of how many children were in attendance. Staff member stated there were 13 or 14 children in the classroom. Observed in the silver classroom, there were 13 children in the classroom while only 9 were checked in.
Required correction: Immediately 8/22/2025, staff must complete written attendance periodically throughout the day. Corrected at the time of visit, the director updated the verification form. Submit a written statement of future compliance by 8/29/2025. Correct by 08/22/2025
2.138.A
At the time of visit, observed the drill log to be lacking documentation of drills for October, November and December 2024.
2.213.B · Correction due August 22, 2025
At the time of visit, reviewed 11 staff files, observed 1 file to be lacking documentation of a department-approved standard precautions training.
Required correction: Immediately 8/22/2025, all staff must complete a department-approved standard precautions training. Submit documentation and a written statement of compliance by 8/29/2025. Correct by 08/22/2025
2.213.G · Correction due August 22, 2025
At the time of visit, reviewed 11 staff files, observed 1 file to be lacking documentation of a department-approved training about child abuse prevention.
Required correction: Immediately 8/22/2025, all staff must complete a department-approved training about child abuse prevention. Submit documentation and a written statement of compliance by 8/29/2025. Correct by 08/22/2025
At the time of the visit, observed loose trash bags accessible to children in an unlocked closet room in the
Complaint · October 21, 2024
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.
Supervisory visit · October 30, 2023
7.702.42.G · Correction due October 30, 2023
Reviewed 15 staff files. Jennifer L. missing documentation of a current child abuse prevention training.
Required correction: Review all staff files. All staff must be trained using a Department-approved training about child abuse prevention, which must be renewed annually. Submit documentation and a written statement of compliance by 11/20/2023. Correct by 10/30/2023
7.702.45.C.3
Reviewed 15 staff files. The facility is missing a second staff member working in the toddler program with a current First Aid and Safety Certificate that includes CPR for all ages of children.
7.702.46.A.7 · Correction due October 30, 2023
Reviewed 15 staff files. Madelyn P missing documentation of Early Childhood Teacher qualifications and was assigned to supervise a group of children.
Required correction: Review all staff files. There must be assigned at least one (1) qualified Early Childhood Teacher supervising each group of children at all times, and documentation must be available for review at all times. Submit documentation and a written statement of compliance by 11/20/2023. Correct by 10/30/2023
7.702.91.B · Correction due October 30, 2023
At the time of visit, in the the Yellow classroom and Silver classroom, paint was chipping on the walls. In the Blue classroom, the tank lid on the toilet was missing.
Required correction: Immediately, the building must be kept in good repair and maintained in a safe condition at all times. Submit photo documentation and a written statement of compliance by 11/20/2023. Correct by 10/30/2023
Complaint · September 7, 2023
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.
Complaint · September 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.
Complaint · August 18, 2023
Founded · 7.702.46.A.7 · General Requirement/Physical Care · Correction due September 7, 2023
There must be assigned at least one (1) qualified Early Childhood Teacher supervising each group of children unless otherwise specified in rules. A Director may be the assigned teacher for one (1) group of children.
Required correction: Immediately, there must be assigned at least one (1) qualified Early Childhood Teacher supervising each group of children at all times. Submit a written statement of compliance by 9/14/2023.
Founded · 7.702.71.C · Equipment/Materials · Correction due September 7, 2023
Items labeled ?keep out of reach of children? must be inaccessible 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 director locked the cupboard in the Green classroom making the items inaccessible to children. The classroom teacher in the Silver classroom moved the bin to a high cupboard making the items inaccessible to children. Submit a written statement of future compliance by 9/14/2023.
Founded · 7.702.71.G · Equipment/Materials · Correction due September 7, 2023
Loose plastic bags must be stored in areas inaccessible to children.
Required correction: Immediately, all loose plastic bags must be stored in areas inaccessible to children at all times. Corrected at time of visit, the classroom teacher removed the loose plastic bags and placed them in a high cupboard in the classroom making them inaccessible to children. Submit a written statement of future compliance by 9/14/2023.
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 The Garden Preschool & Early Learning Center’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.
All checked July 2026.
Not yet reported: established, teaching approach.
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 The Garden Preschool & Early Learning 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.