Hearth Record

Smart Bear Learning

A child care center in Highlands Ranch, Colorado 80126

6388 E County Line RD, Highlands Ranch, Colorado 80126.

Colorado’s own record, on coloradoshines.com

Watch and the shortlist are kept with a free account, on every device. Your watch list. Colorado’s own record is on coloradoshines.com.

The short answer

Record last released by Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) on Nov 2, 2026.

The last 24 months 16 citations in 3 months of the last 46. Last cited Feb 2026. Every month

Each figure’s source sits beside it, in its section below.

What these words mean5
Inspection (survey)
A visit by state inspectors, often unannounced, who check a place against the rules it must meet. For nursing homes and other places Medicare pays, CMS calls these visits surveys: a standard survey of a nursing home comes at least every 15 months, and a complaint survey whenever a complaint calls for one. Source: CMS; 42 CFR 488.308.
Deficiency, citation, violation
What inspectors write up when a place didn’t meet a rule: the rule, what they saw, and when. CMS calls it a deficiency; states may say citation or violation. It is the inspectors’ finding, not a court’s, and the place is usually asked for a plan to correct it. Source: CMS, statement of deficiencies (Form CMS-2567); each state’s licensing agency.
Quality rating
Many states rate child care in a quality rating system that goes past the licensing rules, such as Texas Rising Star or Kentucky All STARS. Taking part is often voluntary, so a program with no rating hasn’t been rated low. Source: Each state’s quality rating system.
Licence status
Whether the state’s licence lets the place operate now, in the state’s own words: licensed, on probation (allowed to keep operating on conditions, after problems), provisional, pending or expired. Source: Each state’s licensing agency.
Capacity
The most people the licence or certification lets the place care for at once: residents, children, beds or apartments, as the state counts them. It isn’t how many are there now. Source: Each state’s licensing agency.

What did inspectors find?

CDEC’s file lists 6 inspections, investigations and complaints from Jan 1, 2023 to Oct 27, 2026, the latest on May 20, 2026 (Follow-up).

16 citations in all.

Where Colorado posts its reports: Colorado Shines.

Source:

Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC), Data request 2026-967, delivered Oct 28, 2026 and each month since: licensing inspections, complaints and Stage II investigations from Jan 1, 2023. Released Oct 28, 2026. CDEC sends the previous month’s records in the first week of each month; a person saves each file and loads it.

When those citations happened

16 citations in 3 months of the last 46. Last cited Feb 2026. The last 4 years, to Nov 5, 2026.

16 citations by month over the last 4 years. Each cell is one month.
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
2023 JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
2024 JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
2025 JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
2026 JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOct

Hover or focus a month to read it.

No visit on record Visited, nothing cited A stronger orange is more serious, on its source’s own levels, read onto four bands: from the least serious it publishes to the most
Source:

Hearth Record drew this from the dates and levels in the source’s own records.

Each citation, in its source’s words

Grouped by visit, newest first, with the level its source gave it.

Source:

Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC), Data request 2026-967, delivered Oct 28, 2026 and each month since: licensing inspections, complaints and Stage II investigations from Jan 1, 2023. Released Oct 28, 2026. CDEC sends the previous month’s records in the first week of each month; a person saves each file and loads it.

Feb 26, 2026: supervisory (case 254589)7 citations
  • All employees and regular volunteers must be trained using a Department-approved training about Child Abuse Prevention prior to working with children, which includes common symptoms and signs of child abuse, how to report, where to report, and when to report suspected or known child abuse or neglect. This training must be renewed annually.

    Rule 2.213.G. CDEC’s category: Staff Files. Correction due, as CDEC set it: Feb 26, 2026. Cleared, as CDEC recorded it: Apr 22, 2026.

  • An early childhood teacher, assigned responsibility for a single group of children and working under the supervision of a director, must be at least eighteen (18) years of age and meet at least one (1) of the following qualifications:

    Rule 2.216.A.1. CDEC’s category: Staff Files. Correction due, as CDEC set it: Feb 26, 2026. Cleared, as CDEC recorded it: Apr 22, 2026.

  • Toddler-age groups of children must be separated from each other by permanent or portable dividers or other methods as approved by the Department.

    Rule 2.217.A.15.e. Correction due, as CDEC set it: Feb 26, 2026. Cleared, as CDEC recorded it: Apr 22, 2026.

  • If the parent(s)/guardian(s) agree(s) that the center should care for a child in the toddler program who is twelve (12) months old but not walking independently, or is over thirty-six (36) months old, the center must have on file a written statement from a health care provider confirming that care for the child is appropriate in the toddler program.

    Rule 2.218.E. Correction due, as CDEC set it: Feb 26, 2026. Cleared, as CDEC recorded it: Apr 22, 2026.

  • Indoor and outdoor equipment, materials, and furnishings must be sturdy, safe, and free of hazards.

    Rule 2.230.B. Correction due, as CDEC set it: Feb 26, 2026. Cleared, as CDEC recorded it: Apr 22, 2026.

  • All climbing equipment eighteen (18) inches or higher must have resilient surfacing of at least six (6) inches in the use zone surrounding the equipment.

    Rule 2.230.C.1.a. Correction due, as CDEC set it: Feb 26, 2026. Cleared, as CDEC recorded it: Apr 22, 2026.

  • Loose fill resilient surface must be raked regularly to retain its resiliency and to retain a depth of at least six (6) inches.

    Rule 2.230.C.1.c. Correction due, as CDEC set it: Feb 26, 2026. Cleared, as CDEC recorded it: Apr 22, 2026.

Mar 26, 2025: supervisory (case 222761)7 citations
  • If appropriate to the location of the facility, forest fire, and/or flood drills must be held often enough that all occupants are familiar with the drill procedure and their conduct during a drill is a matter of established routine. A record of drills held over the past twelve (12) months must be maintained by the facility.

    Rule 2.138.F. Correction due, as CDEC set it: Mar 26, 2025. Cleared, as CDEC recorded it: Apr 18, 2025.

  • An admission record must be completed for each child prior to or at the time of the child’s admission. This record must be updated annually and when changes occur. The admission record must include: A dated, written authorization for emergency medical care signed and updated annually by the parent(s)/guardian(s). The authorization must be notarized if required by the local hospital, clinic, or emergency health care facility;

    Rule 2.209.A.7. Correction due, as CDEC set it: Mar 26, 2025. Cleared, as CDEC recorded it: Apr 18, 2025.

  • The center must maintain and update annually and upon changes, a record on each child that includes: A copy of the child’s health statement completed by a health care provider

    Rule 2.209.B.4. Correction due, as CDEC set it: Apr 26, 2025. Cleared, as CDEC recorded it: Apr 18, 2025.

  • All staff members must submit to the center a medical statement, signed and dated by a physician or other health care provider, verifying that they are in good mental, physical, and emotional health appropriate for the position for which they have been hired. This statement must be dated no more than six (6) months prior to employment or within thirty (30) calendar days after the first date of employment. Subsequent self-reported health histories must be submitted annually.

    Rule 2.212.G. CDEC’s category: Staff Files. Correction due, as CDEC set it: Apr 26, 2025. Cleared, as CDEC recorded it: Apr 18, 2025.

  • All staff must have at least one (1) hour of child development training within ninety (90) days of employment. This training must include the major domains (cognitive, social, emotional, physical development and approaches to learning). This training is required once and will count toward ongoing training requirements if taken after the date of hire.

    Rule 2.213.L. Correction due, as CDEC set it: Mar 26, 2025. Cleared, as CDEC recorded it: Apr 18, 2025.

  • Evacuation equipment must: Be ready for use; and

    Rule 2.229.K.3. Correction due, as CDEC set it: Mar 26, 2025. Cleared, as CDEC recorded it: Apr 18, 2025.

  • Loose fill resilient surface must be raked regularly to retain its resiliency and to retain a depth of at least six (6) inches.

    Rule 2.230.C.1.c. Correction due, as CDEC set it: Mar 26, 2025. Cleared, as CDEC recorded it: Apr 18, 2025.

Mar 26, 2025: injury (case 253133)1 citation
  • There must be at least one (1) staff member on duty in each infant room at all times who holds a current Department-approved first aid and safety certificate that includes cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for all ages of children.

    Rule 2.216.B.1.e. CDEC’s category: General Requirement/Physical Care. Correction due, as CDEC set it: Mar 26, 2025. Cleared, as CDEC recorded it: Apr 18, 2025.

May 6, 2024: original-Change of Owner (case 222432)1 citation
  • Indoor and outdoor equipment, materials, and furnishings must be sturdy, safe, and free of hazards.

    Rule 2.230.B. Correction due, as CDEC set it: Apr 26, 2024. Cleared, as CDEC recorded it: May 6, 2024.

All 6 visits on record
Visits on record
DateVisitWhat the record says
May 20, 2026Follow-up (case 273105)No citations; cleared Jun 23, 2026.
Feb 26, 2026Supervisory (case 254589)7 citations; cleared Apr 22, 2026.
Mar 26, 2025Supervisory (case 222761)7 citations; cleared Apr 18, 2025.
Mar 26, 2025Injury (case 253133)1 citation; cleared Apr 18, 2025.
Mar 26, 2025Complaints (case 253188)Outcome, in CDEC’s words: Unfounded; no citations; cleared Apr 18, 2025.
May 6, 2024Original-Change of Owner (case 222432)1 citation; cleared May 6, 2024.

Is it licensed?

  • Colorado’s service type: Child Care Center; licensed by the Colorado Department of Early Childhood.
  • Licensed for 112 children: 10 infants, 32 toddlers, 70 preschool and school-age children.
  • Colorado’s licence number: 1781730.
Source:

Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC), Colorado Licensed Child Care Facilities Report. Released Nov 2, 2026. Updated monthly.

What did complaints and investigations find?

  • CDEC’s file lists 1 complaint or Stage II investigation from Jan 1, 2023 to Oct 27, 2026. Outcomes, in CDEC’s words: Unfounded (1).
  • Neither CDEC’s roster nor its file of inspections lists enforcement actions, such as fines or the revocation of a licence.
Source:

Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC), Data request 2026-967, delivered Oct 28, 2026 and each month since: licensing inspections, complaints and Stage II investigations from Jan 1, 2023. Released Oct 28, 2026. CDEC sends the previous month’s records in the first week of each month; a person saves each file and loads it.

Complaints and Stage II investigations, newest first
ReceivedCase and outcome, in CDEC’s wordsIn CDEC’s file
Feb 26, 2025Complaints: UnfoundedReceived Feb 26, 2025; CDEC contacted the provider Mar 26, 2025; no citations; cleared Apr 18, 2025; case 253188.

Who does the caring?

  • Colorado doesn’t publish staffing levels for individual programs in this dataset.

Who owns it?

  • Colorado’s dataset lists its governing body as Jennifer Panther.
Source:

Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC), Colorado Licensed Child Care Facilities Report. Released Nov 2, 2026. Updated monthly.

How is it rated?

  • Colorado Shines: Level 1 of five, as Colorado rates it.
Source:

Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC), Colorado Licensed Child Care Facilities Report. Released Nov 2, 2026. Updated monthly.

How does it compare nearby?

  • Programs aren’t compared with each other here: CDEC’s file doesn’t grade its citations by how serious they are.
1 compared
Place
Smart Bear Learning This child care providerNot given

What the record doesn’t say

  • Inspections, investigations and complaints are from the file CDEC sent for a data request, from Jan 1, 2023, and the file it sends each month since. CDEC says its file may miss a program licensed during that time that is no longer licensed, and that its records may change as they are updated or finalized.
  • CDEC’s file gives each rule cited, its category, and the days set to correct it and to clear the case, but not what the inspector wrote: Colorado Shines has each monitoring report. CDEC doesn’t grade citations by how serious they are.
  • This page is built from the dataset of licensed child care facilities CDEC publishes monthly on data.colorado.gov, so a program licensed or closed since may be missing or still shown. It leaves out 24-hour licence types and care that is exempt from licensing.
  • Colorado’s roster carries no enforcement actions, hours or staffing levels.

Sources

  • Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC), Colorado Licensed Child Care Facilities Report (data.colorado.gov, a9rr-k8mu).

    Released Nov 2, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated monthly. Open Data Commons Public Domain Dedication and License (PDDL). data.colorado.gov’s terms ask for this disclaimer: “The data made available here has been modified for use from its original source, which is the State of Colorado. THE STATE OF COLORADO MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTY AS TO THE COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS, OR CONTENT OF ANY DATA MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THIS SITE. THE STATE OF COLORADO EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. The data is subject to change as modifications and updates are complete. It is understood that the information contained in the Web feed is being used at one’s own risk.” Facts are extracted; monitoring reports are not republished.

  • Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC), Data request 2026-967, delivered Oct 28, 2026 and each month since: licensing inspections, complaints and Stage II investigations from Jan 1, 2023.

    Released Oct 28, 2026 and checked Oct 29, 2026. CDEC sends the previous month’s records in the first week of each month; a person saves each file and loads it. No licence stated: CDEC sent this file for a data request that said it would be shown on a free public website. Its disclaimer says the data “is now subject to open records law”. Shown free, never sold.

If you believe something here is wrong, a correction starts with the agency whose record this copies: Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC). Colorado’s own record is on coloradoshines.com. If Hearth Record copied something wrongly, it will fix it and log the correction publicly, with its date: how corrections work.

Source:

This copy of the record was made on Nov 5, 2026.

From the provider

The public record above comes first. Anything the provider adds will appear here, below it, and say who wrote it.

Replies

None. Replies aren’t open yet. When they open, the provider will be able to answer any finding for free, and the reply will show beside that finding, unedited and dated.

Paid listing

None. Paid listings aren’t open yet. When they open, anything paid for will say “Paid by the provider”, and paying will never change a finding, a rating or the order of results.

How to read a record

Four things every record does, shown on an example record made up for this guide.

An example record, made up for this guide

An example nursing home

Made up for this guide: no real place is shown

Not fully inspected in over two years (CMS flag)

11 health citations at the latest inspection cycle

The state average is 14.3.

Source:

CMS, State and US Averages and Health Deficiencies. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.

From the homeNone yet. Replies and paid listings aren’t open, and when they open they will sit here, below the record.

1 of 4

Every fact names its source.

Who published it, when, and how often it changes sit beside each fact, with a link to the agency’s own file.

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