Arvada · Licensed center
Happy Valley Children's Ranch Preschool
- Medium play-based center, licensed for 76 children.
- Run by a for-profit business, which holds the license.
What the state has found
The state lists 3 visits below. Shortlist has not read the reports behind them, so there is no share of visits that cited something to set beside other providers yet.
State record — Colorado Department of Early Childhood
- Last visit
- April 6, 2026
- On file
- 3 visits since June 2024 · 2 complaint investigations
- Fixed?
- The latest correction deadline was May 6, 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.
Apr 2026 Supervisory visit 5 findings
Supervisory visit · April 6, 2026
Facility to be missing a current approving Health Inspection Report and a current approving Fire Inspection
2.121.D · Correction due April 6, 2026
Reviewed 17 staff files and identified one staff (DOH 8.22.25) to be missing FBI clearance letter.
Required correction: All individuals requiring a background check must review Navigating the Background Check Investigation Unit's (BIU) Webpage powerpoint. Submit verification that staff member has reviewed the powerpoint within 24 hours. Submit documentation of FBI Clearance Letter with written response to the Specialist. Correct by 04/06/2026
2.219.B.2 · Correction due May 6, 2026
Reviewed 7 child files and identified one child's medical statement to be expired.
Required correction: All children must have a current health statement. Submit a written statement of compliance to specialist. Correct by 05/06/2026
2.229.G · Correction due April 6, 2026
In the Crackerjack room, in unlocked sink cabinet, loose plastic bags accessible to children, posing a potential hazard.
Required correction: Loose plastic bags must be inaccessible to children. CORRECTED AT THE TIME OF THE INSPECTION. Assistant Director removed the plastic bags. No response required. Correct by 04/06/2026
2.230.C.8 · Correction due April 6, 2026
On the playground, in unlocked storage cabinet melting salt accessible to children. Next to the storage cabinet, broken plastic tub and garbage bin with no lid, accessible to children, posing a potential hazard.
Required correction: Outdoor area must be checked and kept safe and free of hazards. CORRECTED AT THE TIME OF THE INSPECTION. Assistant director locked the storage cabinet, and removed the broken tub and garbage bin. No response required. Correct by 04/06/2026
Oct 2025 Complaint
Complaint · October 3, 2025
2.223.A.2 · Correction due October 3, 2025
Crackerjack classrrom staff members did not complete written name-to-face attendance verification during transition from the farm to the bathroom then from bathroom to the classroom.
Required correction: Written attendance verification must be completed during transition. Submit a written statement of compliance to specialist. Correct by 10/03/2025
Oct 2025 Complaint Unfounded
Complaint · October 3, 2025
May 2025 Supervisory visit 10 findings
Supervisory visit · May 6, 2025
2.120.C.1.a · Correction due May 6, 2025
Reviewed 13 staff files and identified M.S. to be missing TRAILS Clearance letter.
Required correction: All individuals requiring a background check must review Navigating the Background Check Investigation Unit's (BIU) Webpage powerpoint. Submit verification that M.S. reviewed the powerpoint within 24 hours. Submit documentation of TRAILS Clearance Letter with written response to the Specialist. Correct by 05/06/2025
2.121.D
Reviewed 13 staff files and identified M.S. to be missing FBI and CBI Clearance letters.
2.126.A · Correction due May 6, 2025
Reviewed 13 staff files and identified J.B. and S.H. to be missing the signed abuse form.
Required correction: All staff must sign the abuse form. Submit a written statement of compliance to specialist. Correct by 05/06/2025
2.133.B · Correction due May 6, 2025
Reviewed 13 staff files and identified J.B. to missing the signature for fire extinguisher and fire alarm training.
Required correction: All staff must sign the statement. CORRECTED AT THE TIME OF THE INSPECTION. J.B. signed the statement. No response required. Correct by 05/06/2025
2.212.G
Reviewed 13 staff files and identified S.H. to be missing a medical statement and self-reported health history.
2.212.N · Correction due May 6, 2025
Reviewed 13 staff files and identified J.B. to missing the signature for Medication Administration policies and Procedures.
Required correction: All staff must sign the statement. CORRECTED AT THE TIME OF THE INSPECTION. J.B. signed the statement. No response required. Correct by 05/06/2025
2.213.G · Correction due May 6, 2025
Reviewed 13 staff files and identified S.H. with expired Child Abuse prevention training.
Required correction: The training must be updated annually. CORRECTED AT THE TIME OF THE INSPECTION. S. completed the training. No response required. Correct by 05/06/2025
2.219.B.1
Reviewed 7 child files and identified 2 children's immunization record not documented the approved form.
2.219.B.2 · Correction due June 6, 2025
Reviewed 7 child files and identified 1 child's medical statement to be expired.
Required correction: Each child must have an updated health statement from the physician. Submit a written statement of compliance to specialist. Correct by 06/06/2025
In the Bubblegum classroom, on top of the shelf, lotion labeled "keep out of reach of children" accessible to children.
Jun 2024 Supervisory visit 2 findings
Supervisory visit · June 10, 2024
2.213.H · Correction due June 7, 2024
Reviewed 8 staff files and observed one staff to be missing Introduction to Early Intervention and Preschool Eduation Programs
Required correction: Obtain Early Intervention and Preschool Eduation Programs for all staff within 90 days. Correct immediately Correct by 06/07/2024
2.213.I
Reviewed 8 staff files and observed one staff to be missing Impact of Bias of Early Childhood Professionals.
Required correction: Obtain Impact of Bias of Early Childhood Professionals within 90 days of hire. Correct immediately. Correct by
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 October 10, 2026 and covers complaints the department publishes today, and complaints back to January 2023 obtained by records request. The next request goes in October 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 Happy Valley Children's Ranch Preschool’s file specifically, instead of waiting for the next one.
Shortlist replaces people’s names in the state’s text with initials. This is done by rule, not by hand, so it can miss a name or shorten a word that isn’t one. The state’s report, linked on each row, has the original.
Openings, child care subsidies, and sick and biting policies aren’t on this page.
How they teach
Play-based
“Play is the foundation of learning that lasts.”
Who cares for your child
Julie Bown (Owner/Director), 15 years in early childhood.
What it costs
$425 a month for a preschooler
Denver-area comparison hidden until they say whether this is a full-time price.
- Part time
- $575 a month
- Application fee
- $115
A day here
- Hours
- 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM
- Meals
- Snacks (fruits and veggies) and hydration provided throughout the day
- Schedule
- part-time and half-day
Details
- Website
- happyvalleyps.com
- Address
- 7762 Quaker St
- License
- 1774420, active
- Quality program
- Colorado Shines Level 1
- Ages they serve
- ages 3 to 6 years old
- Established
- 1961
Run Happy Valley Children's Ranch Preschool? Correct or add anything here, free.
Add what is missingSources 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.
How they teach
- Approach — Checked July 2026 happyvalleyps.com
Who cares for your child
- Staff happyvalleyps.com
What it costs
- Preschool, Second price — Checked July 2026 happyvalleyps.com/…/2026-2027-Class-Schedule-and-Tuition-Fees.pdf
- Application fee — Checked July 2026 happyvalleyps.com
A day here
- Meals, Hours, Schedule — Checked July 2026 happyvalleyps.com
Details
- Website — Checked July 2026 happyvalleyps.com
- Address, License — Checked July 2026 data.colorado.gov
- Quality program — Checked April 2026 data.colorado.gov
- Ages they serve — Checked July 2026 happyvalleyps.com
- Established — Checked July 2026 happyvalleyps.com
- Who runs it — Checked October 2026 data.colorado.gov
Medium means the middle half of Denver-area’s 1,147 licensed centers by state-licensed capacity: 41 to 114 children. Small is 10 to 40; large is 115 to 402.