Littleton · Licensed center
Mission Hills Early Learning Center
- Large Creative Curriculum center, licensed for 146 children.
What the state has found
The state lists 4 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
- February 18, 2026
- On file
- 4 visits since September 2023
- Fixed?
- The latest correction deadline was February 18, 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 3 findings
Supervisory visit · February 18, 2026
2.223.A.2 · Correction due February 18, 2026
At the time of visit in the pink room, there were 12 children present and 11 children signed in to the program.
Required correction: Correct immediately, attendance verification must be accurate at all times. Correted at the time of visit, the child was signed into the program. No written statement of compliance needed. Correct by 02/18/2026
2.230.B · Correction due February 18, 2026
At the time of visit in the toddler pink room, the changing tables seat belt is broken.
Required correction: Correct immediately, the changing equipment must be in good operation in accordance with the manufactures recommendations. Submit a written statement of compliance by 3/18/26 Correct by 02/18/2026
At the time of visit in the Pink, Purple, Orange and Green rooms had numerous play equipment and materiasl
Apr 2024 Supervisory visit 5 findings
Supervisory visit · April 25, 2024
2.217.A.15 · Correction due April 25, 2024
On the playground, observed the Orange class and Yellow class together. The Orange class had 17 Pre-K children and the Yellow class had 15 Pre-K children making a total of 32 children, exceeding the maximum group size.
Required correction: Immediately, the maximum group size for Pre-K children must not exceed 24 children. Corrected at the time of visit, the two classes returned inside, rectifying the situation. Submit a written statement of future compliance by 5/25/2024. Correct by 04/25/2024
Reviewed 12 child files. Observed 11 missing current signed document stating the parent(s)/guardian(s) have received the policies and procedures.
2.209.A.8 · Correction due April 25, 2024
Reviewed 12 child files. Observed 12 missing written authorization from the parent/guardian for a child to participate in field trips.
Required correction: Prior to the time of a child's admission, written authorization must be obtained for a child to participate in field trips, whether walking or riding in an approved vehicle. Submit a written statement of compliance by 5/25/2024. Correct by 04/25/2024
2.213.F
Reviewed 14 staff files. Observed J.D., hired October 2023, missing documentation of the CPR and First Aid module.
Required correction: Within thirty (30) calendar days of employment, all employees must complete the Department-approved
2.213.D · Correction due April 25, 2024
Reviewed 14 staff files. Observed C.C. working with children ages 2-3 years old, missing documentation of a shaking baby/abusive head trauma training.
Required correction: Prior to working with children less than three (3) years of age, all staff must complete a Department-approved prevention of shaken baby/abusive head trauma training. Submit documentation and a written statement of compliance by 5/25/2024. Correct by 04/25/2024
Sep 2023 Supervisory visit 3 findings
Supervisory visit · September 15, 2023
7.702.42.A · Correction due September 15, 2023
Reviewed 18 staff files. Observed 18 staff files missing documentation of a pre-service Building and Physical Premises Safety training.
Required correction: Immediately, all staff must complete a pre-service Building and Physical Premises Safety training prior to working with children. Submit documentation and a written statement of compliance by 9/29/2023 Correct by 09/15/2023
7.702.46.C.6
Reviewed the Child Care Health Consultant's file. Observed missing documentation of a brief biography.
7.702.72.F · Correction due September 15, 2023
In the Gray multipurpose room, observed two (2) trampolines on the floor accessible to children.
Required correction: Immediately, trampolines are prohibited. Corrected at the time of visit the Director S. removed them. Submit a written statement of future compliance by 9/29/2023. Correct by 09/15/2023
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 Mission Hills Early Learning Center’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 ratios and staff aren’t on this page.
How they teach
Creative Curriculum and play-based
“MHELC Curriculum is a blend of play-based learning and creative curriculum philosophies.”
What it costs
$240 to $555 a month
Denver-area comparison hidden until they say which age this price is for.
- Part time
- $240 to $450 a month
- Application fee
- $165
- Siblings
- 15% discount for families with more than one child in the preschool program
A day here
- Hours
- 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
- Meals
- Parents provide a nutritional snack and lunch daily
- Outdoors
- 40-minute daily playground time; large muscle room used in inclement weather
- Screens
- Rare, occasional screen time only, with prior parent permission required
- Updates for parents
- ProCare app for daily sign-in/out and messaging teachers
- Schedule
- Half-day (9:00 AM–1:00 PM), offered as a 2-Day, 3-Day, 4-Day, or 5-Day program
- Closed
- 7 holidays and breaks a year
Dates
Closed for Teacher Workday (ECCDA Conference), Thanksgiving Break, Christmas Break (Dec 18–Jan 5), MLK Day, President's Day, Spring Break, and Easter Monday; last day of school May 27
Policies
- When a child is sick
- Children with fever, rash, diarrhea/abdominal pain, sore throat, watery/inflamed eyes, cough, or heavy nasal discharge in the last 24 hours must stay home; must be symptom-free and medication-free for 24 hours before returning
- Special needs
- Accepts children with special needs per the ADA, provided sufficient care can be offered
Details
- Website
- preschool.missionhills.org
- Address
- 620 Southpark Dr
- License
- 46101, active
- Quality program
- Colorado Shines Level 4
- Ages they serve
- 2 to 5 years (Pre-K)
- Established
- 1982
Run Mission Hills Early Learning Center? 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 preschool.missionhills.org/…/MHELC_Parent_Handbook_2025-2026.pdf
What it costs
- Monthly tuition, Second price, Application fee, Sibling discount — Checked July 2026 preschool.missionhills.org/…/MHELC_Parent_Handbook_2025-2026.pdf
A day here
- Meals, Outdoors, Screens, Updates for parents, Hours, Schedule — Checked July 2026 preschool.missionhills.org/…/MHELC_Parent_Handbook_2025-2026.pdf
- Closed — Checked July 2026 preschool.missionhills.org/…/School-Calendar-2026-2027-Revised-6-24-26.pdf
Policies
- When a child is sick, Special needs — Checked July 2026 preschool.missionhills.org/…/MHELC_Parent_Handbook_2025-2026.pdf
Details
- Website — Checked July 2026 preschool.missionhills.org
- Address, License — Checked July 2026 data.colorado.gov
- Quality program — Checked October 2026 data.colorado.gov
- Ages they serve — Checked July 2026 preschool.missionhills.org/…/MHELC_Parent_Handbook_2025-2026.pdf
- Established — Checked July 2026 preschool.missionhills.org
Large means the biggest quarter of Denver-area’s 1,147 licensed centers by state-licensed capacity: 115 to 402 children. Small is 10 to 40; medium is 41 to 114.