Castle Rock · Licensed center
STEM Child Care, Inc.
- Large STEAM center, licensed for 164 children.
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
- July 7, 2026
- On file
- 3 visits since March 2024 · 9 complaint investigations
- Fixed?
- The latest correction deadline was July 7, 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.
Jul 2026 Complaint Founded
Complaint · July 7, 2026
Jul 2026 Complaint
Complaint · July 7, 2026
2.209.B.1 · Correction due July 7, 2026
The incident report for CH1 falling was not completed on the day of the incident.
Required correction: Immediately ensure that incident and injury reports are completed when they happen and a copy is provided to the parent(s)/guardian(s). Submit statement of compliance. Correct by 07/07/2026
Feb 2026 Complaint Unfounded
Complaint · February 17, 2026
Jan 2026 Supervisory visit 7 findings
Supervisory visit · January 16, 2026
2.220.E · Correction due January 16, 2026
Two medications for one child lacking documentation of current medication authorization.
Required correction: Immediately ensure that all medication authorizations are current. Submit statement of compliance. Correct by 01/16/2026
2.138.A
Reviewed drill log for 2025, only 2 fire drills and 2 emergency drills logged for the year. Drills have been completed for January 2026.
2.229.R.3 · Correction due January 16, 2026
Insufficient books in good repair in Two 1/2 year old classroom.
Required correction: Ensure that there are sufficient books in good repair in all classrooms. **Corrected at the time of visit. No response required. Correct by 01/16/2026
2.209.A.7 · Correction due January 16, 2026
Reviewed 9 child files, 1 file lacking documentation of current emergency medical authorization.
Required correction: Immediately review all child files and ensure that all have documentation of current emergency medical authorization. Submit statement of compliance. Correct by 01/16/2026
2.219.B.2
Reviewed 9 child files, 1 file lacking documentation of a health statement from a health care provider.
2.213.B · Correction due January 16, 2026
Reviewed 17 staff member files, 1 file lacking documentation of current standard precautions training.
Required correction: Immediately review all staff member files, ensure that all have documentation of current standard precautions training. Submit statement of compliance. Correct by 01/16/2026
2.213.G · Correction due January 16, 2026
Reviewed 17 staff member files, 1 file lacking documentation of current child abuse prevention training.
Required correction: Immediately review all staff member files and ensure that all have documentation of current child abuse prevention training. Submit statement of compliance. Correct by 01/16/2026
Nov 2025 Complaint Unfounded
Complaint · November 25, 2025
May 2025 Complaint Founded
Complaint · May 1, 2025
Apr 2025 Complaint Unfounded
Complaint · April 15, 2025
Apr 2025 Complaint Unfounded
Complaint · April 15, 2025
Feb 2025 Supervisory visit 5 findings
Supervisory visit · February 20, 2025
2.236.A.1 · Correction due February 20, 2025
Hand sanitizer, clorox wipes, anti-bacterial hand wipes, screen cleaner wipe, labeled "keep out of reach of children" in front desk check in area.
Required correction: Immediately ensure that the front desk office is free of hazards. **Corrected at the time of visit. No response required. Correct by 02/20/2025
2.122.A · Correction due February 20, 2025
Fire inspection dated 10/3/24 indicates a follow up inspection is required.
Required correction: Immediately follow up with fire department regarding follow up inspection and documentation of fire inspection approval. Submit statement of compliance and copy of fire inspection approval. Correct by 02/20/2025
2.216.B.1.a.5.b · Correction due February 20, 2025
Staff member acting as Infant Program Supervisor lacking documentation of EQIT training.
Required correction: Immediately ensure that staff member acting as Infant Program Supervisor has documentation of qualifications. **Corrected at the time of visit. No response required. Correct by 02/20/2025
2.213.E · Correction due February 20, 2025
Two staff members First Aid/CPR certification is not from a department approved entity. (A., K.)
Required correction: Immediately review all staff member files and ensure that all have First Aid/CPR certification is from a department approved entity. Submit statement of compliance. Correct by 02/20/2025
2.212.G
One staff member lacking a medical statement from a health care provider. (J.)
Jul 2024 Complaint Founded
Complaint · July 25, 2024
Jul 2024 Complaint 2 findings
Complaint · July 25, 2024
2.220.F · Correction due July 25, 2024
Staff member 2 applying prescription cream to CH1 not having documentation of medication administration training and delegation.
Required correction: Immediately ensure that all medications are being given/applied only by staff that has completed medication administration and has delegation. Submit statement of compliance. Correct by 07/25/2024
2.229.L · Correction due July 25, 2024
One child under 3 year of age present in Threes classroom and cube manipulatives that could be a potential choke hazard accessible to children.
Required correction: Immediately ensure that no items that could be a choke hazard are accessible to children under 3 years of age. Submit statement of compliance. Correct by 07/25/2024
Mar 2024 Supervisory visit 7 findings
Supervisory visit · March 19, 2024
2.219.B.2 · Correction due April 19, 2024
Reviewed 8 children files, 1 file having an expired health statement.
Required correction: Review all children files and ensure that all have documentation of current health statements. Submit statement of compliance. Correct by 04/19/2024
2.218.C.5
One child's health care plan not signed by the parent(s)/guardian(s).
2.220.J · Correction due March 19, 2024
Two expired medications needing to be returned to parent(s)/guardian(s) or disposed of as required.
Required correction: Immediately ensure that any expired medications are returned to parent(s)/guardian(s) or disposed of as required. Submit statement of compliance. Correct by 03/19/2024
2.229.C · Correction due March 19, 2024
Diaper cream accessible to children in an unlatched cabinet in 2 1/2 year old classroom.
Required correction: Immediately ensure that all items labeled "keep out of reach of children" are inaccessible at all times. **Corrected at the time of visit. No response required. Correct by 03/19/2024
2.229.R.7 · Correction due April 19, 2024
Music equipment not accessible to children in Threes and Fours classrooms.
Required correction: Ensure that music equipment is accessible to children. Submit statement of compliance. Correct by 04/19/2024
2.230.A
Puzzle board labeled for children age 3 and up in the Toddler classroom.
Required correction: Immediately ensure that materials are appropriate for children's age. Submit statement of compliance. Correct
2.213.L · Correction due April 19, 2024
Reviewed 26 staff member files, 4 staff members lacking documentation of child development training. (L.W., D., E.G., J.H.)
Required correction: Review all staff member files and ensure that all have documentatio of one hour of child development training. Submit statement of compliance. Correct by 04/19/2024
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 STEM Child Care, Inc.’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, cost, ratios and staff, a typical day, and sick and biting policies aren’t on this page.
How they teach
STEAM
“Discover the difference a STEM-focused early education can make! We combine a nurturing environment with hands-on learning in science, technology, engineering, and math to spark curiosity and build a strong foundation for lifelong success.”
A day here
- Hours
- 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM
Details
- Website
- stempreschool.co
- Address
- 4981 Metzler Way
- License
- 1720374, active
- Quality program
- Colorado Shines Level 2
- Ages they serve
- 6 weeks to 13 years
Run STEM Child Care, Inc.? 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 stempreschool.co
A day here
- Hours — Checked July 2026 stempreschool.co
Details
- Website, Ages they serve — Checked July 2026 stempreschool.co
- Address, License — Checked July 2026 data.colorado.gov
- Quality program — Checked April 2026 data.colorado.gov
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.