Introducing Spark Learning Lab Colorado

Shine Early Learning, a subsidiary of Acelero, Inc., today announced that it is bringing Elevate and the quality services programs of Clayton Early Learning under its umbrella to expand Shine’s national footprint into Colorado and advance early childhood education in the state. The new organization will be named Spark Learning Lab Colorado and is a collaborative partnership designed to leverage the strengths of both organizations to deliver high-quality, data-driven services to children, families, and early childhood professionals. 

The addition of Clayton’s quality services is a unique opportunity for Shine Early Learning to join forces with a respected early childhood education leader and immediately expand its impact and support of children and families in Colorado. A Denver-based non-profit, Clayton Early Learning has established itself as a cornerstone of early childhood education in Colorado. Its evidence-informed programming and systems-level influence have earned it a reputation for excellence.

“This is about more than just a transition; it’s about building a stronger, more vibrant community for early learning,” said Henry Wilde, CEO of Acelero, Inc. “The expertise and dedication of the Clayton Early Learning team are truly impressive, and we are eager to integrate their programs and continue delivering the outstanding support and resources that families and children deserve.”

This strategic move aligns with Shine Early Learning’s mission to drive positive outcomes for children and families nationwide. By integrating Clayton’s talented team and their deep expertise in quality services, Shine will enhance its existing capabilities in systems-level technical assistance, quality support, and data-informed solutions.

“We are confident this path will allow the team to deepen and broaden its impact here in Colorado and across the country,” said William Browning, Chief Executive Officer at Clayton Early Learning.” As part of our new strategy, our team will transition to Shine Early Learning — a longtime partner who shares our values and commitment to excellence. This new alliance reflects our deepest values and boldest ambitions.”

The transition includes the transfer of all quality services operations, existing contracts, staff, and intellectual property for “Elevate” products and services. The bodies of work moving to Shine Early Learning include the Colorado Shines Rating Administration, Denver Preschool Program Quality Improvement Framework Implementation (coaching and training), and Interrater Reliability. “Elevate” services, which have been instrumental in improving early childhood education across Colorado, include environment rating scale certification, observation services, coaching, training, preservice and in-service packages, and evaluation. All contractual activities, products, and services will be seamlessly transferred without any interruption or delay in delivery. Our team will be scheduling meetings with existing “Elevate” clients in the upcoming weeks to discuss the transition more in-depth and answer questions. 

Clayton Early Learning will continue to operate its direct services, serving over 500 children annually from its historic 20-acre campus in Denver and focusing on its core mission of providing children with an exceptional start while empowering families for lifelong success. The proposed transition is expected to be finalized by mid-August, with a target transition date of September 1, 2025.

About Shine Early Learning

Shine Early Learning is a subsidiary of Acelero, Inc., a national company specializing in building partnerships with community-based programs and public systems. Acelero, Inc. operates birth-to-five Head Start and Early Head Start programs through its Acelero Learning subsidiary, serving more than 4,400 children and families in multiple states. Through its work with partner programs and public systems, Shine Early Learning impacts approximately 415,000 children across 33 states and territories, including Colorado.

To learn more about Clayton Early Learning, visit claytonearlylearning.org.

To learn more about SPARK Learning Lab Colorado, visit coloradospark.net.