The Iowa Department of Human Services has started the process of closing two day care centers in Lee County.
Spokesperson Matt Highland said DHS filed a Notice of Decision on June 19 against Raisin' Em Up Early Learning Center in Donnellson and Raisin' Em On Up, also in Donnellson. He said that started a ten-day clock for the revocation of the licenses.
Highland said the two day cares could only remain open beyond June 29 is if an appeal is filed before that date.
Sarah Tweedy, who owns both locations, wrote in an email to Tri States Public Radio this week that she has filed an appeal on behalf of both locations. She said that will allow them to remain open for now.
Tweedy said she first opened Raisin' Em Up (age 0-5) in 1999 and Raisin' Em On Up (school age) in 2015. She declined further comment regarding the appeals or the recent complaints lodged against her centers.
On June 13, DHS filed a total of 15 complaints against Raisin' Em Up Early Learning Center and Raisin' Em On Up. They were based on several unannounced visits to the locations in April.
In an email to TSPR, Highland declined to say what prompted the unannounced visits.
The complaints filed against the day cares include leaving children unsupervised on a bus, over-medicating children, and failing to maintain proper child/adult ratios.
