Daycare Center Officially Shuts Down Amid Fraud Claims
It’s a done deal: Minnesota’s controversial daycare, the Quality Learning Center, has been permanently closed this week, according to state records.
This daycare, which had a rather embarrassing misspelling on its sign until it was corrected last month, asked for its license to be revoked and officially closed on Tuesday. This move followed significant pressure from the Minnesota Department of Human Services and the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF).
The center caught the public’s eye after conservative YouTuber Nick Shirley posted a video criticizing child care facilities in the area that allegedly receive public funding without actually offering any services.
Shirley highlighted a notable mistake on the center’s sign, which initially inaccurately listed the name as “Quality Learning Center.” The typo, although attributed to a design error by the owners, quickly became a source of mockery online. To top it off, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon suggested the center was part of a larger fraud operation within Minnesota’s Somali community.
The state noted that the most recent license review for Quality Learning Center was in June 2025. During that inspection, multiple violations were noted, though no wrongdoing was officially recorded.
In a twist, the state had initially announced that the center was closed the previous week. However, a recent visit showed it still had children entering as of December 29.
No official explanation has been provided regarding the abrupt closure. As per state regulations, DCYF mentioned that “providers cannot reopen without reapplying for a license.”
Interestingly, the Quality Learning Center had received around $1.9 million from the Minnesota Child Care Assistance Program for the fiscal year 2025.
The management of the center vehemently denies all allegations of misconduct.
This particular Minneapolis daycare has come under considerable scrutiny in light of a larger scandal involving taxpayer-funded social services throughout the state. There have been claims that operators misled authorities, diverting substantial amounts of government funds meant for vulnerable individuals.
This massive fraud scheme has resulted in dozens of arrests, with around $1 billion in misappropriated funds identified so far.
