Investing in the Early Childhood Workforce
Investing in Colorado Families
Investing in Access and Quality
CDEC seeks to ensure all families have equitable access to high quality early care and learning so that all children start school ready to succeed. These activities were designed to increase the number of licensed programs; improve the quality of licensed programs; ensure equitable access for underserved families; and sustain services by closing revenue-expenditure gap.
Learn more about our strategies to improve access and quality for Colorado families.
Supporting a mixed-delivery system that meets the unique needs of all families
Increasing availability of linguistically responsive child care in Spanish-speaking communities
Aligning CCCAP provider reimbursement rates with the true cost of care
Giving CCCAP infant and toddler care providers financial stability
Making CCCAP available to more low-income families
Ensuring CCCAP provider success with increased reimbursement rates and paid absences covered
Making early learning environments healthier
Providing one-time incentives to providers who become licensed or Qualified Exempt
Improving child care growth and sustainability through better business practices
Providing operational funds to promote sustainability of child care and reduce costs to families
Promoting innovative strategies that make early care and learning more affordable and inclusive
Making infant and toddler care more available to Colorado families
Increasing the availability of affordable care, especially in child care deserts
Incentivizing employers to build accessible child care centers
Identifying the challenges facing child care providers and creating a roadmap to solutions
Helping families find real-time child care options in their community
Establishing an advisory council for non-licensed child care providers
Offering operating funds to license-exempt providers so that savings can be passed to families
Incentivizing child care providers to enhance their Colorado Shines quality rating
Providing in-depth technical assistance, licensing kits and business support to in-home providers