Rules Advisory Council

In April 2022, Governor Polis signed HB22-1295, creating the Colorado Department of Early Childhood. This new department will coordinate a unified early childhood system and ensure the equitable distribution of resources and programming. In addition, the department will oversee the launch of universal preschool in 2023. The Executive Director will promulgate all rules for the Department of Early Childhood, and will be advised by the Rules Advisory Council (RAC). This 15-member Council will meet monthly to advise the CDEC Executive Director on the development of rules to guide the functions, programs and services that the new Department will oversee. 

If you would like to receive rulemaking notices, please click here to sign up for email updates. Please contact Elena Kemp with any questions at elena.kemp@state.co.us.

For more information on the current laws, rules, and regulations in Colorado, please review the official state publications: Colorado Revised Statutes (Colorado Laws); and the Code of Colorado Regulations (Colorado Administrative Rules and Regulations).

The Colorado Office of Policy, Research, and Regulatory Reform (COPRRR) within the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) is currently conducting a sunset review on the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC), pursuant to section 26.5-1-105(1)(c), C.R.S. The purpose of this sunset review is to examine the structure, efficiency, and effectiveness of CDEC's rulemaking authority to determine if it should be continued in its current form, modified, or repealed. Click here to provide feedback directly to COPRRR, regarding this review.
 

About the Rules Advisory Council

The 15-member Rules Advisory Council (RAC) will advise the CDEC Executive Director on developing rules to guide the functions, programs and services that the new department will oversee. The advice given by the RAC should be in the interest of all Colorado children, families, and early childhood professionals, centering on equitable distribution of resources and programming so that all children and families can access the services and supports they need to thrive.

The legislation HB22-1295 outlined a number of membership requirements in the interest of broad representation across various sectors of the early childhood system, and to ensure equitable membership. The RAC must include:

• Representatives from programmatically diverse communities, including school-based providers, private providers, and non-parental family, friend or neighbor (FFN) providers
• At least two representatives of county departments in diverse geographic areas of the state with knowledge of child protection, CCCAP, and related fiscal matters
• A representative of a foundation, business, or early childhood advocacy organization
• A representative who is an expert in the funding for rules and federal regulations concerning early childhood and family support programs and services, including laws, rules and regulations pertaining to children with disabilities
• A representative of institutions of higher education
• An Early Childhood health care or mental health care professional

In addition at least eight members appointed to the RAC must bring one or more of the following perspectives:

• Parents, families, or caregivers of children who are enrolled in early childhood services
• Members of the early childhood workforce
• Members of historically underserved and under-resourced communities

The RAC adopted Rules Advisory Council Bylaws to guide their work on September 15, 2022.  In addition, members agreed to the RAC Membership Guidebook to ensure the RAC can operate efficiently and effectively. 

RAC Members

Name	Organization	Contact Information	Term Expiration
Colleen Head Batchelor	The Resource Exchange	cheadbatchelor@tre.org	June 30, 2026
Amber Bilby, Chair	Amber's Kids	amberbilby@outlook.com	June 30, 2024
Scott Bright	ABC Child Development Centers	scott@scottbright.net	June 30, 2025
Amy Buford, Vice Chair	Poudre School District	amybuford@gmail.com	June 30, 2024
Megan Burch	Eagle County Government	megan.burch@eaglecounty.us	June 30, 2025
Nazia Hasan	Community First Foundation	nhasan@communityfirstfoundation.org	June 30, 2025
Priscilla M. Hopkins	Denver Public Schools	priscilla_hopkins@dpsk12.org	June 30, 2026
Cassandra P Johnson	Hope Center, Inc.	cj@hopecenterinc.org	June 30, 2026
Rusha Lev	Denver Health	rushaplev@gmail.com	June 30, 2026
Maegan Lokteff, PhD	Early Childhood Council Leadership Alliance	maegan@ecclacolorado.org	June 30, 2026
Marlayna Martinez	University of Colorado; Anschutz Medical Campus	marlayna.martinez@cuanschutz.edu	June 30, 2024
Heather O'Hayre	Larimer County Human Services	ohayrehj@co.larimer.co.us	June 30, 2024
Frank Reeves	Rural Alliance; Public Education and Business Coalition	frankreeves96@gmail.com	June 30, 2024
Karina Sofia Garcia Sastre	Self-Employed	ksgarcia99@gmail.com	June 30, 2025
T Vail Shoultz-McCole	Colorado Mesa University/Western Colorado Community College	vshoultz@coloradomesa.edu	June 30, 2025

RAC Member Bios

RAC Member Bios

RAC Meetings and Public Rulemaking Hearings

Rules Advisory Council (RAC) meetings are open to the public. Information on future meetings will be posted on this page as it becomes available.

NEXT RULES ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING
Thursday, April 13, 2023, at 1 p.m.
Video Call Link: meet.google.com/bof-fcna-dni
‪Join by Phone: (US) +1 347-354-4678‬ | PIN: ‪233 361 276‬#
Meeting Materials Coming Soon!

PAST RAC MEETINGS
Thursday, March 9, 2023
Meeting Materials  |  Meeting Recording

Thursday, February 9, 2023
Meeting Materials  |  Meeting Recording

Thursday, January 12, 2023
Meeting Materials  |  Meeting Recording

December 8, 2022
Meeting Materials  |  Meeting Recording

November 17, 2022
Meeting Materials  |  Meeting Recording

October 13, 2022
Meeting Materials  |  Meeting Recording

September 15, 2022
Meeting Materials  |  Meeting Recording

September 1, 2022
Meeting Materials  |  Meeting Recording Part 1 and Part 2

August 18, 2022
Meeting Materials |   Meeting Recording

__________________________________________________________________

NEXT PUBLIC RULEMAKING HEARING:
Friday, March 24, 2023, at 1 p.m.
CANCELED

Friday, April 28, 2023, at 10 a.m.
Video call link: meet.google.com/sso-eegu-ijs
Join by phone: ‪(US) +1 302-455-7427‬ | PIN: 333 739 290‬#
Meeting Materials Coming Soon!

PAST RULEMAKING HEARINGS
February 24, 2023
Meeting Agenda | Meeting Materials | Meeting Recording | PowerPoint Slides | Adopted Early Intervention Colorado Program Rules

January 26, 2023
Meeting Agenda | Meeting Materials | Meeting Recording | PowerPoint Slides | Adopted Permanent Universal Preschool Program Rules

December 16, 2022
Meeting Agenda  |  Meeting Materials  |  Meeting Recording  |  PowerPoint Slides  |  Adopted Emergency Early Intervention Colorado Program Rules

November 21, 2022
Meeting Agenda  |  Meeting Materials  |  Meeting Recording  |  PowerPoint Slides  |  Adopted Emergency Additional Eligibility, Preschool Services, and Rate Setting Rule  |  Adopted Permanent CCCAP FPG and SMI Rule  |  Adopted Permanent Universal Preschool Program Eligibility Rule

Thursday, September 29, 2022
Meeting Agenda  |  Meeting Materials  |  Meeting Recording  |  PowerPoint Slides  |  Emergency CCCAP Rule - Adopted  |  Emergency UPK Eligibility Rule - Adopted

RAC County Subcommittee Meetings

NEXT MEETING:  
Thursday, April 6, 2023, at 9:00 a.m.
Video Call Link: meet.google.com/wqp-bxdy-pkt
Join by Phone: ‪(US) +1 971-264-3447‬ | PIN: ‪784 630 099‬#
Meetings Materials Coming Soon!

For previous materials from 2023 Meetings, click here.
For previous materials from 2022 Meetings, click here.
For a list of members of the County Subcommittee, click here.

Public Comment and Testimony

A member of the public may provide public comment or written testimony regarding the rules under consideration by the CDEC. 

To provide written testimony ahead of the Rules Advisory Council Meetings or Public Rulemaking Hearings, please click here to share your comments.  Written testimony will be posted publicly and shared with the Rules Advisory Council members and Executive Director ahead of discussion on each rule.  Please provide your written testimony by 10:00am on the previous business day. 

To provide public comment at the Rules Advisory Council meeting or the Public Rulemaking Hearing with the Executive Director, please register here by 10 a.m. on the previous business day.  

If you have any questions or have difficulty accessing the forms above, please contact Kristina Heyl at kristina.heyl@state.co.us 
 

Cost-Benefit Analysis

A member of the public may email the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) to request a cost-benefit analysis (CBA) from the agency proposing rule changes, which is made publicly available when it is completed.

The Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies provides a mechanism for citizens to receive Notices of Proposed Rulemaking in their areas of interest. When you sign up to receive Regulatory Notices, you are provided with information on the proposed rules, its public hearing and an effortless way to request that the rulemaking agency complete a cost-benefit analysis of the new or amended rules.

Visit the DORA website for more information.

Accommodations

CDEC is committed to providing equal access to our meetings for all participants. If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation to attend a public rulemaking hearing, please contact Kristina Heyl at kristina.heyl@state.co.us with your request by the close of business at least one week in advance of a meeting.

Department of Early Childhood – 2023 Departmental Regulatory Agenda

Pursuant to section 2-7-203(4), C.R.S., each department shall file a Regulatory Agenda with the staff of the legislative council, who distributes the Regulatory Agenda to the applicable committee of reference prior to any departmental presentations. Each department shall also post its Regulatory Agenda on its website, and submit its Regulatory Agenda to the Colorado Secretary of State for publication in the Colorado Register. Annual Departmental Regulatory Agendas are published in the November 10th issues of the Colorado Register.

The Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) filed and submitted its Regulatory Agenda to the staff of the legislative council, and the Colorado Secretary of State on November 1, 2022. Please review the CDEC 2023 Regulatory Agenda for more information on the rules CDEC is planning to consider for implementation during the 2023 calendar year.