Investing in the Early Childhood Workforce
Investing in Colorado Families
Investing in Access and Quality
CDEC developed these strategies to meet families, service providers and early childhood professionals where they are during one of the most challenging periods in recent history. Recognizing the unique opportunity that stimulus funding offered the early childhood sector, evaluation was included for each initiative to provide critical learnings and promote long-term growth upon these successes.
Six stimulus-funded activities to improve equitable access, quality, teacher compensation and provider support
Providing one-time incentives to providers who become licensed or Qualified Exempt
Helping families find real-time child care options in their community
Expanding incentives for early childhood professionals to join and advance in the field
Improving child care growth and sustainability through better business practices
Providing operational funds to promote sustainability of child care and reduce costs to families
An alphabetized list of strategic investments in Colorado's early childhood ecosystem through pandemic-related stimulus funds.
Supporting a mixed-delivery system that meets the unique needs of all families
Creating alternate pathways for aspiring early childhood professionals
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
Reducing the cost of care for families participating in CCCAP
Better demonstrating the value of qualified educators with improved compensation
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
Building a more diverse and culturally responsive workforce
Promoting innovative strategies that make early care and learning more affordable and inclusive
Co-creating strategies to prevent child maltreatment directly with the community
Offering free training courses for child care center directors through PDIS
Creating clearer professional development pathways and tracking for early childhood educators
Increasing the number of consultants to support child care providers and families
Making infant and toddler care more available to Colorado families
Providing more accessible resources for families to support children's development
Increasing the availability of affordable care, especially in child care deserts
Incentivizing employers to build accessible child care centers
Offering free online equity courses through PDIS and translating existing courses and resources
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
Elevating parent and caregiver participation in early childhood program design
Reducing the cost of tuition for those wishing to enter the early childhood education field
Helping providers create environments that support children's healthy development
Funding evidence-based programs for providers, including Incredible Years, Pyramid and Conscious Discipline
Reducing the cost of substitute educators for child care providers
Bringing support for children's success directly into the home setting
Providing in-home support to MIECHV recipients in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency
Offering operating funds to license-exempt providers so that savings can be passed to families
Improving the quality and presentation of workforce data from the PDIS
Improving support services for early childhood educators using the PDIS
Funding support groups, adoption services, crisis intervention and other programs that strengthen 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
Enhancing the mental health and development of caregivers and young children
Supporting access to higher education pathways for early childhood professionals
Encouraging child care providers to develop leaders from within
Expanding incentives for early childhood professionals to join and advance in the field