As we close the calendar year, we celebrate the progress we have made toward more equitably serving Colorado’s children and their families. We are also excited about the great things to come in 2022.

Among our top priorities in the new year is to lay the groundwork for the state’s voter-approved, voluntary, universal preschool program. The universal preschool program, which will be overseen by the new Department of Early Childhood, will give all Colorado families the opportunity to access 10 hours of high-quality early care and education per week, per child, in the year prior to the child entering kindergarten. It is set to launch in 2023. 

Following extensive stakeholder engagement, a report outlining key recommendations to guide the universal preschool program is now complete and will be submitted to the Early Childhood Leadership Commission (ECLC) for approval. 
 

Access the completed Universal Preschool Program Recommendations here. 

The ECLC will meet on January 11 at 9:30am to review the Universal Preschool Recommendations and vote on their approval. We invite you to attend that public meeting.

We hope you will also join us at our January Monthly Town Hall on January 4 at 5:30pm, where we plan to hear from Special Guest Governor Jared Polis, review the latest updates, and outline what’s to come. Spanish language interpretation will be available. 

We deeply appreciate the valuable input stakeholders across Colorado have provided; it has been critical to arriving at this important milestone. We look forward to continuing our work together into the new year and beyond to ensure all children, their families, and the early childhood professionals who support them are valued, healthy, and thriving.