Increase Quality In Early Childhood Education Programs

Early Childhood and School Readiness Legislative Commission. The bill requires the department of human services (state department) to provide technical assistance and financial incentives to programs that are rated at a level one or 2 in the Colorado shines system (system) to support the programs in advancing to a higher quality level, and to programs that are rated at a level 3, 4, or 5 to support the programs in maintaining a high-quality level or advancing to a higher quality level. Each early childhood council (council) shall support the state department with this assistance by providing local community outreach and engagement strategies. The bill requires each council seeking to apply for school-readiness quality improvement funding (funding) to describe how the council will target and recruit programs that are rated in the system at a level one or higher in the council's 3-year school readiness plan. Councils that received funding prior to the 2020-21 fiscal year must amend the council's 3-year school readiness plan. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)