The West Steps

EP 1: Conversations on early care and education in Colorado

November 29, 2021 Colorado Children's Campaign Episode 1
The West Steps
EP 1: Conversations on early care and education in Colorado
Show Notes

The passage of Proposition EE in November 2020 provided a huge increase in the number of children able to access preschool in 2023 when it goes into effect. As with any issue like this, universal preschool cannot be implemented overnight, and stakeholders across the state immediately got to work to determine how to ensure our system will be ready for this change. It also pushed our state to think bigger about the many programs and services that exist outside of preschool, but heavily impact children, birth through five.

The passage of House Bill 1304 earlier this year created a historic opportunity for our state to make programs and services that support children and families more aligned, removing barriers for families and early childhood professionals of all kinds. With the new department transition process underway, it is critical that the experiences and perspectives of parents and providers are amplified to effectively create a system that serves our youngest Coloradans in the best way possible. 

Welcome back to The West Steps for the first episode of a mini-series highlighting Colorado's new Department of Early Childhood. We are joined by Diana Herrera, Director of Education and Special Education at Bal Swan Children’s Center; and Dawn Alexander, Executive Director of the Early Childhood Education Association of Colorado. Both Diana and Dawn share their roles in the new department transition process and discuss some of the issues that have arisen as advisory groups and subcommittees work to establish an early childhood system that creates the best outcomes for young children. With the new department, Colorado has a chance to set a national trend for early childhood, and we are looking forward to exploring the possibilities and milestones that take place along the way. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more episodes highlighting this exciting process. To learn more about the new Department of Early Childhood, click here. 

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