Many Colorado families currently lack access to high-quality, reliable early care and education opportunities for their children. For many, this critical service is either not available, not affordable, and/or not accessible. As a result, too many kids start their formal education in kindergarten, already lagging behind their peers.
Thanks to the new state investment in universal preschool, approved by Colorado voters through Proposition EE in 2020, we have a historic opportunity to dramatically expand access to quality early learning in the year before kindergarten.
In this policy brief, Colorado Succeeds, Executives Partnering to Invest in Children (EPIC), and ReadyNation offer actionable and specific recommendations for structuring the new pre-kindergarten program to maximize benefits for children, families, and educators.
Through Colorado’s new universal pre-kindergarten program, we have the opportunity to ensure our youngest learners get a strong start to their educational careers and are prepared to compete and succeed in school, work, and life.
This brief and preceding companion piece are offered in the spirit of continuing constructive collaboration toward a stronger, more effective early care and education system for Colorado.
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