Early Childhood

From an Armenian preschool to emergency loans, CIRCLE grants funded more than 200 projects around the state.

During a recent lesson at a Grand Junction preschool that receives state funding, children were taught what sin is, and how God feels about sinners.

Two Colorado communities get opposite results from push to increase lodging taxes for child care.

Aproximadamente un 30% de los programas de cuidado infantil en Colorado para niños de 5 años o menos está en una de las tres calificaciones más altas.

“This is not at all what we are seeing in any shape or form,” said Mary Alice Cohen, of the Colorado Department of Early Childhood.

This November, the City of Pueblo and the Town of Ridgway will ask voters to consider lodging taxes to support child care.

National experts had panned an earlier draft of Colorado’s universal preschool rules.

The state wants to ensure preschoolers living in poverty get full-day classes.

About 30% of Colorado child care programs for children 5 and under have one of the top three ratings.

Attorneys for Gov. Jared Polis and other state officials say the suit rests on a misinterpretation of special education law.

Before the rule change, some preschool providers said they had to turn away families who hadn’t filled out the state’s online application.

Voters approved a similar ballot measure allowing the state to keep excess marijuana tax in 2015.

Some programs are for low-income families, and others serve families regardless of income.

“I feel good with where we’re at,” said the director of a Denver child care center participating in the state’s universal preschool program.

School districts and education groups say the state has broken promises about funding, among other problems.

“We don’t give more fourth grade hours to low-income families,” said Gov. Jared Polis. “I view half-day preschool the same way.”

Things are ‘still lean,’ said an Aurora Public Schools recruiter, ‘but there’s definitely a change in the number of folks who are coming out.’

Half of 4-year-olds participating in Colorado’s new preschool program have risk factors, but there’s not enough money to give all of them full-day classes.

The state will cover the cost of training for students going into six high-demand fields.

Colorado is on track to meet its goal of serving between 40% and 60% of the state’s 4-year-olds in the new universal preschool program, a spokeswoman said.