As part of its ongoing effort to support and expand access to high-quality care and education for all Colorado families, the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) is providing additional funding to providers participating in the 2024-25 Colorado Universal Preschool Program.
Estimated at $1,500 – $2,500, the funding is intended to expand program quality through initiatives such as coaching, training, staff bonuses, and other services that support Colorado Universal Preschool implementation. Crucially, providers can also use the funds towards maintaining or expanding infant and toddler care at their facilities.
“Providing high-quality options for affordable early child care and education has never been more important,” said Dr. Lisa Roy, CDEC Executive Director. “This funding furthers the state’s investment in the early childhood workforce and our youngest learners at the same time.”
The funding also addresses Colorado’s shortage of infant and toddler child care, which has an annual cost of $2.7 billion on Colorado’s economy.
More than half of Colorado residents live in a community where demand for infant-toddler care exceeds supply, with almost 75 percent of working parents reporting that access to child care presents a challenge. When families do manage to find care, costs are prohibitively high; in 2023, the average annual cost of care for infants in Colorado was $16,920, while for toddlers, it was $14,305.
Funding is being allocated through SB23-269, “Colorado Preschool Program Provider Bonus Payments.” The bill was sponsored by Senator Janet Buckner, Senator Janice Rich, Representative Meghan Lukens, and Representative Mary Bradfield, and signed by Governor Polis in 2023.
Eligible providers will receive a brief application directly from Colorado Universal Preschool’s payment provider portal by June 1, 2024. The application for this bonus closes on June 15, 2024. Funding will be distributed to providers by June 30, 2024.
Are all 20245-25 Colorado Universal Preschool providers eligible for this bonus?
To be eligible for the bonus, providers must have signed a Colorado Universal Preschool Provider Set-Up Form for the 2024-25 School Year by April 1, 2024, and have maintained or expanded their infant and toddler capacity between April 1, 2022 and April 1, 2024.
How will each provider’s bonus be determined?
The bonus amount will be determined after the application closes based on the number of applications received. The bonus will be distributed to providers by June 30, 2024.
Is this additional funding for Colorado Universal Preschool providers CDEC’s only initiative to expand access and quality to early child care and education in Colorado?
No – this investment aligns with the Department’s Five-Year Strategic Plan to build a sustainable early childhood system.
The Colorado Department of Early Childhood ensures the delivery of a comprehensive, community-informed, data-driven, high-quality and equitable early childhood system that supports the care, education and well-being of all Colorado’s young children, their families and early childhood professionals in all settings. Learn more about the Colorado Department of Early Childhood at cdec.colorado.gov