(Deleted by amendment, L. 2005, p. 892, § 2, effective June 2, 2005.)
Repealed.
School-readiness quality improvement program created. On and after July 1, 2018, and continuing thereafter subject to sufficient and available federal funding, there is created the school-readiness quality improvement program, referred to in this section as the "program", which is administered by the department as part of the Colorado shines quality rating and improvement system. The state department shall award school-readiness quality improvement funding to eligible early childhood councils identified or established throughout the state pursuant to section 26-6.5-103. School-readiness quality improvement funding shall be awarded to improve the school readiness of children five years of age and younger who are enrolled in early childhood education programs. School-readiness quality improvement funding shall be awarded to eligible early childhood councils based upon allocations made at the discretion of the state department and subject to available funding. Nothing in this section or in any rules promulgated pursuant to this section creates a legal entitlement in any early childhood council to school-readiness quality improvement funding. Money awarded must be used to improve the school readiness of children, five years of age and younger, cared for in early childhood education programs.
(3.5) Early childhood councils. (a) (I) Communities throughout the state that do not have an early childhood council may identify an existing early childhood council in another community or establish a new early childhood council pursuant to sections 26-6.5-103.3 and 266.5-103.5 to work toward the development and implementation of a comprehensive early childhood system to ensure the school readiness of young children in the community.
Application for funding. (a) An early childhood council seeking school-readiness quality improvement funding from the state department pursuant to this section shall apply directly to the state department in the manner specified by rule of the state board. An early childhood council applying for school-readiness quality improvement funding pursuant to this section shall develop and submit a school-readiness plan to improve the school readiness of children in the community as described in subsection (6) of this section and shall meet any additional eligibility requirements specified by rule of the state board.
(b) Early childhood councils that receive school-readiness quality improvement funding pursuant to this section shall prioritize the distribution of the money to participating early childhood education programs that serve children five years of age or younger with risk factors associated with not being school ready, including but not limited to children living in lowincome families, as specified by rule of the state board.
(4.5) State assistance. (a) The state department may provide technical assistance and financial incentives to:
Programs that are rated in the Colorado shines system at a level one or two to supportthe programs in advancing to a level three or higher quality level; and
Programs that are rated in the Colorado shines system at a level three, four, or five tosupport the programs in maintaining a high-quality level or advancing to a higher quality level.
(b) The early childhood council may support the state department with the assistance described in subsection (4.5)(a) of this section by providing local community outreach and engagement strategies.
(5) Colorado shines quality rating and improvement system. The Colorado shines quality rating and improvement system, referred to in this section as the "Colorado shines system", shall measure the level of preparedness of and quality of services provided by an early childhood education program to prepare children to enter elementary school. The Colorado shines system shall:
(a) Measure and support the elements of quality of an early childhood education program, including, but not limited to:
The quality of the learning environment;
The quality of adult-child interactions;
Adult-to-child ratios;
Provider training and education, including recognized credentials through the statedepartment's voluntary credentialing system developed pursuant to section 26-6.5-107; and
Parent-involvement activities at the early care and education facility;
Be variable to inform parents, counties, and other purchasers of early childhood education about the level of quality at an early childhood education program in a simple and easy-to-understand manner;
Be supported by statistically valid research as a reliable measure of quality of anearly childhood education program;
Include a quality improvement plan that facilitates goal setting and planning relatedto improving program quality over time; and
Have demonstrated effectiveness at improving the level of quality of early childhoodeducation programs in geographically diverse Colorado communities.
(6) School-readiness plans. Each early childhood council seeking to apply for schoolreadiness quality improvement funding pursuant to this section shall prepare and submit to the state department a three-year school-readiness plan that outlines strategies to improve the school readiness of children. The school-readiness plan, at a minimum, must include:
A narrative that demonstrates the need to improve quality and increase the capacityfor early childhood education programs in its service area;
A plan that describes how the early childhood council will target and recruit programs that are rated in the Colorado shines system at a level one or higher. The early childhood council must target and recruit programs to increase the access and availability of quality child care for children participating in the Colorado child care assistance program, created in part 8 of article 2 of this title 26. If the early childhood council received schoolreadiness quality improvement funding prior to the 2020-21 fiscal year, the early childhood council shall amend the three-year school readiness plan to comply with the requirements of this section.
Strategies developed jointly with community partners to include, at a minimum, county departments of human or social services to target school-readiness quality improvement funding to improve the level of quality at participating early childhood education programs.
(Deleted by amendment, L. 2018.)
(7) Rules. (a) The state board shall promulgate rules for the implementation of this section, including but not limited to rules that:
Specify the procedure by which an early childhood council may apply for schoolreadiness quality improvement funding pursuant to the program; and
Specify the manner in which school-readiness quality improvement funding is distributed to early childhood councils, ensuring an equitable distribution between rural and urban communities; and
Identify any additional eligibility requirements for early childhood councils seekingschool-readiness quality improvement funding.
(b) At a minimum, the rules promulgated pursuant to this subsection (7) must identify a specific and measurable level of improvement in the Colorado shines system that an early childhood education program must achieve within each Colorado shines rating cycle in order to continue receiving school-readiness quality improvement funding, as well as the eligibility criteria for continued participation in the program.
(8) Funding. (a) The school-readiness quality improvement program is funded using federal child care development fund money or other federal or state money annually appropriated for the program. The state department shall allocate the money to the eligible early childhood councils for distribution to early childhood education programs, as provided in this section.
If money is required to match the federal child care development funds, such matching money may be from, but need not be limited to, general fund money appropriated by the general assembly, local money, or private matching money. The general assembly is not obligated to appropriate general fund money if private matching money is not available or later becomes unavailable.
The state department is authorized to enter into a sole-source contract with an organization to provide the following:
Quality rating assessments;
Technical assistance for early childhood education programs;
Community infrastructure and resource development for improving the quality ofearly childhood education;
Parent and consumer education on the importance of quality early childhood education; and
Professional development activities.
(9) Evaluation - report. (a) Each early childhood council shall submit a report to the state department on or before August 15, 2019, and on or before August 15 each year thereafter. The report must address the quality improvement of the participating early childhood education programs and the overall effectiveness of the Colorado shines system at preparing children with identified risk factors for school. At a minimum, the report must address:
The number of early childhood education programs and children who participated inthe Colorado shines system, including the number of children five years of age or younger served as a result of the school-readiness quality improvement funding in home-based programs and in center-based programs;
The baseline quality ratings of each participating early childhood education programfor each Colorado shines rating cycle;
An analysis and explanation of the quality improvement strategies undertaken ateach early childhood education program;
The barriers to quality improvement that were encountered; and(V) Any other data required by the state department.
(b) (I) Notwithstanding section 24-1-136 (11)(a)(I), on or before December 1, 2019, and on or before December 1 every three years thereafter, the state department, or any private entity with which the state department is authorized to contract for this purpose, shall submit a consolidated statewide report, based upon the reports prepared and submitted by the early childhood councils, addressing the items set forth in subsection (9)(a) of this section to the early childhood and school readiness legislative commission and to the members of the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate of the general assembly, or any successor committee.
(II) Notwithstanding section 24-1-136 (11)(a)(I), the report required in subsection (9)(b)(I) of this section continues indefinitely.
Reporting early childhood councils, as well as the state department or any privateentity with which it may contract for reporting purposes, may draw upon the evaluations and studies prepared by a nationally recognized research firm to report on the school readiness of children in quality-rated early childhood education programs.
Each early childhood council shall work with state and local agencies, such as schooldistricts, to support efforts to track, through high school graduation, the future academic performance of children who receive services from early childhood education programs that receive funding pursuant to this section.
Source: L. 2002: Entire section added, p. 1615, § 1, effective July 1. L. 2004: IP(5) and (9)(b) amended, p. 1771, § 9, effective June 4. L. 2005: Entire section amended, p. 892, § 2, effective June 2. L. 2006: (2)(d)(I)(B) amended, p. 432, § 9, effective April 13; (2)(b)(I), IP(3.5)(a)(I), and (3.5)(a)(II)(C) amended, p. 700, § 48, effective April 28; (2)(a) repealed, p. 1505, § 50, effective June 1. L. 2007: (2) repealed and (3) and (5)(a)(IV) amended, pp. 1641, 1643, §§ 8, 9, effective May 31. L. 2009: IP(3.5)(a)(I) and (3.5)(a)(II)(C) amended, (SB 09292), ch. 369, p. 1976, § 103, effective August 5. L. 2010: (3.5)(a)(I)(E) amended, (HB 101422), ch. 419, p. 2117, § 158, effective August 11. L. 2013: IP(5) and (9)(b) amended, (HB 131007), ch. 367, p. 2148, § 2, effective June 5. L. 2018: (3), (3.5), (4), IP(5), IP(5)(a), (5)(b), (5)(c), (5)(d), (5)(e), (6), (7), (8), and (9) amended, (SB 18-099), ch. 90, p. 718, § 4, effective August 8; (3), IP(3.5)(a)(I), IP(3.5)(a)(II), (3.5)(b), (4), IP(6), (7)(a), (8)(a), (8)(b), IP(9)(a), (9)(b), (9)(c), and (9)(d) amended, (HB 18-1141), ch. 59, p. 603, § 8, effective August 8. L. 2020: (4.5) added and (6)(b) and (8)(a) amended, (HB 20-1053), ch. 249, p. 1215, § 3, effective July 8.
Editor's note: Amendments to provisions of this section by SB 18-099 and HB 18-1141 were harmonized.
Cross references: For the legislative declaration contained in the 2005 act amending this section, see section 1 of chapter 238, Session Laws of Colorado 2005. For the legislative declaration in HB 18-1141, see section 1 of chapter 59, Session Laws of Colorado 2018.