In Fall 2023, Colorado officially launched the Universal Preschool (UPK) Program. Every Colorado child is eligible for at least 15 hours of funded preschool the year before entering kindergarten. With the generous support of the Boettcher Foundation, Early Milestones Colorado c…
CIRCLE Grantees Overcome Barriers and Increase Access to Child Care
From Phillips County on the eastern plains to Montezuma County in the southwest, rural grantees from the Community Innovation and Resilience for Care and Learning Equity (CIRCLE) Grant Program implemented innovative projects to address child care challenges. Grantees supported and expanded the early…
Building a Stronger Community: CIRCLE Grantees Empower FFN Child Care Providers
Family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) child care providers are a critical part of the early childhood workforce. They make it easier for parents to work, support their families, and contribute to the economy. FFN providers face similar struggles as those providers in licensed early care and education s…
CIRCLE on the Road: Reflecting on the Grant’s Impact Across the State
After nearly a year of virtual meetings and calls, Early Milestones hosted seven in-person events across the state to meet with recipients of the Community Innovation and Resilience for Care and Learning Equity (CIRCLE) Grant. Our team also met with grantees along the way at their sites near Broomfi…
CIRCLE Grantees Expand Access to Outdoor Learning Spaces
Spring brings longer days, warmer weather, and the chance to enrich young children’s education through outdoor play and learning. Time spent in outdoor learning spaces supports a child’s physical, social-emotional, and mental development. Research shows that young children with access to outdoor…
Some Colorado Families Squeezed by Child Care Needs, Financial and Social Stress
In 2021, Colorado families dealt with social and economic hardships. These hardships were more pronounced for families of color, and those headed by single women.[1] A year later, the economy had shifted, with more job opportunities but also more inflation. To learn how Colorado families were doing,…
Child Care Costs Strain Families’ Finances
In 2022, many Colorado families were still financially stretched. Several boosts from earlier in the pandemic ended in 2021, such as stimulus checks and the expanded Child Tax Credit.[1] In our April 2022 survey, families were still not prospering financially. Forty-four percent of survey respondent…
Moving the Needle: Parents Still Have Questions About COVID-19 Vaccines for Young Children
Health care officials consider vaccines a crucial tool in preventing infections and severe illness from COVID-19. However, approved vaccines are not yet available for children under the age of five, and some families remain unsure about whether to vaccinate their children at all. The Centers for Dis…
Funding Opportunity: CIRCLE Grants to Support Innovative Solutions to Child Care Challenges
Early Milestones Colorado, in partnership with the Colorado Department of Human Services – Office of Early Childhood, is pleased to announce the Community Innovation and Resilience for Care and Learning Equity (CIRCLE) Grant program. The program will provide nearly $23 million in grants to chi…
Polis Defends Lowering Preschool Teacher Requirements, Says It’s “Small Piece” of State’s Expansion Plan
The Colorado Sun | Erica Breunlin “We’ve had staffing shortages for years and years in Colorado, and this pandemic has made it worse.” — Early Milestones Executive Director Jennifer Stedron Colorado is facing a significant challenge in developing the early care and learning workforce to be …
Supporting Single Parents is Essential to Post-Pandemic Recovery
The COVID-19 pandemic forced many parents to leave the workforce to provide direct care and education for their children. More than 5 million children under the age of five in America live in a single-parent household, and 19% of Colorado households are headed by a single mother. As schools shif…
A Romp in the Mud After A Messy School Year Can Be Just What Colorado Preschoolers Need for Their Mental Health
The Colorado Sun | Erica Breunlin “If you know children well and notice changes, it’s just important to…make some connections as to what the cause is… Especially if you’re seeing some persistent changes, to really be thinking about whether those are just situational or whether they are sig…
Recovery Summer Coalition Funds 11 Programs for Colorado Children & Families
$350,000 in funding will support summer programs that focus on equity, engagement, and wellness following pandemic disruptions Denver, Colorado, June 15, 2021 – The Recovery Summer Coalition (the Coalition), facilitated by Early Milestones Colorado (Early Milestones) and Colorado Education I…
