This blog is adapted from a piece originally published on the New America website. Please see our follow up blog about a conversation between Elsa Holguin and Dr. Lisa Roy, two early childhood leaders working together in Colorado from a local (Denver) and state perspective. …
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…
Learning Loss: Students In 3 Denver Metro School Districts Had More Failing Grades During Pandemic.
CBS4 Denver | Kati Weis “We do know that students will need extra support as they return to school next fall… We are planning wraparound supports for students that will support their academic endeavors as well as the mental health and social emotional needs.” School districts in the De…
Is Remote Learning Here to Stay? Many, But Not All, Colorado Schools Will Offer Online Classes This Fall.
The Colorado Sun | Erica Breunlin “District leaders, educators, and state officials anticipate that many schools will continue to offer a remote learning option to students, some of whom have thrived in an online school environment.” While many Colorado districts are preparing for in-person le…
Make Child Care More Stable: Pay by Enrollment
New America | Abbie Lieberman, Aaron Loewenberg, & Cara Sklar While paying providers in advance based on enrollment would be a substantial improvement… it is important to acknowledge the fact that reimbursement rates are too low. Increasing reimbursement rates so that they adequately cover…
Early Childhood Workforce Innovation Grants Aim to Help Sector Rebuild from COVID-19
Six unique partnerships receive funding to pursue efforts toward strengthening Colorado’s early care and learning workforce. DENVER, April 22, 2021 – Early Milestones Colorado (Early Milestones) is pleased to announce the six partnerships selected to receive funding through Early Childhood Workf…
Diverse Language Households Disproportionately Affected by Pandemic
Staying optimistic during a pandemic is a challenge for anyone, but the difficulties of finding appropriate child care and transitioning to remote learning have been especially hard for diverse-speaking families. About 28% of Colorado children under eight are diverse language learners (DLLs),…
