Guest blog by Carrie Germeroth, Ph.D. Managing Senior Researcher at Marzano Research From Seed to System What happens when you give local early childhood leaders the freedom to try bold ideas with modest seed funding? In Colorado, the answer is visible in classrooms, child care c…
Elevating Voices, Igniting Change: The CIRCLE Grant Program’s Impact
I’ve witnessed remarkable changes in the early care and learning field in my role as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Director for the Community Innovation and Resilience for Care and Learning Equity (CIRCLE) Grant Program. This grant was funded by federal stimulus dollars and administer…
Creating Inclusive Early Learning Environments: Lessons from the CIRCLE Grant Program
Colorado’s young child and family populations have become more diverse in recent years, representing various cultural and linguistic backgrounds and disabilities.[1] As such, early care and learning providers acknowledge the need to create inclusive early learning environments to serve the needs o…
Study Release: Community Projects Strengthened Early Childhood Field
Local grantees used federal stimulus funding to design innovative and equitable solutions to early childhood challenges worsened by the pandemic Children and families across Colorado have greater access to quality, affordable child care and other early childhood programs after the completion of a $2…
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 …