In 2017, Colorado developed the Early Childhood Workforce 2020 Plan, setting ambitious goals related to early learning or early care and education workforce recruitment, preparation, well-being, retention, and data. The Colorado Department of Early Childhood and the Early Childhood Leadership Commission, in partnership with Early Milestones, have updated and expanded upon the plan, creating a new Colorado Comprehensive Early Childhood Workforce Plan. The new plan takes a broad view of the early childhood workforce including home visiting, early childhood mental health, and early intervention.
Updating and expanding upon the Early Childhood Workforce 2020 Plan
A New Workforce Plan
In February 2024, the ECLC officially endorsed the new workforce plan, titled “Pathways to Success: Colorado’s Comprehensive Early Childhood Workforce Plan.” This plan celebrates the significant progress Colorado has achieved over the past four decades by investigating in the early childhood workforce and enhancing outcomes for children and families.
Aligned with the refreshed Early Childhood Colorado Framework of 2023, the plan acknowledges the vital role of all professionals dedicated to serving young children and families.
The plan has been designed to address immediate priorities while also offering a forward-thinking perspective for future iterations and updates. It acknowledges the dynamic nature of the workforce landscape and emphasizes the necessity for a flexible approach, ensuring that the plan remains responsive to the evolving needs of Colorado’s early childhood workforce.
Colorado Comprehensive Early Childhood Workforce Plan Communications
Following the endorsement from the Early Childhood Leadership Commission in February 2024, Early Milestones Colorado supported the launch of the Comprehensive Early Childhood Workforce Plan. The Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) and the Early Childhood Leadership Commission (ECLC) are dedicated to helping stakeholders across Colorado understand and implement the plan. Early Milestones created an outreach toolkit, a two-page summary of the plan, brand guidance, a press release, and a webinar to garner state-wide attention to the plan.
