How do federal changes impact Colorado's early childhood system?

Federal policy and funding shifts can cause uncertainty and concern. Early Milestones Colorado is pleased to launch Early Childhood Connect. We will provide up-to-date information about how federal changes impact Colorado’s early childhood system. We will provide news and updates across the four system domains: Learning and Development, Health and Well-being, Family Support and Education, and Economic Mobility.

If you have any questions you would like us to address, please fill out this form. For additional resources, updates, and events, follow our social media accounts and subscribe to our newsletter. If you have any resources we can amplify, please email Cat Portillo at cportillo@earlymilestones.org.

Learning and Development

Immigration Policy Changes

The new administration has made several significant changes to immigration policy:

  • Immigration Arrests Can Now Happen At Schools: The new administration has reversed a policy in place for decades that treated schools, child care centers, churches, and hospitals as protected spaces. Read more here.
  • Increased Deportations: The new administration has stated that deportations will increase. Caregivers can prepare by learning about their rights if an ICE visit occurs at their center. For instance, ICE can enter a private area only if they have a judicial warrant signed by a judge. Learn more here.

Colorado child care providers can support immigrant families and children by:

Education Policy Changes

President Trump signed an executive order to close the U.S. Department of Education. Milestones board member Dr. Rosemarie Allen shares how this decision will impact Colorado’s children in this video.

Here is what the U.S. Department of Education funds in Colorado:

  • Special education services for 117,600 students
  • Support for 17,800 children experiencing homelessness
  • School meals for 400,000 children

Colorado Regulations for Child Care Centers in Emergency Events

Colorado has several licensing regulations that specify what to do in an emergency such as law enforcement action.

  • 2.217 Required Staff and Supervision: This rule shares the ratio requirements and operation guidelines for emergency situations.
  • 2.314 Requirements for Emergency Substitutes: This rule provides the requirements for emergency substitutes.
  • 2.509 Emergency Staffing Situations: This rule gives staffing parameters to follow in case of an emergency.
Safe Space Policy Guide Family Preparedness Packet

Health and Well-being

Medicaid Cuts

What we know:

  • The federal government could cut Medicaid by up to $880 Billion, resulting in millions losing coverage
  • 2 out of 5 rural children in Colorado receive coverage through Medicaid (Health First Colorado)
  • 1 out of 3 children in urban areas have coverage through Medicaid
  • 50% of children with special healthcare needs rely on Medicaid

Medicaid benefits for children include:

  • Better educational outcomes: more likely to graduate high school and college
  • Better economic outcomes: higher earnings and productivity as an adult
  • Better health outcomes for their entire life

Medicaid is also a critical support for the early childhood workforce. Milestones board member Annie Lee shares more about the impact of Medicaid cuts for Coloradans.

Health Effects of Immigration Policy Change

Family detention, family member deportation, family separation, anti-immigrant harassment, and any interaction with the immigration system are considered adverse childhood experiences. That means they can impact the development of a child for life. The effects of these policies impact children regardless of the immigration status of the child.

In Colorado, 67,000 children are at risk of a parent being deported.

Effects for children include:

  • Chronic fear of the arrest of a loved one, leading to toxic stress
  • Social and educational disruptions
  • Delayed brain development
  • Behavior challenges

Learn more here.

How Medicaid Supports Student Success Mass Deportation Talking Points

Family Support and Education

Updates on federal changes that impact Colorado’s families

  • Birthright citizenship: An executive order is attempting to end birthright citizenship for the children of undocumented parents. A federal court blocked this order.
  • Federal grants, loans, and assistance programs: There have been several executive orders related to pausing and ending federal funding for certain programs. We will update this page as federal funding changes are implemented.

Some of the federal programs that Colorado families with young children rely on:

    • Head Start/ Early Head Start
    • Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
    • Early Intervention
    • Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP)
    • Medicaid
    • Home visiting programs (HIPPY, PAT, NFP)
    • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
    • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
    • Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

You can learn more about the impact of potential cuts to Head Start and Early Head Start here.

Education Policy Tracker

Economic Mobility

What is Economic Mobility?

Economic mobility is a family’s capacity to attain higher income levels over several generations. You can learn more about economic mobility in our recent brief.

The federal government receives a long-term return of $10 for every $1 invested in children. Federal programs helped to cut poverty in half between 1967 and 2012. They contributed to improved health, increased education levels, and a better labor market.

In Colorado:

  • 579,000: Children are covered by Medicaid
  • 47,000: Kids receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) 
  • 317,000: Kids receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) 
  • 11,100: Children are in Head Start and Early Head Start 

Federal cuts to these programs would impact the educational, health, and economic outcomes of thousands of Colorado kids for years to come.

Economic Mobility Benefits Children Federal Spending and Colorado Children: Understanding the Impact

How Do Federal Supports Impact Child Care Providers in Colorado?

Early Milestones Colorado surveyed licensed child care providers within Colorado in February and March 2025 to learn how federal supports impact their child care programs. You can read the brief here.

How many child care providers in Colorado get federal funding?

  • 2 in 3 providers get some federal funding
  • 1 in 3 providers get federal funding for multiple programs

Most providers received funding for the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP) (53%), followed by the Colorado Food Program (CFP) (29%), Head Start (7%), Early Intervention (6%), or various other federal programs.

You can view this resource to learn about how recent executive orders impact non-profit organizations.

Upcoming Events

Monday, May 12 at 1:00pm

Support Federal Funding for Child Care and Early Learning Programs

Join First Five Years Fund (FFYF), Child Care Aware of America (CCAoA), the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and National Head Start Association (NHSA) for an in-depth conversation about what’s at stake, what it means, and what you can do *today* to help.

Register here.

 

Please email Cat Portillo at cportillo@earlymilestones.org with any events we can include.

Partners

  • Buell Foundation