6.4 Early Learning and Developmental Guidelines

Lead Agencies must develop, maintain, or implement early learning and developmental guidelines appropriate for children from birth to kindergarten entry. Early learning and developmental guidelines should describe what children should know and be able to do at different ages and cover the essential domains of early childhood development, which at a minimum includes cognition, including language arts and mathematics; social, emotional, and physical development; and approaches toward learning. 6.4.1 Early learning and developmental guidelines a. Check the boxes below to certify the Lead Agency’s early learning and developmental guidelines are: i. [x] Research-based. ii. [x] Developmentally appropriate. iii. [x] Culturally and linguistically appropriate. iv. [x] Aligned with kindergarten entry. v. [x] Appropriate for all children from birth to kindergarten entry. vi. [x] Implemented in consultation with the educational agency and the State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care or similar coordinating body. vii. If any components above are not checked, describe: b. Check the boxes below to certify that the required domains are included in the Lead Agency’s early learning and developmental guidelines. i. [x] Cognition, including language arts and mathematics. ii. [x] Social development. iii. [x] Emotional development. iv. [x] Physical development. v. [x] Approaches toward learning. vi. [x] Other optional domains. Describe any optional domains: The Guidelines address the following content areas for children ages three to five: 1) social studies knowledge and skills and 2) creative arts expression. Additional content areas addressed for children kindergarten through third grade: music, dance, visual arts, drama and theater arts. Transition supports are also addressed for the following: 1) transition to home; 2) infancy to toddlerhood; 3) home to school; 4) early intervention (Part C) to preschool special education (Part B); and 5) transition to kindergarten. vii. If any components above are not checked, describe: c. When were the Lead Agency’s early learning and developmental guidelines most recently updated and for what reason? The Colorado Early Learning and Development Guidelines (https://earlylearningco.org/) were originally developed and endorsed by the Colorado Early Childhood Leadership Commission in 2011. They were updated in 2019 as one of the five required activities under the Colorado Preschool Development Grant, and specifically designed to maximize parental choice and knowledge. As part of this update, the Guidelines were aligned with the 2020 Colorado Academic Standards and the 2015 Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework (HSELOF). Throughout the update process, stakeholders from a wide variety of agencies and sectors were involved, including representatives from the Colorado Department of Education, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, the Colorado Department of Human Services, Head Start, local child care providers, higher education, early learning professionals, and others. An Advisory Board met numerous times to ensure the resulting guidelines reflect a strong research base, enhance working early childhood systems in Colorado, and meet the needs of diverse audiences and purposes. The Guidelines were reviewed and advised by state experts with knowledge of early childhood development and teaching practice, as well as specific content areas. The most recent update of the Guidelines was finalized in May 2019, and they are updated at least every 10 years. d. Provide the Web link to the Lead Agency's early learning and developmental guidelines. https://earlylearningco.org/ 6.4.2 Use of early learning and developmental guidelines a. Describe how the Lead Agency uses its early learning and developmental guidelines. Colorado’s Early Learning and Development Guidelines (ELDGs) are used statewide by child care providers and in the development and implementation of training and professional development. There are required alignments to the ELDGs included within the state's QRIS related to curriculum and child assessment. The PDIS offers a course specifically on the ELDGs, and serves as a primary opportunity for members of the early childhood workforce to meet a training requirement regarding child development. Through Preschool Development Grant (PDG) B-5 funding, Colorado developed family- friendly videos and a digital marketing campaign for the ELDGs. CDEC utilizes digital marketing to promote the ELDGs ongoing. Additionally, print versions of the ELDGs in English and Spanish are distributed to families, local Early Childhood Councils, Family Resource Centers, and during conferences and events. There is ongoing promotion of the website and videos including through Bright by Text. Additionally, the ELDGs were utilized as the basis for the PLAYbooks, a resource that supports parents and caregivers in understanding and promoting their child’s development through everyday activities. Finally, the ELDGs were rewritten into plain language and embedded in the forthcoming Raising CO Kids Guide website to make them even more accessible to families. b. Check the boxes below to certify that CCDF funds are not used to develop or implement an assessment for children that: i. [x] Will be the primary or sole basis to determine a child care provider ineligible to participate in the CCDF. ii. [x] Will be used as the primary or sole basis to provide a reward or sanction for an individual provider. iii. [x] Will be used as the primary or sole method for assessing program effectiveness. iv. [x] Will be used to deny children eligibility to participate in CCDF. v. If any components above are not checked, describe: 7 Quality Improvement Activities The quality of child care directly affects children’s safety and healthy development while in care settings, and high-quality child care can be foundational across the lifespan. Lead Agencies may use CCDF for quality improvement activities for all children in care, not just those receiving child care subsidies. OCC will collect the most detailed Lead Agency information about quality improvement activities in annual reports instead of this Plan. Lead Agencies must report on CCDF child care quality improvement investments in three ways: 1. In this Plan, Lead Agencies will describe the types of activities supported by quality investments over the 3-year period. 2. An annual expenditure report (the ACF-696). Lead Agencies will provide data on how much CCDF funding is spent on quality activities. This report will be used to determine compliance with the required quality and infant and toddler spending requirements. 3. An annual Quality Progress Report (the ACF-218). Lead Agencies will provide a description of activities funded by quality expenditures, the measures used to evaluate its progress in improving the quality of child care programs and services within the State/Territory, and progress or barriers encountered on those measures. In this section of the Plan, Lead Agencies will describe their quality activities needs assessment and identify the types of quality improvement activities where CCDF investments are being made using quality set-aside funds.