7.2 Use of Quality Set-Aside Funds

Lead Agencies must use a portion of their CCDF expenditures for activities designed to improve the quality of child care services and to increase parental options for and access to high-quality child care. They must use the quality set-aside funds on at least one of 10 activities described in CCDF and the quality activities must be aligned with a Statewide or Territory-wide assessment of the State's or Territory’s need to carry out such services and care. 7.2.1 Quality improvement activities a. Describe how the Lead Agency will make its Quality Progress Report (ACF – 218) and expenditure reports, available to the public. Provide a link if available. This information is available upon request. We regularly update partners on quality initiatives and investments through ECLC and its subcommittees as well as advisory groups and committees across CDEC. CDEC posts its State Plan at https://cdec.colorado.gov/resources/state-plans. b. Identify Lead Agency plans, if any, to spend CCDF funds for each of the following quality improvement activities. If an activity is checked “yes”, describe the Lead Agency’s current and/or future plans for this activity. i. Supporting the training and professional development of the child care workforce, including birth to five and school-age providers. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. CDEC’s efforts to support the training and professional development of the child care workforce are grounded in the strategic goal to recruit, support and retain highly competent, caring and diverse early childhood professionals across early childhood care and education settings serving children and families. To achieve this goal, current and future activities include: 1) promoting systemic and structural opportunities to increase funding for compensation and benefits and other mechanisms that support the economic, social and mental well being of the early childhood workforce; 2) creating aligned and accessible credential and qualification pathways to foster a comprehensive early childhood professional workforce that reflects the children and families of Colorado communities; 3) providing training, mentoring, coaching and consultative opportunities for the early childhood workforce to identify and build on their unique strengths and skills and to engage in reflective practices that support their ongoing growth and development; and 4) providing the early childhood workforce with initial training and professional learning opportunities to build competencies that advance equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging. CDEC’s Division of Early Childhood Workforce leads these efforts through coordinated implementation across the following teams: Professional Learning and Design: The Professional Learning and Design team provides leadership to ensure every member of the early care and education workforce can access required training and continue their growth through high- quality learning opportunities. This team designs, develops, and delivers a range of embedded learning supports for new and practicing early childhood professionals, including virtual instructor-led, self-paced online learning, hybrid training programs, training-of-trainer curricula, mentoring and coaching programs, and documentation tools that reinforce consistent and quality practices across diverse early learning and development settings. The team focuses on competency- and standards-based approaches for the early childhood workforce to ensure children and families experience a supportive care and education system. Registry and Career Pathways: The Registry and Career Pathways team provides leadership to build the infrastructure and systems that support diverse professionals across the early childhood sector through a robust workforce registry, learning management system, and through simplifying and aligning accessible qualification and credentialing pathways. This team works to identify and address barriers to access that exist for individuals who desire a career in Early Childhood Education and to support career advancement pathways through professional credentialing systems that are meaningfully aligned with other CDEC and state programs focused on the early childhood workforce. Activities include managing the ongoing and temporary initiatives to support the continuous growth and development of the early childhood workforce, including the Professional Development Information System (PDIS), Qualification and Competency Alignment Initiatives, and the Early Childhood Professional Credential (ECPC). Workforce Strategy and System Leadership: The Strategy and System Leadership team drives innovation and transformation of the early childhood system through implementation of robust strategies focused on stabilizing, supporting, and growing the EC workforce. This team is deeply engaged in cross agency and stakeholder partners focused on designing responsive alignments with higher education and professional development partners, Early Childhood Councils, funders and other key workforce strategy partners. These include several compensation focused strategies including piloting compensation increase studies, loan forgiveness, scholarship programs and benefits focused initiatives. Activities include leading responsive higher education partnerships for work-based learning (e.g. apprenticeships, credit for prior learning and stackable credentials) and transformative new projects that include designing substitute fund programs, supporting Family, Friend and Neighbor providers and creating learning networks with family child care homes. The Early Childhood Mental Health (ECMH) Consultation: The ECMH team focuses on increasing access to mental health consultants for child care providers and families as well as increased access to professional development and coaching for providers on social-emotional development and behaviors adults find challenging. Specific outputs include a dedicated webpage, Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation, where early childhood providers and caregivers can find information on ECMH consultative services and request services through the online referral. Webpage content includes brief program description, toolkits, as well as links to the EarlyChildhoodMentalHealthCO.org site where customizable print materials, videos and ready-to-post social media graphics that address mental health related topics (stigma, asking for help, etc.) can be accessed by community partners. The PDIS houses a variety of trainings related to social emotional development and ECMH consultation, including Working with an Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant and Recognizing the Impact of Bias in Mental Health Consultation. Additionally, as a means of aligning efforts to reduce suspension and expulsion, the ECMH Program hosts CDEC discussion panels and intentionally networks early childhood support professionals to ensure that a child’s social and emotional needs are identified and addressed early. The program is in the process of creating parent- and provider-facing facts sheets that outline the breadth of services available through consultation and resources that specifically address suspension and expulsion, available in multiple languages. Future workforce activities are outlined in Pathways to Success: Colorado’s Comprehensive Early Childhood Workforce Plan. ii. Developing, maintaining, or implementing early learning and developmental guidelines. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. Colorado has a comprehensive set of early learning and developmental guidelines (https://earlylearningco.org/). We will continue to disseminate the early learning and developmental guidelines, using both print and digital dissemination strategies including an updated website. CDEC will update the guidelines if needed, particularly to align with updated Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework or Colorado academic standards, and to be culturally and linguistically responsive. https://earlylearningco.org/ iii. Developing, implementing, or enhancing a quality improvement system. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. Colorado is making investments into enhancing the Quality Improvement tracking system as well as maintaining the current QRIS System. Future investments include the implementation of the Universal Preschool Quality Standards (https://cdec.colorado.gov/universal-preschool-colorado) in alignment with the CDEC’s Colorado Shines quality improvement system and the development of a Resource Bank to support providers with quality enhancement efforts. iv. Improving the supply and quality of child care services for infants and toddlers. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. Colorado has SLFRF funding to support supply building and capital project support through two grant programs: The Emerging and Expanding grant program and The Employer-Based Child Care grant program. Colorado offers a minor improvement grant supporting infant and toddler programming. Additionally, Colorado uses CCDF funding to support the Expanding Quality for Infants and Toddlers programs, peer mentoring, and coaching initiatives for the infant/toddler workforce. Programs receiving minor improvement grants must attest to continue to enhance or maintain their high-quality rating levels. v. Establishing or expanding a statewide system of CCR&R services. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. Colorado will maintain its existing CCR&R network of services and will continue to review options to enhance the search function for families. vi. Facilitating compliance with Lead Agency child care licensing, monitoring, inspection and health and safety standards. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x]Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. Colorado will maintain its existing services in child care licensing, monitoring and inspections of health and safety standards and will continue to pursue options to expand licensing services offered in additional languages. vii. Evaluating and assessing the quality and effectiveness of child care services within the State/Territory. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the Colorado Shines quality constructs, a recent evaluation (https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1CxcxNbqHtjV27apzjtlSGPvxKxe3UeBA) of the updated Colorado Shines framework was conducted by Butler Institute for Families, building upon the initial validation conducted by Child Trends in 2018. The report indicates that Colorado Shines standards are aligned to current research and support positive outcomes for children. Next steps are to evaluate feedback to determine how best to make future enhancements. viii. Accreditation support. [x] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [ ] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. ix. Supporting State/Territory or local efforts to develop high-quality program standards relating to health, mental health, nutrition, physical activity, and physical development. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. Colorado includes these program standards as part of its QRIS quality standards (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XAJihVcH7YLFG3VlqVxTQ3Q5z0449tVP/view). x. Other activities determined by the Lead Agency to improve the quality of child care services and the measurement of outcomes related to improved provider preparedness, child safety, child well-being, or kindergarten entry. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. -Activities, investments, and staffing to develop, promote and align economic mobility supports and services including coordination and collaboration with county Human Services and Public Health Departments as well as other local partners to support the economic well-being of families. -Supporting the economic wellbeing and opportunities for the advancement of the early childhood workforce. -Build strategies and systems that support children and their families’ smooth transition from early learning experiences (including child care, preschool, Head Start, developmental/Special Education preschool, and/or friend, family, and neighbor care) into kindergarten, ready to learn and to be behaviorally and academically successful. -Investments (FTE, consumer education) to enhance the continuity and strengthen the bridge between child care and kindergarten. -Enhance alignment between senders (early care and learning) and receivers (K-3, local education agency) as children transition between learning environments. -Build coordinated efforts for CCDF and Head Start-eligible children to provide comprehensive child care and developmental services. -Support cross-agency and cross-organizational work through the Quality Nutrition workgroup to expand access to quality nutrition for children in early care and learning settings, including increasing access to CACFP, and expanding access to quality nutrition for families, early childhood providers, and teachers. -Support ongoing access to programs, like the Colorado Early Learning: Universal Design & Inclusion Project and Project Include, that support child care providers in learning how to make adaptations to ensure all children can access a quality early learning environment. -Support CDEC Family Voice Council to ensure they can provide ongoing input into communicating with families around quality child care. -Activities, staff, and investments that support and promote family leadership, education and engagement such as the Family Voice Council, Family Engagement Framework promotion, and other activities. -Maintaining and expanding the use of the Raising Colorado Kids Guide website to promote family connection to supportive early childhood services. -Invest in a Language Justice Coordinator to develop and implement a Department-wide language justice plan and work with external partners to improve engagement with limited English proficient communities. -Diversify community engagement by building strategies and supports to offer and provide interpretation and translation services and culturally responsive practices. -Contribute and participate in external engagement opportunities that promote our engagement with diverse communities. -Engage external partners to serve as thought partners and a sounding board to improve diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility initiatives and strategies by supporting ongoing Tribal Advisory Council work and establishing an DEIA Advisory board inclusive of community working groups, such as Black children and families, Limited English Proficient Families, and Migrant and Refugee Families. -Support ongoing professional development opportunities to increase awareness of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility especially opportunities that impact historically marginalized communities. -Build coordinated and strategic efforts for cross-agency and cross-organizational work through developing a statewide equity plan that provides a framework for DEIA implementation in early childhood spaces, inclusive of language justice planning and implementation. 8 Lead Agency Coordination and Partnerships to Support Service Delivery Coordination and partnerships help ensure that the Lead Agency’s efforts accomplish CCDF goals effectively, leverage other resources, and avoid duplication of effort. Such coordination and partnerships can help families better access child care, can assist in providing consumer education to parents, and can be used to improve child care quality and the stability of child care providers. Such coordination can also be particularly helpful in the aftermath of disasters when the provision of emergency child care services and the rebuilding and restoring of child care infrastructure are an essential part of ensuring the well-being of children and families in recovering communities. This section identifies who the Lead Agency collaborates with to implement services, how match and maintenance-of-effort (MOE) funds are used, coordination with child care resource and referral (CCR&R) systems, and efforts for disaster preparedness and response plans to support continuity of operations in response to emergencies.