Title 26.5, Early Childhood Programs and Services

(1) (a) If, at any time during the continuance of child care assistance, the recipient becomes possessed of property having a value in excess of that amount set pursuant to section 26.5-4-106 (4) and department rules or receives an increase in income, the recipient shall notify t…

(1) The executive director or district attorneys may request and receive from departments, boards, bureaus, or other agencies of the state or any of its political subdivisions, and the departments, boards, bureaus, or other agencies of the state or any of its political subdivisio…

(1) The executive director may establish reasonable rules to provide safeguards restricting the use or disclosure of information concerning applicants, recipients, and former and potential recipients of federally aided child care assistance to purposes directly connected with the…

(1) (a) At any time prescribed by the department of revenue, but not less frequently than annually, the department shall certify to the department of revenue information regarding persons who are obligated to the state for overpayment of child care assistance. The information mus…

(1) The department, in consultation with the department of public health and environment, shall conduct or contract for a study to determine the feasibility of de-linking eligibility for the federal child and adult care food program from the Colorado child care assistance program…

The short title of this part 2 is the "Colorado Universal Preschool Program Act". Source: L. 2022: Entire article added, (HB 22-1295), ch. 123, p. 686, § 3, effective July 1.

(1) (a) The general assembly finds and declares that: (I) Colorado has prioritized early learning through its investments in the Colorado preschool program, established in 1988, and full-day kindergarten, adopted in 2019; (II) Since establishing the Colorado preschool program, Co…

As used in this part 2, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) "Additional preschool services" means hours of preschool services provided to a child in the year preceding enrollment in kindergarten that are in addition to the universal preschool services the child receives. (…

(1) There is created in the department the Colorado universal preschool program. The department shall administer the preschool program in accordance with this part 2 and shall ensure that, for the 2023-24 school year and school years thereafter, families may enroll their children…

(1) (a) The department shall develop and the executive director shall establish by rule the quality standards that each preschool provider must meet to receive funding through the Colorado universal preschool program. The quality standards must, at a minimum, address the issues s…

(1) The department shall collaborate with the department of education through a memorandum of understanding as described in subsection (2) of this section to ensure all children with disabilities are served equitably in the Colorado universal preschool program, ensure access to c…

(1) The department shall develop and implement a process for continuous evaluation and improvement of preschool providers who participate in the Colorado universal preschool program. At a minimum, the process must include a requirement that preschool providers use assessment and …

(1) (a) The department, in accordance with the intent specified in section 26.5-4-202 (3), shall annually establish the per-child rates for universal preschool services, for preschool services for children with disabilities, for preschool services for eligible children who are th…

(1) (a) The preschool programs cash fund is created in the state treasury. The fund consists of money credited to the fund pursuant to section 24-22-118 (2), money transferred to the fund pursuant to section 39-28-116 (6), and any additional money the general assembly may appropr…

(1) As part of the annual hearing held pursuant to the "State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Government Act", part 2 of article 7 of title 2, the department shall report on the implementation and effectiveness of the Colorado universal preschool …

(1) The general assembly finds and declares that: (a) All children in the year before they are eligible to enroll in kindergarten should have access to social-emotional and academic supports that are important for school readiness; (b) The state should provide a wide range of cho…

As used in this part 3, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) "Pilot program" means the online kindergarten readiness pilot program created in section 26.5-4-302 (1). Source: L. 2025: Entire section added, (SB 25-275), ch. 377, p. 2082, § 231, effective August 6.

(1) There is created in the department the online kindergarten readiness pilot program to provide funding for a voluntary, online kindergarten readiness program that serves children in the year before eligibility for kindergarten enrollment. The purposes of the pilot program are …

(1) Beginning with the hearing held in January of 2025, as part of the annual hearing held pursuant to the "State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Government Act", part 2 of article 7 of title 2, the department shall report on the implementation of…

This part 3 is repealed, effective July 1, 2029. Source: L. 2022: Entire article added, (HB 22-1295), ch. 123, p. 712, § 3, effective July 1.

As used in this part 4, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) "Abuse" means physical or mental injury, sexual abuse or exploitation, or negligent treatment of a child. (2) "Coach" means a person employed or volunteering as a coach, manager, or supervisor of a youth athletic …

(1) (a) Starting July 1, 2025, each youth sports organization shall require each coach to annually complete mandatory reporter training that adheres to the recommendations of the mandatory reporter training task force pursuant to section 19-3-304.2. (b) Each youth sports organiza…

(1) (a) A youth sports organization operating in the state of Colorado shall require all coaches to obtain, prior to starting work, a criminal history record check by a private entity regulated as a consumer reporting agency pursuant to 15 U.S.C. sec. 1681, et seq., and that disc…

As used in this part 1, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) "Colorado shines system" means the Colorado shines quality rating and improvement system created in section 26.5-5-101 (1). Source: L. 2025: Entire section added, (SB 25-275), ch. 377, p. 2082, § 233, effective Au…

(1) The Colorado shines quality rating and improvement system is created in the department to measure the level of preparedness of and quality of services provided by an early childhood education program to prepare children to enter elementary school. The Colorado shines system m…

(1) On and after July 1, 2018, and continuing thereafter subject to sufficient and available federal funding, there is created the school-readiness quality improvement program, referred to in this section as the "program", which is administered by the department as part of the Co…

Counties are urged to partner with for-profit or not-for-profit organizations that evaluate the quality of early childhood care and education programs in the early childhood councils and assign ratings in an effort to assess the success of such programs and to improve the ultimat…

The short title of this part 2 is the "Colorado Infant and Toddler Quality and Availability Grant Program". Source: L. 2022: Entire article added with relocations, (HB 22-1295), ch. 123, p. 717, § 3, effective July 1.

As used in this part 2, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) "Colorado child care assistance program" or "CCCAP" means the Colorado child care assistance program created in part 1 of article 4 of this title 26.5. (2) "Colorado shines system" means the Colorado shines qualit…

Subject to available appropriations, there is created in the department the Colorado infant and toddler quality and availability grant program. Grants are awarded through the Colorado shines system to improve quality in licensed infant and toddler care and increase the number of …

(1) The department shall develop an application process and issue a request for proposals for the grant program, including notification of available money to early childhood councils, eligibility criteria, proposal requirements, and award criteria. (2) An applicant to the grant p…

(1) No later than August 15 each year, an early childhood council that receives a grant shall provide the department with an annual report concerning the outcomes of the grant. The report must include, at a minimum: (a) A summary of data received from early childhood education pr…

The short title of this part 3 is the "Child Care Licensing Act". Source: L. 2022: Entire article added with relocations, (HB 22-1295), ch. 123, p. 719, § 3, effective July 1.

(1) The general assembly finds and declares that increasing numbers of children in Colorado are spending a significant portion of their day in care settings outside their own homes. The general assembly finds that regulation and licensing of child care facilities contribute to a …

As used in this part 3, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) "Adverse action" has the same meaning as "negative licensing action" as defined in subsection (16)(a) of this section. (1.5) "Affiliate of a licensee" means: (a) Any person or entity that owns more than five perce…

(1) This part 3 does not apply to: (a) Special schools or classes operated primarily for religious instruction or for a single skill-building purpose, as defined in department rule; (b) A child care facility that is approved, certified, or licensed by any other state agency, by a…

Public preschool providers are subject to the requirements of this part 3. Because of the unique circumstances presented by preschool classrooms provided by school districts and charter schools, which circumstances do not arise in classrooms for older children and youth, the depa…

(1) Substitute placement agencies are subject to the requirements of this part 3. The department shall license substitute placement agencies to place or facilitate or arrange for the placement of short-term and long-term substitute child care providers in licensed facilities prov…

(1) Guest child care facilities and public services short-term child care facilities are subject only to the requirements of this section and are otherwise excluded from the requirements of this part 3. Each guest child care facility and each public services short-term child care…

(1) Notwithstanding any provision of this part 3 to the contrary, a neighborhood youth organization that is not otherwise licensed to operate under this part 3 may obtain a neighborhood youth organization license pursuant to this section. A neighborhood youth organization that ob…

(1) Except as otherwise specifically provided in this part 3, a person shall not operate an agency or facility defined in this part 3 without first being licensed by the department to operate or maintain the agency or facility and paying the prescribed fee. A license issued by th…

(1) (a) The department shall require any child care facility seeking licensure pursuant to section 26.5-5-309 to comply with any applicable zoning and land use development regulations of the municipality, city and county, or county where the facility is situated. Failure to compl…

(1) (a) The department is authorized to establish, pursuant to rules promulgated by the executive director, permanent, time-limited, and provisional license fees and fees for continuation of a license for the following types of child care arrangements: (I) Family child care homes…

(1) (a) (I) All applications for the licensure of a child care facility pursuant to this part 3 must include the notice to the applicant that is set forth in subsection (1)(b) of this section. (II) Every application used in the state of Colorado for employment with a child care p…

(1) A child care center that is subject to the licensing requirements of this part 3 is also subject to the provisions of this section. (2) (a) The department shall make available to licensed child care centers and include with every application form for licensure information con…

(1) The department shall prescribe and publish standards for licensing. The standards must be applicable to the various types of facilities and agencies for child care regulated and licensed by this part 3. The department shall seek the advice and assistance of persons representa…