Legislation and Policy

Colorado's state legislature established the Early Learning and School Readiness Commission in 2009 to develop, prioritize, and coordinate legislative and policy recommendations for consideration by the Colorado House and Senate. In 2010, Governor Ritter established by Executive Order Colorado's first Early Childhood Leadership Council (ECLC), a public/private collaborative body, which will help plan and coordinate early childhood initiatives in the state. The ECLC is authorized by legislation until 2013.

How do I find out about...

+ Early Childhood Leadership Commission
On February 8, 2010, Governer Ritter signed the Executive Order establishing the Early Childhood Leadership Commission (ECLC). The ECLC is a collaborative legislatively authorized group that is coordinating and establishing early childhood policy in Colorado.

The purpose of ECLC is to improve outcomes for young children ages birth to eight and their families by advancing the alignment, coordination, and efficiency of programs and services. Learn more about the ECLC’s mission, composition and governance.

The Early Childhood Colorado Framework is the ECLC’s guide for developing a comprehensive, coordinated service delivery system for Colorado's youngest children. This high-level leadership commission will accelerate and sustain Colorado's commitment to improving outcomes for young children. The Commission will:
1. Develop an inter-agency data system to help streamline services, drive continuous quality improvement, and promote shared accountability.
2. Recommend a state-level oversight and coordination structure for early childhood that increases efficiencies and supports equity and access for children and families.
3. Improve the quality, access and capacity of early childhood services across all sectors

Early Childhood Leadership Commission Annual Report dated January 21, 2011

Join the conversation on the Early Childhood Leadership Commission’s Groupsite today!

Early Childhood Leadership Commission page

+ How to be an advocate for state policies to strengthen Colorado’s early childhood system?
If you would like to become an advocate for early childhood policies, you can begin by learning about what legislation related to early childhood is currently being proposed or is under consideration by Colorado’s state legislature here.

Contact your local state senator or representative to voice your support or concerns about legislation under consideration. To find out how to contact your local representatives, click here.

+ How do I find out more about the Early Childhood and Youth Development Governance proposal?

The Early Childhood and Youth Development Governance Proposal will be presented in the 2012 legislative session. The governance proposal outlines the consolidation of several programs into a new Office of Early Childhood and Youth Development in the Colorado Department of Human Services and promotes stronger inter-agency coordination of programs and funding streams. For frequently asked questions related to the proposal please see the Early Childhood and Youth Development FAQ. To submit feedback, please see the Governance Stakeholder Feedback Form.

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