Abstract

Name of Proposed Project: Colorado Preschool Program: Start Strong!

Applicant: State of Colorado

Overview of the Proposed Project: “Start Strong!” is one of the Colorado Department of 

Education’s four strategic goals. Through this ambitious plan to expand the Colorado Preschool 

Program and ramp up its quality, 6,554 additional Eligible Children and their families will 

benefit from participation in community-centered High Quality Preschool Programs so that they 

enter kindergarten on track for success in school and life. The Plan involves strong partnerships 

with multiple state-level agencies and 29 Subgrantees from a variety of settings across Colorado

representing urban, rural, tribal and military communities. Through this Plan, capacity, tools and 

strategies will be developed to benefit the entire state preschool program and enable accelerated 

implementation of strategic planning to move the Colorado Preschool Program forward with 

improved quality and accessibility. Subgrantees representing High Need Communities were 

selected based on local demographic and economic data and estimates of unmet need for 

preschool This application builds on the strong systems work supported by Colorado’s Early 

Learning Challenge Fund Grant and leverages unprecedented growth in the Colorado Preschool 

Program in the last two years. 

Project Objectives and Activities: The project will ensure increased quality in Preschool 

Programs and expand the availability of High Quality Preschool Programs in identified High 

Need Communities by increasing options for full-day programming, incentivizing early 

childhood teachers to obtain a bachelor’s degree, equalizing pay between early childhood and 

K12 teachers and integrating the professional development and TQRIS work into the project 

implementation. Building on Colorado’s strong birth to third grade continuum of services and 

supports, Colorado stakeholders have identified four priority areas for improvement that cut 

across all age levels: Family engagement, high quality inclusion, effective transitions and 

support for dual language learners. These areas represent the “deeper dive” in monitoring, 

technical assistance and professional development throughout the grant program. State 

infrastructure dollars will support teacher scholarships, principal academies, needs assessment, 

strategic planning and evaluation activities.
Proposed Project Outcomes: 

• 3,099 new slots will enable children to attend a full-day High Quality Preschool Program 

and their families to access services and supports

• 3,455 existing preschool slots will be improved, 29% of which will directly serve 

preschool children with disabilities

• More than 500 elementary principals will attend early childhood and P3 academies

• Hundreds of teachers will obtain financial support to attend college

• Multiple tools and resources will be developed to propel Colorado forward with strategic 

long term planning

Names of Other Organizations: 

Ability Connections Denver Public Schools Mile High Montessori

Adams 14 School District Eagle County Schools Moffat County Schools

Alamosa Schools Englewood Schools Montelores ECC

Boulder Valley Schools Family Development Ctr Northwest BOCES

Bright Futures Fountain Ft Carson Schools REACH

Brush School District Grand Beginnings Sewall Child Development 

Canon City Schools Gunnison Schools South Conejos Schools

Catholic Charities Huerfano School District Southern Ute Head Start

Center School District Las Animas Schools Thompson Valley Schools

Clayton Early Learning Mapleton School District