Colorado's early childhood community is committed to providing support for ALL professionals who touch the lives of young children. As reflected in the domains of the Early Childhood Colorado Framework, it is critical that providers in the areas of physical health, mental health, early learning, and parent support/education have avenues for strengthening their own skills in serving young children, and getting involved in their communities. Check our Professional Development/Training page, or contact your local early childhood council to find out about professional opportunities in your domain.

How do I find out about...

+ Preschool Standards & Assessments

The CDE's Office of Early Learning & School Readiness has developed:
Preschool Standards & Assessments Crosswalk
Video guide to using the Preschool Standards & Assessments interactive crosswalk

+ Getting training or a credential for myself or teachers in my ECE setting?
The Colorado Office of Professional Development provides direct training and credentialing opportunities, as well as guidance about how to navigate the system of professional advancement in the early childhood field. In addition, Qualistar maintains a calendar of professional trainings and events. These organizations also maintain information about scholarships and financial aid for certain early childhood trainings and educational opportunities.

Find your local community college for college courses or associate degrees that prepare you to teach in an early childhood setting.

Finally, the local Early Childhood Councils will often be aware of special trainings or workshops happening in the community.

+ The Early Learning Community Lecture Series sponsored by MIELL?
The Marsico Institute for Early Learning and Literacy sponsors one to two community lectures per year on varied topics about early learning. We invite nationally-known experts to share their research and experiences with the local early childhood community in Colorado.

Most recently in October 2010, we featured Dr. John Medina, author of Brain Rules for Baby. Please visit the Brain Rules website for more information, chapter summaries and videos. You can also download Practical Tips which are ways to apply the research discussed in Brain Rules for Baby to the real world of parenting.

In April 2010, we featured Dr. Jill Stamm, author of Bright from the Start and Co-Founder of The New Directions Institute. In 2009, we featured Dr. Douglas Clements, a leading authority on early math. His powerpoint can be accessed here.
In 2009, we also featured Dr. Mike Lopez and that powerpoint can be accessed here.

+ How to contact the Early Childhood Council in my area?
There are three ways to find the Early Childhood Council in your area. 1) Click here and either scroll down or type the county name in the Search box. 2) View or download the 2010-2011 Early Childhood Councils Directory. 3) Go to the Colorado Department of Education's Early Childhood Councils website for up-to-date contact information for statewide council coordinators.

+ Improving teaching and learning in my classroom?
Reading Rockets is a wonderful resource that we reference throughout this website. This page has specific tips and additional resources compiled for the child care or preschool professional. Zero-to-three has literacy tips specific to infants and toddlers.

+ What I can do to improve the quality of my licensed home or center?
This list is a good place to start for information about the features of child care settings that are linked to quality. Although it is written for parents, it is informative for providers because these are the research-based indicators that are looked for by any quality-rating system. Or, you may be ready to apply for a Qualistar rating or accreditation .

+ Getting my child care home or center licensed?
The Child Care Division at the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) is responsible for licensing child care homes and centers in Colorado. This page on the CDHS website gives a list of frequently asked questions about getting a child care license, and provides the links for ordering the necessary forms.

In addition, there are many training opportunities available that can help you prepare to meet the requirements of licensing.

+ Getting financial assistance to help me pay for child care for my child?
The Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP) helps low-income parents who are working or in school/training to pay for child care.

In addition, the Colorado Preschool Program (CPP) exists as a special support to families with certain risk factors such as poverty, homelessness, teen parents, or English language learners. Most school districts offer CPP. If you qualify, the program will pay a portion of the cost, and also provides a high level of quality assurance for participating facilities. You will need to call someone at the contact numbers here to help you determine whether your child may be eligible.

For families in the city and county of Denver who have children who will be entering their last year prior to kindergarten , the Denver Preschool Program may be available to you as an additional financial support.

+ Learn more about the many career opportunities in the field of early childhood at this time?
The Colorado Office of Professional Development has a Career Paths page with a full listing of professions arranged alphabetically

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