Early Childhood Councils make a difference in the first 2,000 days
Colorado’s 36 Early Childhood Councils “connect the dots” to create a seamless early childhood system that improves access to high-quality services and supports for young children and their families.
What do Early Childhood Councils do?
Early Childhood Councils build local early childhood systems throughout the state that support young children and their families. They increase and sustain the quality, accessibility, capacity, and affordability of services for children birth to five, and their families, in the areas of early care and education, family support, mental health, and physical health.
Covering all of Colorado’s 64 counties, Councils improve the quality of early learning environments to prepare young children to enter kindergarten; build the resources and skills of families; ensure that families have access to social, physical, and mental health services; and deliver resources to increase the effectiveness of early childhood professionals.
Observing Colorado’s long tradition of ensuring decisions remain as near to communities as possible, Councils are locally governed and coordinated with local partners.
History of the Early Childhood Councils
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The Consolidated Child Care Pilot Program is established by the Colorado General Assembly through Senate Bill 97-174 and initiates 12 pilot communities.The communities were tasked with consolidating funding sources to create a seamless system, ensuring collaboration among private and public stakeholders, responding to the needs of working parents, and enhancing child care quality.
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Senate Bill 99-226 expands the Consolidated Child Care Pilot Program to include an additional six communities.The bill directs all pilot communities to explore innovative models to improve child care licensing and expand early childhood professional development opportunities.
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HB 07-1062 renames the pilot communities to "Early Childhood Councils" and expands coverage to all counties.Following the success of the 18 pilot communities, the Colorado General Assembly approves House Bill 07-1062 (HB 1062). The bill renames the pilot communities to "Early Childhood Councils" and allows for coverage of all 64 Colorado counties through an application and funding process.The goal of HB 1062 is to build upon the success of the pilot communities by increasing and sustaining quality, accessibility, capacity, and affordability of early childhood programs and services for young children 0-5 years and their families. The legislation establishes a common purpose for Councils to develop and implement a comprehensive system of early childhood services to ensure the school readiness of children in the areas of early care and education, family support, mental health, and health.
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Existing Councils realign their efforts to fit within the new Early Childhood Colorado Framework. Pilot communities expand to 30 Councils serving 55 counties. ECCLA is established as an informal collaborative of Council leaders.In 2008, the Early Childhood Leadership Commission establishes the Early Childhood Colorado Framework. Councils work collaboratively with local and state partners to align their resources and efforts within the Framework. After the passage of HB 1062, additional communities begin to organize Early Childhood Councils. The 18 pilot communities soon expand to 30 Councils serving 55 Colorado counties. During this time, ECCLA is an informal collaborative of Council leaders.
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ECCLA is formalized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership association. 31 Councils are serving 58 counties.With support from Councils, the Early Childhood Council Leadership Alliance (ECCLA) progresses from an informal collaborative of Councils to a formal 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership association, with the mission to improve access to quality services and supports for young children by developing a strong statewide network of Early Childhood Council leaders and key stakeholders. By 2014, 31 Councils are serving 58 Colorado counties.
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Colorado is awarded a federal Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Grant which enables the state to focus on child care quality improvement; early childhood professional development; and to develop Colorado Shines.During this time, ECCLA takes a greater role in helping Councils with tools and resources to support child care providers and their participation in resource management. The ecConnect data system is developed, which enables Councils to collect and use programmatic data more effectively, and demonstrate measurable outcomes for early childhood initiatives in Colorado.
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The ECCLA Board of Directors hires an Executive Director. ECCLA moves from its initial home within Denver's Early Childhood Council to an independent office.The ECCLA Board of Directors hires an Executive Director and the organization grows by adding key staff, raising significant funds from foundation partners, and establishing organizational and operational independence. ECCLA moves from its initial home within Denver's Early Childhood Council to an independent office in Wheat Ridge and continues to build and leverage a leadership position within Colorado's early childhood landscape.
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The number of Councils continue to grow, with 35 Councils total by summer 2021.With strong collaboration among their communities and across the statewide network of Early Childhood Councils, the number of Councils continues to grow, even while state resources and funding are reduced. To meet these challenges, ECCLA expands efforts to provide technical assistance and capacity building among Councils with the goal of strengthening each community in Colorado to ensure the success of its young children and their families.
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The Colorado Universal Preschool Program (UPK) is established. By 2025, 27 out of 31 Local Coordinating Organizations for the program are Early Childhood Councils.Proposition EE (2020) established funding through nicotine taxes, and HB 22-1295 created the statutory framework for the Universal Preschool Program. The program provides at least 15 hours of free, voluntary preschool to all Colorado children in the year before kindergarten, with additional hours for qualifying factors. By 2025, 27 of the 31 Local Coordinating Organizations administering the program are Early Childhood Councils, with some Councils serving as LCO for counties outside of their usual catchment areas. This is a demonstration of the critical role of Councils in Colorado's early childhood system.
Resources
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Council Framework graphic
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Boots on the Ground: Advancing the Shared Vision for Colorado’s Children, The History and Impact of Colorados Early Childhood Council (2020, Published by the Buell Foundation)
ECCLA and Early Childhood Council Statewide Impact Brief (2020)
Colorado’s Early Childhood Councils: 2014 State of the Councils Report
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2025
Technical Assistance Provided by Early Childhood Councils (January 2025)
Technical Assistance Provided by Early Childhood Councils (February 2025)
Technical Assistance Provided by Early Childhood Councils (March 2025)
Technical Assistance Provided by Early Childhood Councils (April 2025)
Technical Assistance Provided by Early Childhood Councils (May 2025)
Technical Assistance Provided by Early Childhood Councils (June 2025)
2024
2023
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Triennial Report:
Annual Report:
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Council News and Highlights