Marzano Research recently partnered with the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) to support its efforts to ensure each and every child entering kindergarten has the tools necessary to succeed.
This initiative, launched by the Office of Early Childhood (OEC) at CDHS in 2018, is better known as “Colorado Shines Brighter.” Colorado was awarded an Initial Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG) in 2018. The Colorado Shines Brighter Strategic Plan was endorsed by the Early Childhood Leadership Commission (ECLC) in 2019 and includes opportunities to maximize the availability of high-quality early care and education options for families across providers and partners; streamline administrative infrastructure; and improve state-level early care and education funding efficiencies.
In December 2019, Colorado was awarded a PDG renewal of $11,171,969 annually for three years (2020–2022). Renewal grant funds are being used to implement activities identified in the Colorado Shines Brighter Strategic Plan. As part of the renewal grant, Colorado committed to an annual review and update to the strategic plan to incorporate new findings from ongoing needs assessment activities, recommendations from the program evaluation and continuous quality improvement, and ongoing stakeholder feedback with an emphasis on families and caregivers of children birth through five.
To facilitate development of the recommended updates to the Colorado Shines Brighter Strategic Plan, Marzano Research was tasked with leading the Colorado Shines Brighter Working Group, which consists of stakeholders representing diverse sectors and expertise in the birth through five system. The Working Group recently reconvened to make recommendations for updates to the strategic plan based on stakeholder engagement, the current early childhood environment, and input from the new Department of Early Childhood transition subgroups.
Priorities for early childhood education leaders in Colorado in the immediate future continue to be maximizing high-quality early care and education options for low-income families, improving the quality of care, streamlining the administrative infrastructure, and improving state-level early childhood care and education funding efficiencies. Marzano Research’s work with the OEC has helped the office procure the data needed to make decisions and chart a pathway to realizing its goals.
After a review was conducted this past December, the ECLC voted unanimously to approve the recommended updates to the Colorado Shines Brighter Strategic Plan.
To learn more about Marzano Research’s work in early childhood, reach out to Carrie Germeroth or visit our Early Childhood Education Practice Area page.
