In May 2024, Governor Jared Polis signed HB 1237, creating three programs that encourage local governments to improve community planning, building, zoning, and other regulatory processes that support the development of child care facilities. The programs are administered by the Division of Housing in the Department of Local Affairs and are funded by the Child Care Facility Development Cash Fund, also created by HB 1237. The bill allocated $250,000 in state funds to implement the three programs. They are:
- The Child Care Facility Development Toolkit and Technical Assistance Program, which provides expert consultants to help child care providers, developers, employers, public schools, institutions of higher education, and local governments understand the technical aspects of planning, developing, building, and co-locating child care facilities. Both direct consultation and an open-source toolkit are available through June 30, 2028.
- The Local Government Planning for Child Care Grant Program, which helps local governments evaluate and adopt policies that support child care development; conduct a local land and facility inventory; and/or develop aligned regulatory requirements and streamlined review processes. This program is available until July 1, 2028.
- The Child Care Facility Development Capital Grant Program, which provides direct matching grants to local governments, public schools, or institutions of higher education to construct, remodel, renovate, or retrofit a child care facility. The program gives more weight to applicants who represent geographic diversity, serve a high percentage of families below the area’s median income, commit to compensating their staff well, co-locate with or repurpose facilities with other uses, plan to serve children in regions with low child care capacity, or serve infants and toddlers. It is available until July 1, 2029.
Sources:
Colorado Department of Local Affairs. (n.d.). HB 1237 Program Information.
Colorado General Assembly. (n.d.). Programs for the Development of Child Care Facilities.
Colorado General Assembly Legislative Council Staff. (2024). Final Fiscal Note.
Colorado Department of Local Affairs. (n.d.). HB24-1237 Local Planning Grant Policies and Procedures Signed.
Connections to Key Early Learning Study at Harvard (ELS@H) Findings:
High-quality, affordable early education and care supports children’s healthy development and allows families to work, engage in their own educational pursuits, and/or participate in other aspects of community life. To support children and families in these instrumental ways, research suggests there is a need to expand the availability of early education opportunities across the mixed-delivery system.
Findings from the Early Learning Study at Harvard (ELS@H) show:
- Families rely on a range of formal (e.g., Head Start, center-based care, public pre-K) and more informal (e.g., home-based, relative care) early education settings; when choosing a setting for their child, families balance many logistical constraints and personal preferences.
- But for many families – and especially low- and middle-income families – early education choices remain tightly constrained due to issues of affordability and supply.