In states embracing an Employment First approach, employment in the general workforce is the first and preferred outcome in the provision of publicly funded services for all working age citizens with disabilities, regardless of level of disability. "Employment First" refers to state systems change initiatives resulting in increased employment outcomes for people with disabilities.
Colorado's Early Childhood Systems Building Inventory includes recommendations and best practices, compiled, gleaned, or otherwise distilled from the early childhood (EC) systems work that has been in progress in Colorado for the last 12 years; much of it residing in Colorado's Early Childhood Councils (EC Councils).
State agencies work to improve the health and well being of Colorado's children and youth by coordinating programs at the state level to ensure that those programs are responsive to the needs of communities in order to more effectively serve this population.
Several decades of research have established the benefits of high-quality early care and education (ECE) to children's short and longer-term social-emotional and academic outcomes. Early educators are considered "the single most important factor" in high-quality ECE. Yet despite the fact that early educators' jobs have expanded in recent years, the professional qualifications required, the compensation that they receive, and the environments in which they work, often do not adequately reflect the professional nature of their job or the complexity of the work. If ECE is to live up to its promises of narrowing the achievement gap and preparing children for elementary school and beyond, it is critical to elevate the profession.
State agencies work to improve the health and well being of Colorado's children and youth by coordinating programs at the state level to ensure that those programs are responsive to the needs of communities in order to more effectively serve this population. It should also be noted that while the statute typically defines the service population as children and youth the partners of various state agencies recognize that families are an integral part of effective programs and services.
This document clarifies and updates the roles and responsibilities of local Community Centered Boards (CCBs) and Special Education Administrative Units (AUs) (i.e., boards of cooperative education services and qualifying school districts) to carry out state and federal law, rules, and regulations relevant to identification, screening, evaluation and transition of infants and toddlers suspected to have a developmental delay or disability. Roles identified are the responsibility of the CCB and AU of the child's residence.
The Healthy kids Colorado survey (HKCS) collects self-reported health information from Colorado middle and high school students. A unified version of the survey was launched in 2013 that addresses multiple needs for youth health data and provides both state- and region-level results.
The Healthy kids Colorado survey (HKCS) collects self-reported health information from Colorado middle and high school students. In 2017, the survey sampled approximately 56,000 youth from 190 randomly selected middle and high schools statewide. The voluntary, biennial survey collects a wide range of health and behavioral information that helps public, private and community organizations better understand the youth they serve and support them in making healthy choices.
