Colorado § 26.5-4-207 - Preschool program evaluation and improvement process - independent evaluator.

§ 26.5-4-207. Preschool program evaluation and improvement process - independent evaluator.

(1) The department shall develop and implement a process for continuous evaluation and improvement of preschool providers who participate in the Colorado universal preschool program. At a minimum, the process must include a requirement that preschool providers use assessment and continuous improvement strategies that:

(a) Are implemented through a coordinated system that includes the quality standards established in department rule; curriculum; professional development; developmentally appropriate, age-appropriate, and whole-child assessment that may be based on observational assessments of children's development and classroom-based teacher-child interactions; and data collection;

(b) Support both continuous program improvement and the department's independent evaluation of the preschool program as provided in subsection (2) of this section;

(c) Are designed to inform curriculum implementation, professional development, teacher supports, and resource allocation; and

(d) Are appropriate for use with young children and for the purposes for which they are used.

(2) The department shall contract with an independent evaluator to measure the success of the Colorado universal preschool program in improving the overall learning and school readiness of children who receive preschool services through the preschool program. In evaluating the success of the preschool program, the department shall ensure the independent evaluator has access to the necessary data to measure immediate and long-term child outcomes and to provide recommendations to improve teaching and learning, assess professional development inputs and outcomes, and improve teacher-child interactions. The department shall take into account the evaluations and recommendations of the independent evaluator in implementing the process for continuous evaluation and improvement described in subsection (1) of this section.

(3) The department shall communicate the evaluations and recommendations of the independent evaluator to families, communities, preschool providers, early childhood councils, the state board of education, and the general assembly, as appropriate, to inform and improve early childhood teaching and education and policy-making related to early childhood education.

(4) The department shall take into account the evaluations and recommendations of the independent evaluator in reviewing and revising the preschool quality standards pursuant to section 26.5-4-205; the plan for recruiting, training, and retaining a high-quality early childhood workforce pursuant to section 26.5-6-101; and the state goals for implementing the preschool program.

Source: L. 2022: Entire article added, (HB 22-1295), ch. 123, p. 699, § 3, effective July 1. L. 2026: (3) amended, (SB 26-019), ch. 104, p. 426, § 20, effective May 5.