Colorado § 26.5-5-101 - Colorado shines quality rating and improvement system - created.

§ 26.5-5-101. Colorado shines quality rating and improvement system - created.

(1) The Colorado shines quality rating and improvement system is created in the department to measure the level of preparedness of and quality of services provided by an early childhood education program to prepare children to enter elementary school. The Colorado shines system must:

(a) Measure and support the elements of quality of an early childhood education program, including, but not limited to:

(I) The quality of the learning environment;

(II) The quality of adult-child interactions;

(III) Adult-to-child ratios;

(IV) Provider training and education, including recognized credentials through the department's voluntary credentialing system developed pursuant to section 26.5-6-102; and

(V) Parent-involvement activities at the early care and education facility;

(b) Be variable to inform parents, counties, and other purchasers of early childhood education about the level of quality at an early childhood education program in a simple and easy-to-understand manner;

(c) Be supported by statistically valid research as a reliable measure of quality of an early childhood education program;

(d) Include a quality improvement plan that facilitates goal setting and planning related to improving program quality over time; and

(e) Have demonstrated effectiveness at improving the level of quality of early childhood education programs in geographically diverse Colorado communities.

(2) The department shall periodically review and revise the quality standards established for the Colorado shines system with the goal of aligning those standards with the quality standards established pursuant to section 26.5-4-205 for preschool providers participating in the Colorado universal preschool program.

Source: L. 2022: Entire article added with relocations, (HB 22-1295), ch. 123, p. 712, § 3, effective July 1. L. 2025: IP(1) amended, (SB 25-275), ch. 377, p. 2083, § 234, effective August 6.

Editor's note: Subsection (1) is similar to former § 26-6.5-106 (5) as it existed prior to 2022.