Colorado Department of Early Childhood

What Colorado Department of Early Childhood does

The Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) is a cabinet-level state government agency of Colorado, created by HB21-1304 and launched on July 1, 2022, that administers and coordinates early childhood programs across all 64 Colorado counties. It serves approximately 181,000 children and families and nearly 30,000 early childhood providers and professionals, consolidating functions previously distributed across multiple state agencies into a single point of access. The department is led by Executive Director Dr. Lisa Roy and operates a mixed-delivery system combining state-level administration, county-level service delivery through Departments of Human/Social Services, 55+ Early Childhood Councils, and community-based partners.

CDEC's core product portfolio includes Colorado Universal Preschool (UPK), which provides up to 15 hours of free preschool for children in their year before kindergarten; the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP), a means-tested subsidy delivered through counties; Colorado Shines, a quality rating and improvement system for licensed providers; Early Intervention Colorado, serving children birth through age 2 with developmental delays; and a portfolio of family support programs (Healthy Families America, Nurse Family Partnership, Family Connects, Parents as Teachers, and others). The technology backbone comprises digital service platforms including the UPK Family/Provider/Administrator portals, Colorado PEAK online benefits application, an Attendance Tracking System (ATS) with parent kiosk check-in/out functionality, the Colorado Shines Salesforce-based rating system, and dashboards for workforce and facility analytics.

The department is funded through state legislative appropriations, federal grants (CCDF, Head Start/Early Head Start, PSSF), and an initial tranche of more than $700 million in federal and state pandemic-recovery stimulus funding deployed across 40+ activities in access/quality improvement, workforce development, and family strengthening. Programs are delivered free to families at the point of service, with revenue mechanics driven by appropriations cycles and intergovernmental grants rather than commercial pricing. Distribution occurs through county departments, community-based organizations, a Colorado Shines Child Care Referral Line operated by Mile High United Way, and self-serve digital portals.

Name

Colorado Department of Early Childhood

Legal name

Colorado Department of Early Childhood

Website

https://cdec.colorado.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Colorado Department of Early Childhood is a cabinet-level state agency administering early childhood care, education, and family support programs for approximately 181,000 children, families, and 30,000 providers across all 64 Colorado counties, led by Executive Director Dr. Lisa Roy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Early Childhood Services

NAICS

Child Care Services (62441), Individual and Family Services (6241), Child Care Services (6244)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Early Head Start & Publicly Funded Infant/Toddler Programs (EDACAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Service Coordination / Case Management (IDEA Part C) (EDACAFAK)

Keywords

• Government early childhood services
• Child care assistance program
• Universal preschool program
• Family support services
• Early childhood workforce development

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. State Appropriations: State legislative appropriations fund core department operations and administration of early childhood programs across Colorado.
2. Federal Funding (CCDF, Head Start, PSSF): Federal Child Care and Development Fund, Head Start/Early Head Start grants, and Promoting Safe and Stable Families grants administered through CDEC for eligible families and programs.
3. Federal Stimulus Funding: Over $700 million in federal and state stimulus funding received to address pandemic recovery needs across 40+ stimulus-funded activities in areas of access/quality improvement, workforce development, and family strengthening.
4. Program Administration Fees: Research and retrieval fees for CORA requests at $41.37 per hour after first hour free; copy fees at 25 cents per page for standard documents.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CDEC administers and coordinates a statewide system of early childhood programs serving Colorado families with children from prenatal through age 5, licensed child care providers, and early childhood professionals across all 64 counties. Core services include free universal preschool hours, income-based child care subsidies (CCCAP), developmental services for infants and toddlers (Early Intervention Colorado), family support and home visiting programs, and workforce credentialing through Registered Apprenticeship Programs.

Product overview

The Colorado Department of Early Childhood operates a multi-program ecosystem serving children, families, and early childhood professionals across all 64 Colorado counties. The core programs include Colorado Universal Preschool (UPK) providing free preschool hours, the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP) for low-income families, Colorado Shines quality rating system, Early Intervention Colorado for developmental services, and Family Support Programs including home visiting and parenting education. Additional assistance programs connect families to Head Start, public benefits, and community resources. The department administers programs serving over 181,000 children and families and nearly 30,000 providers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Colorado Universal Preschool: State-funded voluntary preschool program offering up to 15 hours of free, high-quality preschool for children in the year before kindergarten eligibility
• Colorado Shines
• Growing Forward
• Early Intervention Colorado

Products and services

• Colorado Universal Preschool (UPK) Statewide voluntary preschool program providing up to 15 free hours of high-quality preschool for Colorado children in the year before kindergarten eligibility, with 10 hours of part-time programming available for three-year-olds with qualifying factors. For families.
• Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP) Income-based child care subsidy program helping Colorado families who are homeless, working, searching for work, in substance use disorder treatment, or in school access low-income child care. Counties serve families at 185% or less of the federal poverty guideline and authorize benefits locally. For families and licensed child care providers.
• Colorado Shines Colorado's quality rating and improvement system that rates licensed early care and learning programs and connects families with quality child care and preschool through online search and the Colorado Shines Child Care Referral Line (877-338-2273) operated by Mile High United Way. For families and licensed providers.
• Early Intervention Colorado Program providing developmental supports and services to families with children birth through age 2 who have developmental needs, delivered through Community Centered Boards across Colorado. For families with infants and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities.
• Family Support Programs Comprehensive free family support services including home visiting, parenting education, and child sexual abuse prevention including Child First, Circle of Parents, Colorado Fatherhood Network, Family Connects, Family Resource Centers, Healthy Steps, Healthy Families America, HIPPY, Incredible Years, Nurse Family Partnership, Parents as Teachers, SafeCare Colorado, and Stewards of Children. For Colorado families with children from prenatal through age 5.

Quantifiable outcome

• Colorado ranks 3rd nationally in preschool access for four-year-olds (serving 70% of eligible children)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Child Care InnovationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVendor partner for Registered Apprenticeship Programs, providing flexible, high-quality instruction designed for busy professionals. Focuses on meeting students where they are with coursework that immediately elevates daily interactions with children.
• University of Colorado–Colorado Springs (UCCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigher education partner providing Bachelor of Arts in Inclusive Early Childhood Education, preparing educators to support young children of all backgrounds and abilities while blending university education with real-world classroom experience.
• Colorado Mesa University (CMU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRural equity partner bringing registered apprenticeships to rural Western Slope counties through bilingual pathway and 360-degree wraparound supports including food, housing, and technology assistance.
• TEACH Early Childhood Scholarship ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecialized registered apprenticeship program designed for current and aspiring childcare directors, addressing leadership gaps and improving workplace culture to reduce teacher turnover.
• Family Connects InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational evidence-based model for in-home clinical care from registered nurses for families of newborns. Illuminate Colorado partners with Family Connects International to bring this voluntary, free service to Colorado families.
• Illuminate ColoradocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState office for Healthy Families America, Colorado chapter of Circle of Parents, and partner for Family Connects Colorado and Nurturing Healthy Sexual Development training. Coordinates home visiting and child abuse prevention statewide.
• Mile High United WaycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOperates the Colorado Shines Child Care Referral Line (877-338-2273), providing trained referral specialists to help families locate child care programs specific to their needs.
• Early Childhood Councils (55+ local councils)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal councils coordinating early childhood services at the community level across Colorado's counties, contributing to shared measures reporting and community engagement.
• Community Centered Boards (CCBs)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal agencies throughout Colorado responsible for providing Early Intervention services in their local service areas for children birth through age 2 with developmental needs.
• Great ExpectationsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommunity-based organization using the Healthy Families America home visiting model, serving families in Garfield, Pitkin, and western Eagle Counties.
• Genesis ProgramminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommunity-based organization using the Healthy Families America home visiting model, serving teen-parent families in Boulder County.
• Dolly Parton Imagination Library of ColoradocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership providing free books to Colorado children from birth through age five. Has mailed more than 3 million books to children across the state, fostering a love of reading from birth.
• Colorado Fatherhood NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide network working to build a continuum of supports promoting father's role in families, building accountability measures, and providing mentorship opportunities.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care: Massachusetts EEC is a dedicated state-level early education agency that administers child care financial assistance, QRIS, preschool expansion, and early childhood workforce initiatives — directly comparable to CDEC's portfolio of CCCAP, Colorado Shines, UPK, and credentialing.
• Texas Workforce Commission – Child Care & Early Learning: TWC administers Texas's subsidized child care program (CCDF), Texas Rising Star QRIS, and TWC-managed early childhood workforce initiatives — structurally similar to CDEC's CCCAP and Colorado Shines oversight at a state level.
• Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families: Washington's DCYF is the most direct structural peer to CDEC — a consolidated state cabinet-level agency that brought early learning, child care, and family support programs under one roof. Both entities administer child care subsidies, early learning, and family support across their state using similar mixed-delivery (state-county-community) models.
• New York State Office of Children and Family Services: New York's OCFS oversees child care licensing, subsidies, and early childhood programs across NY counties — comparable to CDEC's role managing CCCAP, provider licensing, and Early Intervention across Colorado's 64 counties.
• California Department of Social Services (Early Care and Education): California's CDSS administers subsidized child care, preschool, and QRIS at the state level. While California's structure differs (child care in social services, transitional kindergarten in education), its scale and program mix make it a direct functional peer to CDEC.
• Illinois State Board of Education – Early Childhood: Illinois's ISBE Early Childhood division administers state-funded preschool (Preschool for All), child care assistance, and QRIS — a comparable state education-agency-administered early childhood program set operating in mixed-delivery mode.
• Oregon Early Learning Division: Oregon's Early Learning Division (now within ODE) administers Oregon Pre-K, child care subsidy, QRIS, and early childhood workforce programs — closely paralleling CDEC's integrated program set under a dedicated early childhood authority within state government.

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Administration for Children and Families – Office of Head Start: ACF/OHS is the federal funding and regulatory authority for Head Start/Early Head Start, which CDEC administers at the state level. It is a broad incumbent upstream of CDEC's program funding stream and policy framework.

Others

• Child Care Aware of America: Child Care Aware of America operates the Colorado Shines Child Care Referral Line (877-338-2273) on behalf of CDEC and serves as the national child care resource & referral ecosystem partner. While not a state agency, it executes a referral-line function that is one of CDEC's core family-facing channels.
• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC): NAEYC sets the professional standards and accreditation framework that complement CDEC's Early Childhood Professional Credential system. It is an ecosystem-level peer in defining the workforce quality bar and training pathways CDEC relies on.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/COEarlyChildhood
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/colorado-department-of-early-childhood
• Instagraminstagram.com/coearlychildhood

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments1 record

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Frequently asked questions about Colorado Department of Early Childhood