The Guidelines were created with the input of an Advisory Board made up of a wide variety of stakeholders in Colorado, including representatives of state and national organizations, child care providers, academics, early learning professionals, and others.
The Advisory Board met numerous times as a whole and in workgroups to ensure the resulting Guidelines reflected a strong research base, enhanced effective early childhood systems already in place in Colorado, and met the needs of diverse audiences and purposes.
The following Colorado programs and resources informed the development of the Guidelines:
Colorado Programs
State & National Resources
Inclusive of ALL Children
For the first time, experts from across Colorado have woven together their knowledge about these important years. As a result, the Guidelines are aligned with and help connect existing programs, including the Colorado Academic Standards and the Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework, to create a coordinated approach to learning and development.
The Guidelines describe how a typical child develops but it is important to understand that each child learns and develops at their own individual pace. They provide an important framework to help educators put research into action and learn more about child development from birth through age eight.