CDEC Heard YOU and Made UPK Concessions on Ratios
New CDEC UPK rules will allow for current ratios when you have a Level 4-5 quality rating. There will be a gradual decline in ratios 1:11 July 2025 and 1:10 July 2026 but high quality programs will be able to work under the current 1:12 ratios. This would support 652 programs this year if the rule were in effect now. 917 programs would need to either increase their quality rating or decrease their ratios by July 2025. ----If you are seeking a rating...the wait is currently at about 6 months. Start speaking with your early childhood council to get moving on this!
CDEC has modified the rule set so that all professional development still falls within the 15 hours of licensing training. It requires additional trainings but they can be accomplished within those 15 hours that are already required.
CDEC was going to add rules around professional qualifications and have removed that language so that they can get full engagement from the child care industry. ECEA emphasized that you do not have the time to be able to track the rule process all throughout and that it wasn't right to add such a significant rule to the rule set 6 days prior to the RAC meeting. We were told that they can adjust the rules anytime throughout the process. We highlighted the expectation that CDEC put forth the best rule set possible in the beginning of the process and modifications only be made based on public feedback with regards to those rules. We do not believe late additions after public comment periods are appropriate as YOU do not have the time or ability to track and engage repeatedly throughout the entire process. RAC recommended the removal of the language and you will have an opportunity to engage on that issue in the future!
You can find the clean rule set here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oiQKHRWwy5H5aS3u5Z0o2MYaa54u21KP/view?usp=drive_link
This is your final opportunity to provide public comment if you have any concerns about the most recent draft for UPK Quality Standards. You can send comments to: CDEC_Rulemaking@state.co.us or can sign up to make public comment during the hearing here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfM-upa-4XWAhUnptEXGahpAwtWsySQUSbusFCgr10MSAaEQw/viewform.
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