There are many local, state, and national child care initiatives that are available for your child. These programs include the Head Start Program, Colorado Preschool Program, and Child Care Assistance Programs. To learn more about these programs, please click on the links above or on the left-side navigation.

Head Start is designed to foster healthy development in low income children. Program grantees and delegate agencies deliver a range of services, responsive, and appropriate to each child's and each family's heritage and experience, that encompass all aspects of a child's development and learning.

Migrant and Seasonal Program Branch provides consistent and high quality services in support of healthy child development across the nation for migrant families that are temporarily employed in the SLV.

Program Services Areas:
–» Disabilities: Fully including children with disabilities is a required element of the head start program. This initiative is beneficial to all involved: children with and without disabilities, parents of children with and without disabilities, and staff members.

–» Education: Ensuring children enrolled in head start begin school ready to learn is a program goal. Activities are directed toward skill and knowledge domains and domain elements. Indicators of each child's progress are incorporated in the programs annual self-assessment.

–» Family and Community Partnerships: Recognize the vital contributions made by parents and community members. Both groups are involved in the operations,, governance, and evaluation of the program.

–» Health: Wellness is recognized as a significant contribution to each child's ability to thrive and develop. Accordingly, health screenings evaluate the child's overall health status and regular health check-ups and good health practices in oral health, hygiene, nutrition, personal care and safety are incorporated in the program.

–» Program Management and Operation: Focus on delivering high quality child development services to children from low income families.

For more information on the National Head Start Program Iniatives please click here.

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The Colorado Preschool Program was established by the Colorado General Assembly in 1988. As amended in 1992, the program was designed to serve "four and five-year-old children who lack overall readiness due to significant family factors...and who would benefit from participation in the state preschool program." The program is funded through the state's basic school finance formula and funding is currently capped at 14,360 children. Eight thousand and fifty of these slots support children’s participation in Pre-K programs and 1,000 of the slots support children’s participation in full day kindergarten programs. Children are currently served in sites in 170 out of 178 school districts in the state. Approximately half of the participating school districts contract with Head Start or other local preschool programs. The statute and rules governing this program mandate local management and oversight by a broad-based district preschool council, coordination with family support services, and a plan for parent involvement. Eligibility for children to participate in the program is determined by criteria that have been established by the state legislature and local district councils.

Click here for the Colorado Preschool Program website.

Special education is a state and federal mandated program for three, four, and five-year-old children who meet state eligibility criteria of developmental delay. Every school district, or special education administrative unit, provides special education services and currently over 6,063 children receive special education preschool services. The program is funded through a combination of federal funds (under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), state special education funding, and the state's basic school finance formula. Services are provided through school-based programs and under contracts with Head Start and other local preschool programs.

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–» Low Cost Health Insurance
A insurance partnership for Colorado children and pregnant women.
Child Health Plan Plus

–» Federal Assistance
Federal Child Care Tax Credit
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)

–» State Assistance
Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP) from the state
Colorado Child Care Tax Credit

–» San Luis Valley Assistance
Alamosa County: Phone: 719.589.2581
Conejos County: Phone: 719.376.5455
Costilla County: Phone: 719.672.4131
Rio Grande / Mineral Counties: Phone: 719.657.3381
Saguache County: Phone: 719.655.2537

–» Through Your Employer
Flexible benefit (Section 125) information
Dependent Care Assistance Programs (DCAPs)

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