Expanding Access to Early Head Start in Colorado (June 2024)
Supported with funding from the Ballmer Group, the ZERO TO THREE Policy Center (ZTT) in partnership with Start Early is initiating a state technical assistance (TA) project to assist two states in building and strengthening Early Head Start access, ensuring more children and families have access to the program. The TA team, consisting of representatives from both national organizations, will support teams from both New York and Colorado for the next 16 months. State teams include various partners, including Head Start Collaboration Directors and State Head Start Association Directors.
While each team has determined specific outcomes they want to work toward through this project, TA will support both teams to achieve progress on short-term outcomes that are critical to laying the groundwork for increased access and expanded enrollment in EHS. Each team will receive:
While each team has determined specific outcomes they want to work toward through this project, TA will support both teams to achieve progress on short-term outcomes that are critical to laying the groundwork for increased access and expanded enrollment in EHS. Each team will receive:
- Individualized, intensive support from the TA Team who can help identify strengths to build on and opportunities for growth, provide information on best practices and other state strategies, co‐facilitate group meetings, and connect states to outside experts;
- Virtual peer‐to‐peer experiential learning activities based on emerging needs as the project progresses and;
- Financial support to further project goals.
- further understanding the current status of EHS access, developing recommendations, and testing those recommendations with key constituents to plan for advocacy and policy efforts.
- providing a scan of other states activities related to EHS access and;
- engaging families and providers via interviews and focus groups. Resulting recommendations will be tested and then the team plans to shift to preparing for advocacy and policy change