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State Profile - Colorado

Demographic Information

Population Statistics

Total Population: 4,753,377
Number of Children aged 0-4: 338,995
Number of Children aged 5-9 years old: 322,980
Number of Children aged 10-14 years old: 313,386
Total Number of Children under 18: 1,169,643
Children under 5 as percent of population: 7.13%
Children under 18 as percent of population: 24.61%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau. (n.d.). B01001. Sex by Age. Universe: Total Population. In American Community Survey, 2006. http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DatasetMainPageServlet?_program=ACS&_submenuId=datasets_2&_lang=en&_ts=

Poverty Rate Estimates

Poverty Rate (all ages): 11.95%
Children Under 5 in Poverty: 18.06%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau. (n.d.). B17001. Poverty status in the past 12 months by sex by age. Universe: Population for whom poverty status is determined. In American Community Survey, 2006. http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DatasetMainPageServlet?_program=ACS&_submenuId=datasets_2&_lang=en&_ts=

Children Living in Working Families

Percent of Children Under 6 Living with Working Parents: 60.01%
Percent of Children Ages 6-17 Living with Working Parents: 69.43%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau. (n.d.). B23008. Age of own children under 18 in families and subfamilies by living arrangements by employment status of parents. Universe: Own children under 18 years in families and subfamilies. In American Community Survey, 2006. http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DatasetMainPageServlet?_program=ACS&_submenuId=datasets_2&_lang=en&_ts=

Median Income

2005 Estimated State Median Income for 4-Person Families: $73,213.00
2006 Estimated State Median Income for 4-Person Families: $70,300.00

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community Services. (2006, February). Estimated state median income for a four-person family, by State, Federal Fiscal Year 2007. Federal Register 71 (39). http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/liheap/guidance/information_memoranda/im06-05.html

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community Services. (2007, March). Estimated State median income for a four-person family, by State, Federal Fiscal Year 2008. Federal Register, 72(59). http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-5631.pdf

 

Early Care and Education Funding and Program Participation

Head Start

Head Start State Allocations: $67,594,321.00
Number of Children Participating in Head Start: 9,820

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Head Start Bureau. (2007). Head Start program fact sheet. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ohs/about/fy2007.html

Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF)

CCDF Expenditure: $101,710,029.00
    Federal Expenditure: $64,101,755.00
    State Expenditure: $37,608,274.00
Average Monthly Number of Children Served: 19,100
Average Monthly Number of Families Served: 10,400

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Child Care Bureau. (2007, June). FFY 2005 Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) state expenditures. In Child Care and Development Fund expenditure data. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb/data/index.htm

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Child Care Bureau. (2006, June, 20). FFY 2005 CCDF data tables and charts [Preliminary estimates]. In Child Care and Development Fund statistics. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb/research/05acf800/list.htm

Note: This summary provides information obtained from the State CCDF ACF-696 reports submitted for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2005 CCDF expenditure year from all open appropriation years. States expended a total of $9.4 billion of combined Federal and State funds, which includes both CCDF and TANF transfers into CCDF.

Note:
1. All counts are "adjusted" numbers of families and children unless otherwise indicated. These "adjusted" numbers represent the number funded through CCDF only. The "adjusted" number is the raw or "unadjusted" number reported by the State multiplied by the pooling factor as reported on the ACF-800. A few States have indicated that the pooling factor reported on the ACF-800 is not applicable to the ACF-801. This report takes all these factors into consideration in calculating the "adjusted" numbers.
2. The source for this table is ACF-801 data for FY 2003.
3. The "adjusted" numbers were obtained by multiplying the respective "unadjusted" numbers by the reported pooling factor percentage that was applicable to the ACF-801 data.
4. The reported results shown above have been rounded to the nearest 100. The national numbers are simply the sum of the State and Territory numbers.
5. All states provide an actual count of families served. However, the number of children served is not a direct count based on the fact that some States elect to submit sample data versus full population data. For States that submit samples, the ratio of children-to-families is determined and then multiplied by the number of families served to obtain an estimate of the number of children served.
6. Puerto Rico were unable to report ACF-801 case-level data before report preparation.
7. On an ongoing basis, CA serves a significant number of families and children through State funds. Beginning in FY 2002, CA recognized and corrected their reporting to show that only 86% of families and children are being served through CCDF (as opposed to 100%). The other 14% are actually being served by non-CCDF funds. Prior to FY 2002, NY reported children based on a payments system which allowed for a child to be counted more than once. Beginning with FY 2002, NY revised their reporting system. This has had the effect of eliminating double-counting. These changes lowered the national child counts by nearly 100,000 for FY 2002 and FY 2003 as compared to what was reported for FY 2001.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

TANF - Total Child Care Expenditure: $12,848,012.00
    TANF - Direct Expenditure on Child Care: $705,237.00
    TANF - Transfer to CCDF: $12,142,775.00

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Family Assistance. (n.d.). Fiscal year 2006 TANF financial data. In TANF financial data. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/data/2006/ytanf_2006.html

Note: Direct TANF expenditure includes non-assistance child care and assistance child care.

State Funded Prekindergarten

State Expenditure: $37,770,856.00
Enrollment (3 and 4 year olds): 12,358

Source: Barnett, W. S., Hawkinson, L. E., Hustedt, J. T., & Robin, K. B. (2006). The state of preschool: 2006 state preschool yearbook [Electronic version]. http://nieer.org/yearbook/pdf/yearbook.pdf

Note: These figures include a contribution of $14,167,306 from local sources, as required by the School Finance Formula.

Licensing Requirements

Licensed Centers and Family Child Care Homes (FCCH)

Number of Licensed/Regulated Small FCCG: 4,072
Number of Licensed/Regulated Large/Group FCCG: 209
Total Number Licensed/Regulated FCCG: 4,281

Source:

Number of Licensed/Regulated Child Care Centers: 1,282

Source: National Association for Regulatory Administration, & the National Child Care Information Center. (2006, December). The 2005 Child Care Licensing Study: Final Report. http://nara.affiniscape.com/associations/4734/files/Table%5FA%5FNum%5FLic%5FProg%5F2005%2Epdf

Note: See "Table A: Number of Licensed Child Care Facilities" from The 2005 Child Care Licensing Study, for State notes and other information, available on the Web at http://nara.affiniscape.com/associations/4734/files/Table%5FA%5FNum%5FLic%5FProg%5F2005%2Epdf.

NOTE: For the following data on family child care definitions and child care center ratios and group size requirements, a licensed program is required to have permission from the State to operate and must meet specified family child care or center standards. Several States have county or city licensing regulations which may supersede State requirements; reported data excludes such requirements.

Definition of Licensed Family Child Care Homes

Small Family Child Care Homes
    Number of Children Allowed: 2-6 (plus 2 school-age children)
    Maximum Number of Children to One Provider: 8
    Provider's Own Children Counted: Yes, if younger than age 12
    Maximum Number of Infants/Toddlers to One Provider: 2 younger than 2 years,
3 younger than 2 years,
with no more than 2
younger than 1 year,
with no additional school-age children
Large Family Child Care Homes
    Number of Children Allowed: 7-12
    Ratio of Children to One Provider: 7:1
    Provider's Own Children Counted: Not addressed in regulations

*Colorado: See Definition of Licensed Family Child Care Homes for State notes and other information, available on the Web at http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/pubs/cclicensingreq/definition-fcc.html.

Source: NCCIC (June 07) Definition of licensed family child care homes. http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/pubs/cclicensingreq/definition-fcc.html
Source: Data compiled from child care licensing regulations posted on the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education Web site at http://nrc.uchsc.edu/STATES/states.htm on June 14, 2007.

Center Child:Staff Ratios and Maximum Group Size Requirements

Age of Children Child: Staff Ratio/
Maximum Group Size
6 weeks 5:1
10
9 months 5:1
10
18 months 5:1
10
27 months 7:1
14
3 years 10:1
20
4 years 12:1
24
5 years 15:1
30
6 years 15:1
30
7 years 15:1
30
8-9 years 15:1
30
10 years and older 15:1
30

Note: Key: NR = Not Regulated; U = Unspecified
For the purposes of this document, a licensed program is required to have permission from the State to operate and must meet specified family child care standards. Several States have county or city licensing regulations which may supersede State requirements; reported data excludes such requirements. States includes the District of Columbia for a total of 51 entities.

Note: See Child Care Center Licensing Regulations: Child:Staff Ratios and Maximum Group Size Requirements for State notes and other information, available on the Web at http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/pubs/cclicensingreq/ratios.html.

Source: NCCIC (October 06). Center child care licensing regulations: child:staff ratios and maximum group size requirements. http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/pubs/cclicensingreq/ratios.html

Source: Data compiled from child care licensing regulations posted on the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education Web site at http://nrc.uchsc.edu/STATES/states.htm on October 5, 2006.

For more information about licensing requirements, please contact:

National Child Care Information Center
10530 Rosehaven St., Suite 400
Fairfax, VA 22030
Ph: 800-616-2242; Fax: 800-716-2242
TTY: 800-516-2242
E-mail: info@nccic.org
Web site: http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/

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Contact Information

Child Care Subsidy Agency

Colorado Department of Human Services
Division of Child Care
1575 Sherman Street, 1st Floor
Denver, CO 80203-1714
Phone: 303-866-5948
Toll Free: 800-799-5876
Fax: 303-866-4453
Web Site: http://www.cdhs.state.co.us/childcare/

Child Care Licensing Agency

Colorado Department of Human Services
Division of Child Care
1575 Sherman Street, First Floor
Denver, CO 80203-1714
Phone: 303-866-5958
Toll Free: 800-799-5876
Fax: 303-866-4453
Web Site: http://www.cdhs.state.co.us/childcare/Li
censing_home.htm

State Child Care Resource & Referral Contact

Qualistar Early Learning
3607 Martin Luther King Boulevard
Denver, CO 80205
Phone: 303-339-6800
Toll Free: 877-338-CARE (877-338-2273)
Fax: 303-339-6833
Web Site: http://www.qualistar.org

Professional Development Contact

Smart Start Colorado
Office of Professional Development
4300 Cherry Creek Drive So.
Denver, CO 80246-1530
Web Site: http://www.smartstartcolorado.org/profes
sionals/index.html

State Homepage & Child Care Page

http://www.colorado.gov
http://www.cdhs.state.co.us/childcare/
 
 

State Contacts List

 
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