§ 26.5-4-209 — Preschool programs cash fund - created - use

Colorado § 26.5-4-209

• Jurisdiction: Colorado
• Title 26.5: Early
• Art.: Child Care and Education

Text

(1) (a) The
preschool programs cash fund is created in the state treasury. The fund consists of
money credited to the fund pursuant to section 24-22-118 (2), money transferred to
the fund pursuant to section 39-28-116 (6), and any additional money the general
assembly may appropriate or transfer to the fund. The state treasurer shall credit
all interest and income derived from the deposit and investment of money in the
preschool programs cash fund to the fund. The general assembly shall annually
appropriate money in the preschool programs cash fund to the department to
implement the preschool program.

(b) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2023.)

(2) In addition to the money appropriated from the fund, the department may
seek, accept, and expend public and private gifts, grants, and donations to
implement the preschool program.

(3) (a) The department shall prioritize the use of money appropriated from
the preschool programs cash fund to provide funding for ten hours of voluntary
preschool services per week, at no charge, to Colorado children during the school
year preceding the school year in which a child is eligible to enroll in kindergarten,
to provide funding for preschool services for children with disabilities, and to
provide funding for preschool services for eligible children who are three years of
age or younger as described in section 26.5-4-204 (3)(a)(III) and (3)(a)(IV).

(b) The department may use the remaining money annually appropriated
from the preschool programs cash fund after the uses described in subsection
(3)(a) of this section to provide additional preschool services for children who are in
low-income families or who meet at least one qualifying factor.

(4) In furtherance of the purposes set forth in subsection (3) of this section
and to meet an expansion of preschool populations, in addition to the use described
in subsection (3)(b) of this section, the department may use the remaining money
annually appropriated from the preschool programs cash fund after meeting the
uses described in subsection (3)(a) of this section to ensure the availability of
quality, voluntary preschool services provided through a mixed delivery system by
means the department deems appropriate, including:

(a) Recruiting, training, and retaining early childhood education
professionals;

(b) Expanding or improving the staff, facilities, equipment, technology, and
physical infrastructure of preschool providers to increase preschool access;

(c) Parent and family outreach to facilitate timely and effective enrollment;
and

(d) Such other uses as are consistent with and further the purpose of the
preschool program.

(5) The department may use money appropriated from the preschool
programs cash fund for the administrative costs of local coordinating organizations.

(5.5) The general assembly shall not appropriate the full balance of the
preschool programs cash fund prior to the start of a state fiscal year. The
unappropriated balance in the preschool programs cash fund at the start of the
fiscal year is the reserve. The department may submit a request for a supplemental
appropriation from the preschool programs cash fund reserve to the joint budget
committee pursuant to section 2-3-208 (3)(a) and (3)(b)(II).

(6) Repealed.

Legislative History

Source: L. 2022: Entire article added with relocations, (HB 22-1295), ch. 123, p. 706, � 3, effective July 1. L. 2023: (6) added, (HB 23-1290), ch. 337, p. 2023, � 2, effective June 2; (1) amended, (SB 23-216), ch. 94, p. 353, � 2, effective August 7. L. 2024: (6)(a)(III) and (6)(c) added and (6)(b) repealed, (HB 24-1215), ch. 11, p. 25, � 2, effective February 27; (3)(b) and IP(4) amended and (5.5) added, (HB 24-1387), ch. 92, p. 298, � 1, effective April 18.