Colorado Title 26.5. Early Childhood Programs and Services § 26.5-4-209. Preschool programs cash fund--created--use--repeal

(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 Laws 2023, Ch. 94 (S.B. 23-216), § 2, eff. Aug. 7, 2023.

(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.

(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.

(6)(a) Repealed by Laws 2024, Ch. 11 (H.B. 24-1215), § 2, eff. July 1, 2024.

(b) Deleted by Laws 2024, Ch. 11 (H.B. 24-1215), § 2, eff. February 27, 2024.

(c) On April 1, 2024, the state treasurer shall transfer three million two hundred seventy-five thousand dollars from the unexpended and unencumbered money in the preschool programs cash fund to the information technology capital account in the capital construction fund created in section 24-75-302(3.7). This subsection (6)(c) is repealed, effective February 1, 2025.