Action and Policy Priorities in 2022
From the Desk of The Director of Programs and Initiatives: Alethea Gomez
As I was preparing to write this blog post, I was reflecting on this winter season and the turning of the new year, and how much I had relaxed once it finally snowed. Somehow, I knew that it would come, and when I saw the first flakes fall on my home in Boulder, I felt a new energy and calm and even a little more confidence in my day!
At EPIC, we are more excited than ever to share details on the work we are doing alongside business leaders and community partners to develop innovative and creative solutions for the longstanding challenges that face child care business owners, the workforce, and the business community alike.
EPIC is off to a great start in 2022, leading key efforts to directly increase child care access and availability, strengthen the early childhood workforce, and develop public-private partnerships that address the child care infrastructure needs of employers and working families in Colorado.
EPIC’s Policy Committee is proud to present our 2022 Policy Priorities below. We hope you will join EPIC in our efforts to leverage the voice of the business community to develop policy and build infrastructure to support the workforce of today while developing the workforce of tomorrow.
2022 Advocacy & Policy Priorities
Universal Access to Preschool
Implementation of funding and program administration to ensure children have high-quality preschool education experiences while supporting the diverse care, access, and affordability choices of families and working parents within a mixed delivery system of services.
Well-Designed System for Families
Informing the creation and design of a new Department of Early Childhood in Colorado to create a more aligned, user-friendly, transparent, and effective system of resources that centers itself on serving the needs of families, young children, and the practitioners serving them.
Early Childhood Infrastructure & Facilities
Establish incentives, expand financial resources, and address regulatory barriers to entry to ensure communities and local employers can innovatively design, create, and sustain early child care and education services that meet the needs of their local workforce.
Industry Workforce & Voice
Create incentives for early childhood professionals and business owners to enter and remain in the sector through sustainable investments, career/business supports, and innovative career pathways.
Promote and advocate for a sufficient supply of early childhood services, a strong small business industry voice, and the stabilization of the early childhood sector through the development, design, and ongoing implementation of early childhood funds and programs.