Early Childhood Council Leadership Alliance

ECCLA ADVOCATES FOR AND STRENGTHENS THE ACCESSIBILITY, QUALITY, AND EQUITY OF LOCAL SERVICES AND SUPPORTS THROUGH A RESPONSIVE STATEWIDE SYSTEM OF EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCILS, TO BENEFIT COLORADO'S YOUNG CHILDREN, THEIR FAMILIES, AND EARLY CHILDHOOD PROFESSIONALS.

ECCLA ACCOMPLISHED A NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES DURING 2022. ALL PROGRAMS HAVE A GEOGRAPHIC REACH ACROSS THE STATE OF COLORADO: - MEMBERSHIP RESOURCES: SERVING 35 EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCILS IN ALL 64 COLORADO COUNTIES WITH CAPACITY BUILDING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. - POLICY AND ADVOCACY: ECCLA WORKS TO ELEVATE THE EARLY CHILDHOOD WORKFORCE, PROMOTE HEALTHY CHILD OUTCOMES, INCREASE ACCESS FOR LOCAL FAMILIES, AND ADVOCATES FOR POLICIES AND INVESTMENT IN THE LOCAL AND STATEWIDE EARLY CHILDHOOD SYSTEM INFRASTRUCTURE. - WORKFORCE SUPPORTS: ECCLA PROVIDES STATE-WIDE DIRECT SUPPORTS TO EARLY CHILDHOOD PROFESSIONALS THROUGH SCHOLARSHIP AND GRANT PROGRAMS THAT INCLUDE: - T.E.A.C.H. EARLY CHILDHOOD COLORADO SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM: THE T.E.A.C.H. EARLY CHILDHOOD INITIATIVE, A NATIONAL, EVIDENCE-BASED STRATEGY THAT CREATES ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION. T.E.A.C.H. SCHOLARSHIPS SERVED 60 PROFESSIONALS AND IMPACTED OVER 3,000 CHILDREN IN 2021. - FAMILY CHILD CARE HOME INITIATIVE: GRANTS TO SUPPORT LICENSED FAMILY CHILD CARE HOME PROVIDERS TO ADDRESS HEALTH, SAFETY, AND QUALITY IMPROVEMENT NEEDS. GRANTS REACHED 60 PROVIDERS IN 2021, IMPACTING OVER 500 CHILDREN. - BACK TO WORK: ECE COSI SCHOLARSHIPS: SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOCUSED ON THOSE IMPACTED BY COVID TO SUPPORT EARLY CHILDHOOD DEGREE ATTAINMENT. STARTED IN NOVEMBER OF 2021, THIS PROGRAM HAS ALREADY SERVED 39 PROFESSIONALS. - RURAL R.U.N.: SCHOLARSHIPS TO SUPPORT INDUSTRY RECOGNIZED CERTIFICATES AND DEGREES. THIS PROGRAM JUST OPENED APPLICATIONS IN SUMMER OF 2022. - CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT PILOT: A PILOT PROGRAM TO SUPPORT HIGH SCHOOL JUNIORS AND SENIORS INTERESTED IN PURSING A CAREER IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION THROUGH CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT AND INCLUDES SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, A LEARNING COMMUNITY, AND EVALUATION OF CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN ECE ACROSS THE STATE. - COACHING AND NAVIGATION SUPPORTS: THE PROGRAM ENCOMPASSES WORK WITH THE COACHES AND NAVIGATORS HOUSED WITHIN EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCILS INCLUDING COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE AND RESOURCE MATERIALS. IT ALSO INCLUDES ALIGNMENT WORK WITH COACHING ENTITIES INCLUDING THE COLORADO COACHING CONSORTIUM. LASTLY IT INCLUDES THE COACHING CREDENTIALS SCHOLARSHIP AND REFLECTIVE SUPERVISION COORDINATION PROJECT.