Colorado leaders are debating the optimal class sizes and staff-to-student ratios for their universal preschool program. Currently, classes can have up to 24 children with a staff ratio of 1 to 12, but there’s a proposal to reduce class sizes to 20 and ratios to 1 to 10 by 2025. This plan has faced resistance from private preschool providers, citing financial concerns and potential tuition hikes. The decision rests with Lisa Roy of the Colorado Department of Early Childhood, who is considering research and feedback from stakeholders. The debate underscores the challenge of balancing quality early childhood education with financial constraints in a program funded partly by a voter-approved nicotine tax, serving a significant portion of Colorado’s 4-year-olds.
https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2024/02/23/colorado-universal-preschool-class-size-debate
