Early childhood and child care

Head Start division manager Akane Ogren reported the 2026-27 school year started with strong staffing, one remaining teacher assistant vacancy, and enrollment recovering to 96 of 110 funded slots after typical early-year drops. The program projects a 13,000 dollar surplus for the fiscal year and is preparing both a second-round extension grant application and a five-year competitive grant application due December 15, 2026.

The board approved moving the YMCA's Worthy Cause funding lien from a Longmont childcare property to a Boulder property at 2850 Mapleton Avenue, after commissioners confirmed the YMCA's contractual duty to keep providing early childhood education in Longmont survives the collateral change.

“why MCA's obligation to continue providing childcare in Longmont remains a contractual obligation under the funding agreements”

The board certified amended ballot title language for the county Early Childhood Care and Education Mill Levy Increase measure going to the November 3, 2026 ballot. The change was limited to word choice in the ballot question, not the program itself.

Council straw-polled supporting the county's early childhood mill levy, which would raise about $30 million a year for child care affordability, accessibility, and workforce stability across Boulder County.

Heather Staer described the Boulder County Early Childhood Care and Education Mill Levy, a 2.579 mill property tax increase expected to raise about 30 million dollars a year for child care affordability, accessibility, workforce stability, and lower administrative costs for providers. Council later took a non-binding straw poll to support the measure.

“the funding would be used to address the high cost and limited availability of child care and preschool”

Commissioner Loachamin said she supports letting voters decide but asked the board to consider shortening the tax from perpetuity to 15 years and lowering the rate from 2.579 to 2.0 mills, out of concern for lower-income residents who may not know the hearing is happening. Commissioner Stolzmann and Commissioner Levy both said they preferred keeping the rate and perpetuity as proposed, and the board did not change either.

“let the voters decide was the quote”

A finance professional, Yiji Wang, testified that the plan lacks financial rigor, that most funding goes to subsidies rather than capacity, and that the administrative budget of 3 million dollars exceeds the amount budgeted for compensation increases. One other speaker opposed the tax entirely on unrelated grounds.

“the plan as it currently stands is not financially or economically viable”

More than 20 public speakers, including parents, child care providers, a pediatrician, business owners, and a school social worker, testified in support of referring the measure to the ballot. They described child care costs over 20,000 dollars a year per child, a CCAP enrollment freeze with over 1,000 children waitlisted, and provider turnover near 30 percent due to low wages.

“Parents can't afford to pay. Teachers can't afford to stay.”

Commissioner Loachamin asked why the tax is proposed in perpetuity rather than for a set term, questioned the 150,000 dollar income cutoff for tuition assistance, and asked whether comparable programs in Larimer, Denver, and Summit counties use property or sales tax. Presenters said they would accept a sunset of 10 years or more but prefer perpetuity so families can rely on the program.

“we're proposing this in perpetuity because we know that it takes a long time”

County staff and advocates Casey Hedrick and Jake Marsing presented the Brighter Start Boulder County plan, a permanent 2.579 mill property tax raising about 30 million dollars a year. The plan would backfill the frozen CCAP subsidy waitlist, add a tuition assistance program for families up to about 150,000 dollars in income, expand infant and toddler slots by 30 percent, and fund a workforce stabilization fund for providers.

“our childcare system and Boulder County is at a crisis point”

Head Start Division Manager Akane Ogren reported on staff return dates, three open leadership positions, and enrollment of 93 of 110 funded slots (58 in Boulder, 35 in Lafayette). Commissioner Loachamin asked where job seekers can apply, and staff said Boulder County's jobs page and national early childhood networks.

Tina Marquis asked the pollster how an early childhood care tax or a graduated income tax on the same ballot might affect support for the facilities bond and vacancy tax. The pollster said other tax measures on the ballot generally reduce support for each individual measure because voters default to no on unfamiliar items.

“having other taxes on the ballot complicates some of those other opportunities”