Some of the most promising solutions to America’s child care challenges are happening right here in Denver. In fact, our community has spent the last 20 years showing what’s possible when people come together to invest in young children through Denver Preschool Program (DPP).
Child care is a national challenge, but solutions, like access to child care, often start locally. Families need affordable, high-quality options that fit their schedules, budgets and unique needs. And while state and federal programs play an important role, cities are in a unique position to bring together funding, community organizations, educators, employers and families to make child care work better for everyone.
Denver isn’t alone. Across the country, communities are finding creative ways to improve access to child care and early childhood education. And their efforts are making a difference.
Denver’s 20-Year Commitment to Early Childhood Education
In 2006, Denver voters made a bold decision: invest local tax dollars to help families afford preschool.
That decision led to the creation of Denver Preschool Program (DPP), which has since provided more than $272 million in tuition credits to more than 83,000 children, invested more than $41 million in preschool quality improvement and built relationships with hundreds of early childhood providers.
But perhaps just as important is the community support that has grown along the way. When DPP first passed in 2006, it received just over 50% of the vote. In 2023, more than 78% of Denver voters supported making its dedicated funding permanent.
Over two decades, Denver has built more than a preschool program. It’s built a shared commitment to making early childhood education a priority.
Local Solutions Making a Difference Across the Country
Other cities are taking similar steps, finding early care and education solutions that reflect their communities’ needs. Here are a few examples:
In 2022, New Orleans voters approved dedicated funding to expand access to infant and toddler care. Through its City Seats program, the city is investing more than $21 million annually in free child care for eligible families, alongside support for educators and providers.
Cincinnati is taking a two-pronged approach through Cincinnati Preschool Promise, helping families afford preschool while investing in the educators and programs that serve them. Its network includes more than 150 preschool sites, and its workforce initiatives provide wage supplements and professional development opportunities.
In San Antonio, the voter-funded Pre-K 4 SA initiative supports high-quality preschool, educator training and community-based programs. Like Denver, San Antonio has demonstrated how local tax dollars can create sustained opportunities for young learners.
And in Seattle, local investments and partnerships have helped the Seattle Preschool Program grow from just 280 preschool seats in 2015 to capacity for more than 2,500 children in 2025–26.
Each city is taking a slightly different approach, but they share a common goal: making early childhood education more accessible by building on local strengths, partnerships and resources.
Why Local Leadership Matters
Finding child care isn’t always as simple as finding an affordable program.
A family might qualify for child care assistance but struggle to find an available spot nearby. Another family might find a program they love, only to discover its hours don’t work with their job. Meanwhile, child care providers may struggle to hire and retain educators, limiting how many families they can serve.
These challenges are connected, and the solutions need to be, too.
Cities are uniquely positioned to see how child care intersects with housing, transportation, employment and other community needs. They can bring partners together, identify gaps and help families make the most of existing resources.
And the benefits extend well beyond individual households. When families have reliable child care, parents can pursue employment and education, employers can attract and retain workers, and children can benefit from enriching early learning experiences.
The economic implications are significant. An estimated “10,200 Colorado mothers sidelined from the labor force due to child care could generate $3.787 billion in gross domestic product (GDP) and create 29,000 total jobs if their child care issues were resolved and chose to return to employment,” according to the Common Sense Institute. In Denver, there are 1,240 mothers that could generate nearly $120 million if they could fully participate in the workforce.
Child care isn’t just an investment in children and families. It’s an investment in the entire community.
Building on What Denver Has Already Created
After 20 years of local investment, Denver has a strong foundation to build on. From DPP’s tuition assistance and quality improvement efforts to Colorado’s Universal Preschool program and the work of local early childhood organizations, our community has valuable resources already in place.
The next opportunity is to connect those resources more intentionally.
That’s the vision behind First Step Collective: bringing together people, organizations and resources to strengthen Denver’s early childhood system. Rather than creating another disconnected program, First Step Collective aims to build on what’s working, strengthen partnerships, identify unmet needs and make it easier for families to find the support they need.
Denver’s experience, along with the innovative work happening in cities across the country, shows what’s possible when communities take the lead. Child care challenges are a national challenge, yet some of the most meaningful solutions begin right in our backyard.
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