In simplest terms, early childhood professional development systems provide the infrastructure for preparing, supporting and qualifying teachers of young children. Beyond the basics, effective professional development systems must also be broad-based and integrated to address all aspects of the early childhood education field.

The Colorado Early Learning and Development Guidelines (Guidelines) describe the trajectory of children's learning and development from birth to 8 years old in Colorado. They include a broad description of children's growth to ensure a holistic approach to creating positive early childhood environments. For each age level, this document addresses approaches to learning, health and physical development, social and emotional development, language, literacy,...