Early Childhood Center
Operations and
Business Administration

Category: Organizing Operations

ECCOBA 1.1

A. Defines operations planning and components as related to early childhood programs, to include but not limited to operational requirements as defined in Colorado Rules and Regulations. 

B. Identifies tools, such as child care management software, Gantt charts, planning checklists and timelines, etc., to organize and support early childhood program operations management 

ECCOBA 2.1

A. Identifies the required components of a program policies and procedures statement (often referred to as a parent handbook) that includes the overall  promotion of safety and an environment that is healthy, trauma-informed, equitable, anti-racist/anti-bias, inclusive, and culturally and linguistically responsive to the families and community served by the program. See Colorado Rules and Regulations 2.206. 

Category: Budget and Financial Planning

ECCOBA 3.1

A. Defines and explains the importance of  budgeting, accounting, and financial planning and how they differ but support each other. Includes identifying components and forms/tools to support each element.

B. Identifies frequency at which certain budgeting, accounting and financial planning activities must be maintained. Includes identifying child care management software tools and/or accounting software or other resources, such as consultants, to support child attendance tracking, online billing, payroll, and taxes, etc.

C. Describes how enrollment, fee collection, and rates/tuition charged affects income and supports the program’s financial position. 

ECCOBA 4.1

A. Identifies sources of public funding (e.g., Colorado Child Care Assistance Program, Colorado Universal Preschool Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, grant opportunities, Colorado Child Care Contribution Tax Credit, etc.), recognizes various requirements, and describes how to combine funding streams to support program funding. 

B. Describes grant proposal writing practices.

Category: Marketing

ECCOBA 5.1

A. Identifies components of a marketing plan and supporting resources. 

Category: Risk Management, Legal Structure, Business License, and Facility Maintenance

ECCOBA 6.1

A. Identifies potential risks of operating an early childhood program and describes strategies to minimize and/or eliminate the various risks and hazards to include but not limited to those outlined in the Colorado Rules and Regulations. 

B. Identifies need for and types of insurance coverage when owning and/or operating an early childhood center. 

C. Identifies supporting resources and key stakeholders to consult on identifying risks and minimizing hazards to include but not necessarily limited to licensing specialists, local fire department, local health department, and local building and zoning departments. 

D. Names and describes legal structures of for-profit and nonprofit business ownership and how they relate to strategic planning, liability, taxes, and risk management. 

E. Locates information on determining if a business license is needed and how to obtain a business license.

ECCOBA 7.1

A. Identifies Colorado Rules and Regulations pertaining to physical facility requirements and maintenance and describes how this relates to safety, risk management planning, and supporting the program mission and vision. (May utilize Child Care Resource Packet and General Resource Materials.)

Category: Staffing

ECCOBA 8.1

A. Identifies and describes components of a staff policy and procedures handbook in compliance with all Colorado Rules and Regulations and includes diversity, equity, and inclusion practices, salary scale, and benefits. Example Handbook

B. Identifies and describes how to embed diversity, equity, and inclusion into staff policies, procedures, and practices. 

ECCOBA 9.1

A. Identifies and describes Colorado Rules and Regulations staffing requirements and records, roles, qualifications, staff-child ratios, needed background checks, and supervision to include utilization of substitute early childhood professionals and volunteers and the specialized requirements for staff providing  infant and toddler care.

• Large Center Director Verification Worksheet 

• Early Childhood Teacher Qualification Pathway Verification Worksheet

ECCOBA 10.1 

A. Describes the current early childhood professional labor market to include issues of a diverse, culturally, and linguistically representative workforce. 

B. Identifies components of strategic recruitment and retention plans to include developing a pool of qualified substitutes.

C. Identifies recruitment and retention resources that include supporting diversity, equity, inclusion, and culturally/linguistically representative program staff.

D. Identifies hiring and employment laws and resources (includes obtaining an employer identification number from the IRS and applicable Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Americans with Disabilities Act requirements).

ECCOBA 11.1

A. Names and describes components of an effective phased employee onboarding and orientation process that is inclusive and welcoming. Includes identifying training requirements for various staff that needs to be completed prior to caring for children, within 30 calendar days of employment, and within 90 calendar days of employment.

B. Names and describes components of an effective offboarding process. 

ECCOBA 12.2 

A. Describes career navigation and personal professional development planning. Includes investigating career navigation tools and supports, such as but not limited to the  Colorado Shines Professional Development Information System (PDIS) competency self-assessment and professional development plan,  and funding opportunities to support staff in their career and professional development.

ECCOBA 13.1

A. Lists requirements of state required annual professional development for early childhood professionals. 

B. Identifies Colorado Competencies for Early Childhood Educators and Professionals, or other professional standards, describing how they may be used to enhance professional skills and knowledge and how this benefits children and families.

C. Explains the importance of including staff training on the topics of diversity, equity, inclusion, unconscious bias, and anti-racist/anti-bias strategies to promote environments and interactions that are inclusive and supportive of all children and families.

D. Identifies sources of local, state, and national professional development including but not limited to Colorado Shines PDIS, Colorado Early Childhood Councils, higher education courses and degrees, local/national conferences, and in-person or virtual training opportunities.

ECCOBA 14.1

A. Explains the importance of and describes elements of early childhood professional and director self-care and well-being.

B. Names symptoms of professional burnout and strategies to support the overall well-being and resilience of all staff.

ECCOBA 15.1

A. Defines, describes, and names benefits of relationship-based coaching, reflective supervision, and mentoring.

ECCOBA 16.1

A. Names and describes elements of supportive supervision. 

Category: Organizing Operations

ECCOBA 1.2

A. Applies knowledge of operations planning to work with key stakeholders to create, organize, and implement plans to address all operational aspects of the early childhood program. Includes identifying operational areas that may benefit from specialized staff roles, consultants, or shared services arrangements (e.g. finance, accounting, marketing, curriculum implementation, etc.).

B. Utilizes tools, such as child care management software, Gantt charts, planning checklists and timelines, etc., to organize and support  program operations. 

ECCOBA 2.2

A. Applies knowledge of required components to develop a program policies and procedure manual that includes the overall promotion of safety and an environment that is healthy, trauma-informed, equitable, anti-racist/anti-bias, inclusive, and culturally and linguistically responsive while reflecting the program vision, mission, philosophy, and goals. 

Category: Budget and Financial Planning

ECCOBA 3.2

A. Working with key stakeholders and utilizing supporting resources, applies knowledge of budgeting, accounting, and financial planning  to develop and maintain an overall program budget and financial plan. 

B. Develops a system, using generally accepted bookkeeping/accounting practices, to track financial transactions. May include use of a child care software management tool to effectively monitor enrollment numbers and fee collection to support full enrollment and timely receipt of fees. 

ECCOBA 4.2

A. Develops and implements systems to determine program and families’ eligibility for public funding sources.
B. Applies for grants. 

Category: Marketing

ECCOBA 5.2

A. Develops a marketing plan utilizing supporting resources in collaboration with families, early childhood staff, community organizations, businesses, and other stakeholders. 

Category: Risk Management, Legal Structure, Business License, and Facility Maintenance

ECCOBA 6.2

A. Applies knowledge to develop and implement a program risk management plan with assistance from key stakeholders and in compliance with Colorado Rules and Regulations and all other applicable codes and regulations. Includes setting-up legal structure of business, purchasing appropriate insurance coverage, and obtaining business license.

ECCOBA 7.2

A. Develops procedures and schedules to maintain physical facilities in compliance with Colorado Rules and Regulations, to reduce risk to hazards, increase safety, and  support program mission and vision.

Category: Staffing 

ECCOBA 8.2

A. With involvement of key stakeholders, applies knowledge to develop an employee handbook with personnel policies, procedures, budget, salary scale, and benefits package that includes practices that support diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

ECCOBA 9.2

A. Applies knowledge of  Colorado Rules and  Regulations for staffing patterns, ratios, and requirements to analyze needed staffing patterns and develops staff scheduling in compliance with government regulations and to support program philosophy and quality. 

ECCOBA 10.2

A. Applies knowledge of the current early childhood professional labor market and laws to develop and implement a strategic recruitment and retention plan with input from current staff members,  key stakeholders, and considerations to ensure equitable, diverse, inclusive, and culturally and linguistically representative practices. Includes hiring process strategies for advertising positions, screening, interviewing, onboarding, developing a pool of qualified substitutes, and utilizing resources and supports. 

ECCOBA 11.2

A. Designs an inclusive and welcoming new employee phased onboarding and orientation process that includes substitute early childhood professionals and ensures each employee can explain their own job description, the professional expectations of the job, is knowledgeable about Colorado Rules and Regulations, and program policies and procedures.

B. Designs offboarding process. 

ECCOBA 12.2 

A. Develops and implements a system for staff personal professional development planning and career navigation that includes an annual self-assessment of early childhood professional competencies, goal setting, and an annual review of plan with program director, career navigator, coach, mentor, or trainer.

ECCOBA 13.2

A. Includes policies on and creates an annual program professional development plan offering professional development opportunities and resources that align with and support staff’s personal goals, align with professional competencies, supports team growth, and program improvement. 

B. Implements staff professional development to support their on-going knowledge of diversity, equity, inclusion, unconscious bias, and anti-racist/anti-bias strategies so they may provide activities, environments, and interactions that are inclusive and supportive of all children and their families.

ECCOBA 14.2

A. Develops, implements, and monitors a self-care and well-being plan to support the early childhood staff and director’s mental health and resilience. Plan includes steps to support staff and self if experiencing symptoms of professional burnout. 

ECCOBA 15.2

A. Plans and supports opportunities for staff to participate in coaching/mentoring and other reflective practice activities.

ECCOBA 16.2

A. Creates a supportive supervision plan to include, at minimum, an annual performance appraisal utilizing observation of practice and reflective practice activities. 

Category: Organizing Operations

ECCOBA 1.3

A. Works with key stakeholders to review operations management plans on an annual basis, if not more frequently, and determine necessary changes. 

B. Analyzes the effectiveness of operations management tools. 

*Note that some components of an operations plan, such as accounting and finance, may need to be attended to and reviewed on a more frequent basis. 

ECCOBA 2.3

A. On at least an annual basis, analyzes with input from stakeholders, program policies and procedures for compliance with Colorado Rules and Regulations, best practices, and effectiveness, adjusting as necessary.

Category: Budget and Financial Planning

ECCOBA 3.3

A. Monitors and analyzes program financials utilizing supporting resources on a monthly basis making adjustments necessary. 

B. Working with key stakeholders and utilizing supporting resources, reviews, analyzes, and adjusts  financial business plans on at least an annual basis.

ECCOBA 4.3

A. Maintains knowledge of public funding and grant funding opportunities and seeks out funding partnerships that support the vision, mission, and goals of the program. 

Category: Marketing

ECCOBA 5.3

A. Analyzes effectiveness of marketing plan and adjusts as necessary. 

Category: Risk Management, Legal Structure, Business License, and Facility Maintenance

ECCOBA 6.3

A. Monitors and reviews program risk management plan, involving key stakeholders and resources, for effectiveness on at least an annual basis, if not more frequently, and adjusts as necessary. 

ECCOBA 7.3

A. Evaluates physical facilities maintenance procedures and schedules for effectiveness to reduce risk, increase safety, and supports the program mission and vision,  adjusting as necessary. 

Category: Staffing 

ECCOBA 8.3

A.  Annually reviews and adjusts personnel policy, procedures, budget, salary scale, and benefits package working with key stakeholders to maintain relevant policies and ensure authentic practices in support of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

ECCOBA 9.3

A. Monitors, evaluates, and adjusts staffing patterns, ratios, requirements, and scheduling on a basis compliant with government rules and regulations and to support program philosophy and quality. 

ECCOBA 10.3

A. Analyzes and evaluates recruitment and retention plan adjusting as necessary. 

B. Advocates for recruitment and retention of early childhood professionals at the local, state, and national level. 

ECCOBA 11.3

A. Analyzes phased onboarding and orientation process using feedback from employees, observation, and data. Provides training  and adjusts plans as necessary.

B. Analyzes information received through the offboarding process to determine and implement any needed changes. 

ECCOBA 12.3

A. Annually reviews and adjusts the system for staff personal professional development planning taking into consideration feedback from staff. 

ECCOBA 13.3

A. Reviews, at least annually, the program professional development plan and policies, assessing if they helped program staff meet personal professional development goals, supported team growth, and program improvement, adjusting as necessary.

B. Assesses staff knowledge of diversity, equity, inclusion, and observes program activities, environments, and interactions for authentic implementation of such as part of DEI audits to determine where further supports and training are necessary.

ECCOBA 14.3

A. Reviews and evaluates self-care and well-being plan based on employee feedback. Adjusts plan and implementation to ensure continuous support of staff and self.

ECCOBA 15.3

A. Analyzes program schedules and staff feedback to ensure staff have adequate time for coaching/mentoring and reflective practice activities.

ECCOBA 16.3

A. Annually reviews the supportive supervision plan utilizing staff feedback. Adjusts as necessary