Colorado lawmakers trying to make it easier for parents to sign their kids up for preschool

An effort to make it easier for parents to sign their kids up for preschool is ongoing at the Colorado State Capitol.  

Right now, only certain providers called Local Coordinating Organization have access to the state's online enrollment system. LCOs essentially act as a go-between if a parent has problems with that application.

Under a new bill by state Sen. Barb Kirk Meyer, all providers would have access to that system so parents can work with their preschool directly.

Kirkmeyer, a member the Joint Budget Committee and a Republican from Weld County, is also pressing the Department of Early Childhood on its spending.

"I have challenged them to tell me why. Why when we had the Colorado preschool program, which was just for public schools, why that cost us $128 million. And two, three years later, we are spending $350 million on this program, and we didn't more than double the number of children that are in full-day preschool. What the heck is going on over there?" she said.

Lawmakers are also hoping to make child care more affordable for parents. A separate bill would limit wait lists and application fees to $25 and require child care centers to apply those fees to the first month of child care if a family's application is indeed accepted. The bill will get its first hearing before the Senate Business and Labor Committee on Wednesday.