Colorado's Universal Preschool Program Opens Enrollment for Upcoming 2025-26 School Year While Current Year Enrollment Continues

DENVER - Colorado families can apply for the 2025-26 Universal Preschool Program, as of noon December 17, 2024. This exciting opportunity offers up to 15 hours of free, high-quality preschool for all children in the year before kindergarten, with additional hours available for qualifying families. 

"Colorado's Universal Preschool Program is truly raising the bar for early childhood education - for children, parents, and our economy," said Governor Jared Polis. "In addition to saving families an average of $6,100, recent research shows how state-funded universal preschool programs help parents stay in the workforce, access more paid child care hours, and earn up to 20% more each year. Colorado’s Universal Preschool Program not only saves Colorado families money, it drives our state’s economy and earliest learners forward to thrive for years to come." 

How To Enroll 

Families can apply at UPK.Colorado.Gov following the steps below: 

1. Explore Providers: Browse profiles of more than 2,000 licensed programs statewide. 

2. Submit an Application: Select preferred providers and submit by the deadlines. 
February 3: Pre-registration for families continuing care with a current provider, with a sibling enrolled, or family member employed. 
February 5: First family-provider matching round. 
March 5: Final family-provider matching round. 

3. Accept a Match: Families will be notified to accept or decline between. 
February 3 - February 10 (pre-registration). 
February 24 - March 3 (first round). 
March 24 - March 31 (final round). 

4. Finalize Enrollment: Complete registration directly with the provider. 

Families may also directly enroll with providers after matching rounds end, throughout the school year as space is available, providing greater flexibility and access for families. 

“Colorado’s Universal Preschool Program shows what’s possible when we prioritize young learners,” said Dr. Lisa Roy, Executive Director, Colorado Department of Early Childhood. "High-quality preschool opportunities strengthen families and drive our communities forward." 

Successes for Program Year 1 (2023-24) 

• Families saved an average of $6,100 for a combined total of $239 million. 
• Nearly seven out of 10 eligible four-year-olds in Colorado - 68.7% (43,479) - were served, highlighting Colorado as a leader compared to the national average of 35% enrollment in state-funded preschool programs. 

Enhancements in Program Year 2 (2024-25) 

• Expanded hours with a new qualifying factor for families considered to be living in poverty by federal guidelines. 
• Increased language access with applications now available in 11 languages and interpreters available in more than 100 languages by calling the help desk. 
• Enhanced support for more than 8,000 preschoolers with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) with Direct Placement pathway.
• More than 41,640 four-year-olds have been served so far in the 2024-25 school year, about 65% of the number of children who qualify. Children can still be enrolled for the 2024-25 school year with families encouraged to register directly with a participating provider of choice through the end of the school year. 

New in Program Year 3 (2025-26) 

• Provider Resource Bank launching to support providers in meeting updated quality standards. 
• Enhanced communication via centralized contact center offering online, email, and phone support, including access to interpreters to support families in communicating with call center specialists in more than 100 languages. 

“We’re committed to meeting the diverse needs of Colorado families,” said Dawn Odean, Universal Preschool Program Director. "From expanded services to multilingual support, we’re always evolving to ensure every child can thrive.” 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) 
Question: How can families and providers learn more or get involved? 
Visit UPK.Colorado.Gov to: 

• Explore providers. 
• Apply for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years. 
• Learn more about the program. 
• Subscribe to Universal Preschool email updates. 

Question: How can families and providers request help? 

• Online: Help.UPK.Colorado.Gov 
• Email: [email protected] 
• Phone: 303-866-5223, available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. 

Question: Where can I find the recent research on how universal preschool programs are impacting parents and caregivers? 
Please see the National Bureau of Economic Research’s (NBER) report Parents Earnings and The Returns to Universal Pre-Kindergarten. 

Question: How is Colorado Universal Preschool addressing feedback from families and providers? 
Universal Preschool evolves each year based on input from families, providers, and partners. 
Key updates for the 2024-25 program year include: 

• Expanded access: A new qualifying factor for children in poverty has increased eligibility for full-day services. 
• Improved quality standards: Developed in partnership with partners, these standards aim to enhance teacher qualifications, instructional practices, and family engagement while providing resources to help providers meet these benchmarks. 
• Streamlined enrollment: Multi-pathway processes make it easier for families to register and access care year-round. 

Question: How does Universal Preschool ensure parent choice in selecting a preschool? 
Parents can explore nearly 2,000 participating providers statewide through UPK.Colorado.Gov and select their preferred options. While the program uses an equitable matching algorithm, the majority of families receive their first or second choice (91% of families received their top choice this year). Families can also directly enroll with providers if space is available. 

Question: Why does the Universal Preschool Program offer pre-registration for certain families? 
Pre-registration ensures continuity of care, which benefits children, families, and providers by: 

• Supporting Stability: Children can remain with familiar caregivers, fostering emotional security and consistent learning progress.
• Improving Outcomes: Research shows that consistent early education settings lead to better social, emotional, and cognitive development.
• Streamlining Enrollment: Pre-registration simplifies the process for eligible families and helps providers plan resources effectively. By offering pre-registration, the program also ensures families and providers benefit from a seamless transition to the family-provider matching round, where all families can access a wide variety of options to find their best fit. 

Question: What support is available for community-based providers? 
The program prioritizes working together with providers, families, and partners to continuously improve and enhance Colorado’s innovative mixed-delivery model. To further support these providers: A Resource Bank will launch in 2025 with tools, templates, and training to help meet quality standards. 

• Increased transparency: Families can access clear information about programs through the website, helping to highlight the quality and value of community-based options. 
• Providers and families are a priority to engage together as we move forward. 

Question: How does Universal Preschool balance the needs of families and providers? 
The program is designed to benefit both families and providers by: 

• Saving families an average of $6,100 annually. 
• Strengthening the financial stability of participating providers through consistent enrollment and funding. – Continue – 
• Ensuring flexibility with year-round enrollment opportunities and multilingual application support. 

Question: What steps are being taken to address challenges faced by the child care industry? 
The Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) is committed to supporting the child care sector by: 

• Increasing CCCAP reimbursement rates to better align with market rates. 
• Collaborating with industry partners to create solutions for workforce challenges, training accessibility, and cost efficiencies. 
• Advocating for sustainable funding and streamlined administrative processes. 

Question: How is quality measured in participating programs? 
All licensed providers are automatically designated as Level 1 under the Colorado Shines system. Programs achieving Levels 3-5 demonstrate advanced quality standards. While a Colorado Shines rating is not required for participation, families can use these ratings as one of several tools to evaluate program quality.