FOR FAMILIES:
Universal Preschool is coming in the Fall of 2023. The Family Application is now open. Universal Preschool (UPK) Colorado allows families to choose the right setting for their child, whether it is in a licensed community-based, school-based or home-based preschool setting. Families of children in the year before they are eligible for kindergarten, and qualifying 3-year-olds, are able to apply for UPK Colorado for the 2023-24 school year.
How do I get started?
Apply at UPK.Colorado.gov and register for universal preschool.
The application can be done on a computer or phone in about 15 minutes.
UPK FAQs
The FAQ page is a resource for families click to learn more.
TPECC is here to support you! If you don’t see what you need, please contact us Coordinator@tellerparkecc.org.
10 hours a week of free, high-quality, voluntary preschool to every Colorado child in their year before entering kindergarten.
Allows families to choose the right setting for their child, whether it is in a licensed community-based, school-based or home-based preschool setting. A result of the voter-approved Proposition EE Launches in 2023 for the 2023-2024 school year.
Yes! The UPK application will initially be available in English, Spanish and Arabic.
The UPK application will be ready in January to support enrollment.
Yes, make sure you have a copy (PDF, digital, photocopy, etc.) of your child’s birth certificate. You will need this to register your child for UPK.
A mixed delivery model allows parents to choose among different program types (i.e., centers, homes, preschool – private and public) and select one that best meets their needs.
Children can participate in a program that meets their development and learning style.
Universal preschool will replace the existing Colorado Preschool Program, which provides 10 hours a week of preschool for at-risk students and is administered by school districts. Some children will qualify for more than 10 state-funded hours based on risk factors that are still to be developed.
Families can choose to pay for more hours of preschool based on their needs.
Children also will continue to qualify for the state’s Child Care Assistance Program, Head Start and other funding sources, which can be stacked on top of the 10 universal preschool hours.
As part of the planning process and to ensure UPK meets the needs of every unique community, YOUR input matters–as a parent, provider, or community member. You can help inform how UPK in our catchment area is developed. Participate in one of our planning sessions!
Local Coordinating Organizations (LCOs) will be responsible for the coordination of Universal Preschool at the local level – this includes supporting families in navigating enrollment, tracking, and reporting on seat availability in preschools, communicating with and supporting providers, and ensuring the smooth rollout of at least ten hours of free voluntary preschool for every child in the year before they are eligible to enter kindergarten. In time, CDEC will work with LCOs to broaden their areas of coordination, building a cohesive system among all early childhood service providers in their catchment area.
Have another question about UPK?
Contact Coordinator@tellerparkecc.org if you have any questions about UPK. As your dedicated partner and LCO, we will work diligently to answer your questions in a timely fashion. TPECC looks forward to supporting you.