Universal Preschool (UPK) Colorado ensures that every child in the year before they are eligible for kindergarten is eligible for half-day (15 hours), state-funded, voluntary preschool beginning in the 2023-24 school year. Applications can be submitted online or in person at the Boulder Municipal Building. Contact Ann at aschimke@chalkbeat.org. Colorado Newsline provides fair and accurate reporting on politics, policy and other stories of interest to Coloradans. Ann Schimke is a senior reporter at Chalkbeat, covering early childhood issues and early literacy. Families who qualify for 3-year-old preschool or extra hours of 4-year-old preschool for reasons other than income levels perhaps their child has a disability or is learning English wont need to show proof of income. Families looking for assistance navigating preschool services will be able to contact their LCOs for assistance.Click here to find the LCO in your community. The launch of this program, as a result of the voter-approved Proposition EE, builds on Colorados long-standing commitment to children and families and helps ensure that they are valued, healthy and thriving. If your child doesnt have an IEP and youre worried about a developmental delay, contact Child Find, the states early intervention program for 3- to 5-year-olds. Your email address will not be published. With enrollment for Colorado's new universal preschool program open for just about a week now, thousands of families from every corner of the state are ready to participate. Low pay continues to be a major challenge in attracting and keeping qualified teachers. And find all Chalkbeats coverage of universal preschool in Colorado here. That includes Denver and Jeffco, the two largest school districts. Families will find out their matches sooner, but tuition coverage doesnt kick in until late summer. Find your local coordinating organization here. Some districts also want parents to fill out school choice forms if they want a spot in a district-run preschool. Families who fill out the application by Feb. 14, will find out what preschool their child matched with around March 17. All programs are licensed by the Colorado Department of Human Services and meet the Colorado Department of Education Quality Standards for Early Childhood Care and Education Services. Learn more about financial transparency. Jeffco Public Schools Preschool Program offers half-day and full-day options for three and four-year-old children in many geographical areas of the district. The food tax rebate program is an excellent initiative by the City of Boulder, Colorado, to fight inflation and provide financial assistance to residents who need it most. in 2020. Charges the new department with creating a single application for publicly funded early childhood programs, including universal preschool. Each participating school district is given a predetermined number of half-day positions to serve eligible children. Colorado Governor Jared Polis is committed to building a Colorado For All, a place where everyone has an opportunity to succeed and live the Colorado way of life. Visit: 305 Park Ave West Ste B, Denver CO 80205 For more information on qualifying factors, you can go, Find your local coordinating organization. Applications for the new Universal Preschool (UPK) program administered by the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) are now open. Estimate your Tuition Support 2. There will be at least two application windows: The first runs from Jan. 17 to Feb. 14. Dawn Odean, director of the states universal preschool program, said it has been absolutely incredible to see so many applications coming in. Bureau Chief Erica Meltzer covers education policy and politics and oversees Chalkbeat Colorados education coverage. 710 S. Ash St., Denver, CO 80246, Universal Preschool (UPK) Colorado InformationChild Care Licensing Information, Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP) Information for Families, Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP) Information for Providers, Universal Preschool (UPK) Colorado ensures that every child inthe year before they are eligible for kindergarten iseligible for half-day (15 hours), state-funded, voluntarypreschool beginning in the 2023-24 school year. They must also have spent at least $500 on groceries within Boulder city limits during the year. Thats because school districts are in charge of matching 3-year-olds to specific preschool programs. UPK Colorado will save families an average of $6,000 per year on child care. Apply for the Job in Preschool Lead Teacher at Colorado, CO. View the job description, responsibilities and qualifications for this position. Preschools participating in Colorados universal preschool program cannot charge families additional money tuition, supply fees, or activity fees for the free hours the child is eligible for through the state program. The 2023 CPP Legislative Report was submitted to the Colorado General Assembly on January 13th, 2023. LCOs are local government or non-profit entities that apply and are designated by CDEC to serve this role. Key provisions of Colorado's universal preschool bill: Provides 10 hours of tuition-free preschool for 4-year-olds statewide, as well as a smaller number of 3-year-olds those who have. State officials say theyll offer additional hours of free preschool to students with the greatest needs, but its not clear yet how many children will qualify. Haynes called the bill signing the biggest thing in my life after having her own children. Across Colorado, there are just over 60,000 children eligible for the state's new universal preschool program, and administrators expect it will serve just over 50% of this population. Up for re-election this year, the governor has now delivered on both full-day kindergarten and universal preschool, but many details remain to be worked out with the preschool plan. The program, funded in part by a voter-approved nicotine tax, will offer 10 to 15 hours a week of tuition-free preschool to 4-year-olds statewide, with some eligible for 30 hours a week.In addition, some 3-year-olds will be eligible for 10 hours a week. Clear communication with answers at meetings is going to be vital and imperative, board member Carrie Olson said. You can begin your application at any time and return to it as many times as you like before submitting. Thats because of the way special education laws are written. CPP is managed by local school districts and their preschool advisory councils. Colorado children typically 4-year-olds are eligible for half-day funding (meaning 15 hours per week) during the year before they would enter kindergarten. info@dpp.org Cost. View the 2022-23 preschool hours of operation for each site. Chalkbeat is a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to providing the information families and educators need, but this kind of work isnt possible without your help. The state will pay for 15 hours a week of preschool for these students at no cost to parents. PublishedJanuary 18, 2023 at 1:50 PM MST, KUNC | If that describes you, this FAQ lays out which documents the state will accept for proof of household income. The signing of the universal preschool bill represents a historic moment for Colorado and the start of an even larger task ahead. 1,649providers have signed up to participate in the program. If you choose a district-run option, check your local districts enrollment website to see if they want you to apply there as well. You can also see if you qualify for financial help through other means, such as the states child care subsidy program for low-income families, called the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program. The parent (s) or legal guardian (s) must enter into an agreement with the . The program was created through HB 22-1295, a bill that was a result of Proposition EE, a voter-approved ballot initiative that sought to increase taxes on nicotine products and use the generated revenue towards various health and education programs, including preschool funding. Universal Preschool Colorado will pay for the half-day portion, while any additional hours would be covered through Head Start, local funding, Child Care Assistance or by parents themselves, according to the department. She recalled serving on the board of an organization that served older youth, a predecessor of Clayton. UPDATED The number is 303-866-5223 and the email is. Families are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Families will be asked to pick up to five preschools theyd like their child to attend and will be able to rank their choices. Three-year-olds can also qualify for 10 hours per week of state-funded preschool if they meet certain criteria, such as if they are dual-language learners or are in foster/kinship care, according to the Colorado Department of Early Childhood. Yes and no. Fax: 303-830-0793Contact CDE, CDE Hours Weve gotten really great responses from families and mainly questions around the actual programs itself or specific providers, so thats exactly what we were hopeful for, kind of that level of engagement, Odeon said. This law, C.R.S. Five-year-olds who could go to kindergarten but have been held out by their families a practice often called redshirting wont be able to get free preschool through the new state program. For family-specific frequently asked questions, you can go here. In response to this law and data collection requirements, this FAQ was developed to provide guidance on meeting these requirements for preschool programs that serve children with state funds. Check your address here. Esto es lo que necesitas saber. Other program options include International Baccalaureate, Expeditionary Learning, and Dual Language which encompasses native language instruction. Essential education reporting in Colorado, Inside Colorado's free preschool initiative. If you value Chalkbeat, consider making a donation. In all classrooms our students experience academic and social emotional core instruction and have access to services for English language learners, and identified special education needs. The application is offered in English, Spanish, and Arabic, and parents should be able to complete the application on a cell phone or computer. For example, a school-based preschool might turn away a child who lives outside district boundaries or an employer-based preschool that mainly provides care to children of company employees may not enroll the child of a non-employee. Children turning three on or before October 1st are eligible to begin preschool. Search and map functions are available to narrow down the choices. They also support families and providers in navigating resources and can help you in applying for UPK Colorado slots. Questions about implementing CPP during the 2022-23 school year, or ongoing implementation of IDEA requirements for preschoolers, should be directed to the CDE Preschool Special Education staff or Preschool Regional Specialists. These positions areused to serve preschoolers in either half- or full-day programs in school district settings, local childcare centers, community preschools or Head Start programs. 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