Gov. Jared Polis celebrates Universal Preschool program, claims increased enrollment

Gov. Jared Polis continued his celebration of free Universal Preschool in Colorado on Friday. He stopped by Monarch Montessori in Denver to welcome new students into the classroom. 

The Universal Preschool program has not been welcomed by all. Six schools have filed lawsuits, claiming the program has not addressed concerns about violations of laws regarding the rights of children with disabilities. 

Polis has defended the program, saying it has increased enrollment by 44% across the state. 

"We got to see kids who are excited to be back in school... preschoolers who I told them 'This is the first year every 4-year-old can go to preschool like you can!' They're all excited because we want every kid to get a strong start and be able to thrive," said Polis. 

Polis said the state has hired more staff to support the program and enrollment is still open.