Denver preschool families to benefit from 15% tuition credit hike; can also layer state preschool

Families who participate in the Denver Preschool Program (DPP) are receiving a 15% jump in preschool tuition credits - thanks to an increase in sales tax revenue in the City of Denver.

Families can now stretch their dollars with Colorado's new Universal Preschool and the Denver Preschool Program.  While the state's Universal Preschool program serves students up to 15 hours a week from August to May, the Denver program serves students year-round, and students can attend for a half-day, full-day or extended day.

Brittany Allen understands the value of high-quality preschool.  Her children Sir Wooden and Gianna'Mae are absorbing so much each day they attend preschool.

Allen told us, "Their minds are constantly moving and growing, right? So you have to be able to fill in that time, as much as you can and get as much information into them as you can."

With the increased tuition credit made possible by sales tax revenues, the typical Denver family will receive $967 dollars per month to attend preschool year-round.

Add the state's Universal Preschool, and families can layer support to cover more hours of care.

The Denver Preschool Program's Chief Operating Officer Ellen Braun said, "Families are able to utilize both funding streams to really leverage the support to help offset the cost of care. Many of our lowest income families will have all their qualifying hours funded thanks to the complementary programs, both Universal Preschool and DPP."

So as Sir Wooden and Gianna'Mae prepare to enter kindergarten, their mom can rest assured, they'll be ready.

Allen said, "You have that support and that availability, and what I like to say is that 'extra' extended, a village to help take care for your kids but also giving them the support that they need, for their academics."

The cost of care for a full-time community-based preschool is about $17,000 dollars a year.

Qualifying families in the Denver Preschool Program - can receive $11,000 of that in tuition credits.  DPP is available to families residing in the City and County of Denver.

The Colorado Universal Preschool program is saving families an average of $6,000 per year.

To learn more about the Denver Preschool Program, visit https://dpp.org/