Free Universal Preschool registration launches Tuesday

Colorado is preparing for the launch of Universal Preschool registration.

Every child in the state is eligible in the year before they start kindergarten.

The online application portal goes live Tuesday, Jan. 17 at 8 a.m.

The benefits of high quality early learning are well documented. Kids are more likely to read earlier, become more proficient in academics, more likely to pursue higher education and earn more money throughout their lives.

The staff and parents at Escalante Biggs Academy in Denver know this well. Connie Trujillo teaches in the preschool and is preparing to enroll her son this week on the Universal Preschool Colorado website.   She said, "He's my first child so I'm nervous about the process for sure."

And yet Trujillo sings the praises of preschool to other parents, excited for the impact she knows it will have on her son. "To have those interactions with peers and be able to connect and create friendships it's such a great skill and it's a skill due to Covid that some kiddos we're seeing that they're lacking in."

Parents enrolling rising four year olds are prepraring to use the state's universal preschool application portal for the first time.  In order to receive the preschool benefit - up to 15 hours per week, or five half days- they will have to apply both on the state portal, and via their school district or early childhood provider.

Eric Love is Director of Schools, Early Education for Denver Public Schools. He said, "This is going to be new to a lot of our school districts, it's going to be new. It's going to be new to our community sites and other providers who will be a part of the UPK process so we're definitely going to have to have patience."

On the portal, parents will find only the schools that have signed up to participate.

Director of Universal Preschool Colorado Dawn Odean said, "We're continuing to enroll them throughout this first program year knowing that we're doing a quick start to get children in programs and families access."

Families can choose up to five preschool options and rank them based on their preferences. The state program will save families an average of $6,000 a year on child care.

Governor Polis has said it's a value statement that every child in the state should start school with the same shot at success.

Odean said, "This was very much voter driven through Proposition EE and it was very clear from our voters and from the community of Coloradans that this was important."

If parents have questions as they apply a good place to ask for help is the front office of their preferred preschool.  Trujillo added, "Since it's all new for everybody, we're all going to learn together. And I think just go for it, give it a shot, ask for help for sure."

In its first year, Universal Preschool Colorado is expected to serve 30,000 children, that is about half of the state's population of four year olds.   

The sign up portal which goes live Tuesday morning is at https://upk.colorado.gov/