Every school district in Colorado, including DPS, is working with the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) to continue expanding its Early Childhood Education with an enrollment process for Universal Preschool Colorado, also known as (UPK).
UPK ensures that every child, in the year before they are eligible for kindergarten, is eligible for half-day, state-funded, voluntary preschool. 3-year-olds with qualifying factors may be eligible for at least part-time (10 hours-per-week) preschool programming. 4-year-olds with qualifying factors may be eligible for additional hours of tuition-free preschool.
Families applying to enroll in an ECE-3 or ECE-4 program are strongly encouraged to submit a SchoolChoice application during Round 1. Submitting an application during Round 1 of SchoolChoice offers families the best chance of obtaining a seat at their desired preschool program. Round 1 opens at 10 a.m. on Jan. 11 and closes at 4 p.m. on Feb. 12, 2024.
Following your DPS SchoolChoice application submitted during Round 1, DPS will reach out to families to provide the next steps for completing an application for funding support through Universal Preschool (UPK) Colorado. Visit the DPS Early Childhood Education (ECE) webpage for more information on how to apply!
