Families who live and work in Colorado’s mountain communities are all too familiar with the challenges of finding child care. Colorado’s Universal Preschool program can be a solution for many working families and it can help them save thousands of dollars a year on childcare. With the support from local preschool providers, UPK Colorado can help support parents trying to raise their kids on the Western Slope.
Families are overwhelmingly excited about this pilot program and more than 30,000 Colorado families have already signed up to participate in high-quality, voluntary preschool. The unprecedented number of families enrolling their 4-year-olds gives preschool providers in the area an opportunity to offer measurable benefit.
Kids who participate in preschool are better prepared for kindergarten, less likely to repeat a grade, and more likely to graduate from high school and be successful in the future. By attending preschool, kids also have the opportunity to boost their self-confidence, develop social skills, and nurture curiosity and a love of learning.
The benefits of access to free preschool do not end with our children, it can also help families who are seeking to join or rejoin the workforce. Providing access to quality child care can help boost the economy on the Western Slope and assist with families’ financial future. Being able to participate in UPK would allow parents to work with the confidence that their children are well-cared for and getting a quality education that gives them the foundation for success in work and life.
Every child on the Western Slope deserves access to high-quality preschool and the majority of Coloradans supported it because of the long-lasting benefits. In 2020, Colorado voters made it clear they share these values by overwhelmingly approving free universal preschool. The state Legislature then passed and Gov. Jared Polis signed the bipartisan bill HB 22-1295, which created Colorado’s first universal preschool program set to start this fall for the 2023-24 school year.
UPK is available to every child in the year before they are eligible to enter kindergarten. All kids will be eligible for a half-day of state-funded care and 3-year-olds with qualifying factors are eligible for part-time (10 hours) of preschool programming.
More than 1,600 community preschools and school districts across the state have already signed up to be a part of this exciting new program – and there is still time to participate. Community preschools and school districts that want to be a part of helping Colorado kids thrive should register as soon as possible at provider.upk.colorado.gov. Once providers sign up, families can go online and choose any participating licensed provider in their area, including school-based, community-based and home-based care.
The UPK program will help families access early education, while simultaneously allowing providers to remain at their desired capacity, connect with new families and build their businesses for a wider audience. This landmark program will help all children and families thrive, and build a better future for the state, so we encourage all eligible Colorado parents and providers to sign up today.
Sen. Cleave Simpson represents District 6 and Rep. Barbara McLachlan represents District 59 in the Colorado Legislature.
