Inside Colorado’s free preschool initiative
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Colorado households can begin making use of for the state’s free preschool program for the 2025-26 college 12 months on Tuesday at midday.
This system, which launched within the fall of 2023, is open to all 4-year-olds. About 41,000 4-year-olds are at present enrolled in this system — about 65% of that age group within the state. A smaller variety of 3-year-olds who want further assist are additionally enrolled.
The state has made just a few key modifications to the method this 12 months, together with opening the applying window two months earlier and providing a telephone helpline that provides interpretation in over 100 languages.
Right here’s what households have to know concerning the preschool program and the web software.
Who will get free preschool? How a lot do they get?
Two teams of youngsters qualify: All 4-year-olds and a few 3-year-olds who want further assist.
The preschool program is primarily designed for youngsters within the 12 months earlier than they go to kindergarten. For the upcoming 2025-26 college 12 months, which means youngsters who flip 4 earlier than Oct. 1, 2025.
Most 4-year-olds will get 15 hours of preschool every week, although some preschool suppliers supply solely 10 hours every week.
As well as, some 4-year-olds will qualify for 30 hours of tuition-free preschool every week. These embody youngsters from households with incomes at or beneath 100% of the 2024 federal poverty stage — as much as $31,200 for a household of 4.
4-year-olds with two or extra of the next danger components will even qualify for 30 hours every week:
- Their household earnings is between 100% and 270% of the federal poverty stage — $31,200 to $84,240 for a household of 4.
- They converse a language aside from English at residence.
- They’ve a particular schooling plan, also called an IEP.
- They’re homeless.
- They’re in foster care.
Qualifying for 30 hours of free preschool by way of the state isn’t a assure {that a} little one will get it. Not each preschool gives a 30-hour every week schedule — or has open seats obtainable even when it does.
In comparison with 4-year-olds, solely a small variety of 3-year-olds — youngsters two years away from kindergarten — qualify for tuition-free preschool. Solely 3-year-olds who’ve particular schooling plans are assured free preschool.
What about 5-year-olds who aren’t in kindergarten but?
A small variety of 5-year-olds are eligible totally free preschool within the 12 months earlier than they attend kindergarten. Particularly: These dwelling in class districts with kindergarten closing dates sooner than the state’s Oct. 1 cut-off whose birthdays fall between the 2 closing dates. This look-up device might help you identify in case your 5-year-old will qualify.
5-year-olds who may go to kindergarten however have been held out by their households — a follow usually known as redshirting — aren’t eligible totally free preschool in that 12 months.
When can I fill out the common preschool software?
This 12 months’s software opens at midday on Dec. 17, about two months sooner than final 12 months.
Some households of youngsters who will probably be 4 by Oct. 1 will get to preregister, particularly those that need to ship their little one to the preschool the place the kid is at present enrolled, the place a sibling is enrolled, or the place the father or mother is employed. These households ought to fill out the state preschool software, listing their present supplier as their first alternative, and submit. They’ll obtain affirmation of their alternative and should settle for or decline the match between Feb. 3 and 10.
Households not eligible to preregister can nonetheless fill out the common preschool software beginning Dec. 17. Those that submit by Feb. 5 will fall into the state’s first spherical of matching. They’ll discover out which program they matched with on Feb. 24. They should settle for or decline their match by March 3.
Households that submit their decisions between Feb. 6 and March 5 will fall into the state’s second spherical of matching. They’ll discover out their match on March 24 and should settle for or decline the match by March 31.
What if I apply after the primary 2 matching home windows?
Households of youngsters who will probably be 4 by Oct. 1 can nonetheless apply totally free preschool after the primary two rounds of matching are full by way of what’s known as “direct enrollment.” Contact the preschool you’re serious about to see if they’ve area. In the event that they do, they’ll help you with the enrollment course of, together with filling out the state common preschool software.
If you happen to don’t have a preschool in thoughts, you possibly can browse a web-based listing of common preschool suppliers on the state’s software web site.
What do I have to fill out the state preschool software?
You’ll want to offer an e-mail handle or telephone quantity to create an account and begin your on-line preschool software. Most households will want about quarter-hour to fill it out. The appliance is offered in English and 10 different languages, together with Spanish, French, Arabic, and Hindi.
Households with incomes at or beneath 270% of the federal poverty line might want to add proof of earnings, resembling pay stubs or tax varieties, once they apply for common preschool.
I’ve a toddler who will probably be 3 by Oct. 1, 2025. Ought to I full the applying?
In case your little one has an Individualized Schooling Program or IEP, sure. In any other case, dad and mom of 3-year-olds ought to contact their native college district to search out out in the event that they qualify for tuition-free preschool.
My little one has a incapacity. Ought to I full the applying?
Sure. Households with a toddler who will probably be 3 or 4 subsequent college 12 months and has a particular schooling plan — also called an Individualized Schooling Program, or IEP — ought to fill out the state preschool software. You’ll want to examine “sure” in response to the query about whether or not the kid has an lively Individualized Schooling Program. The native college district will contact households concerning the enrollment and placement course of. Most preschoolers with IEPs will probably be positioned in lecture rooms run by their college districts.
Mother and father who’re frightened their preschooler could also be delayed in speech, studying, or improvement, however don’t have a prognosis or IEP, ought to contact Little one Discover, a state program that screens youngsters suspected of getting a incapacity. Examine this listing for Little one Discover coordinators by area.
Can I decide my 4-year-old’s preschool?
Sure. Greater than 2,000 preschools throughout Colorado are a part of the common program. Households who don’t qualify for preregistration or desire a program aside from the one their little one at present attends will probably be requested on the state software to choose as much as 5 preschools. They’ll rank their decisions. Choices embody school-based preschools, faith-based preschools, preschool applications inside little one care facilities, and state-licensed home-based applications.
This 12 months, about 90% of households have been matched with their first alternative of preschool.
There are some circumstances the place preschool suppliers can flip down a common preschool applicant. For instance, a school-based preschool may flip away a toddler who lives outdoors district boundaries. Religion-based preschools used to have the choice to show down a toddler who is just not a part of their congregation, however that’s not the case for the 2025-26 college 12 months.
Can I decide my 3-year-old’s preschool?
Presumably, however you received’t have as many decisions as 4-year-olds do. All of it is dependent upon your college district since districts are answerable for inserting 3-year-old preschoolers. Some districts primarily serve 3-year-olds in district-run lecture rooms whereas others work with neighborhood little one care applications to serve 3-year-olds.
Do I’ve to fill out my district’s college alternative kind too?
Households who need to ship their little one to a preschool run by their college district might need to fill out two functions: The district college alternative kind and the state common preschool software. If you happen to’re undecided in case your district has a faculty alternative kind or in case you are required to fill it out, contact your district.
What if I would like extra hours than what my preschooler is eligible for?
You may nonetheless pay for further hours above and past what the state covers totally free, so long as the preschool gives extra hours. It’s also possible to see if you happen to qualify for monetary assist by way of different means, such because the state’s little one care subsidy program or a neighborhood tuition help program like the Denver Preschool Program. Right here’s a rundown of the choices.
I’ve extra questions. What ought to I do?
Contact the native group that’s coordinating the common preschool program in your county or area. Right here’s a county-by-county listing of all of the teams — the state calls them Native Coordinating Organizations or LCOs — with e-mail addresses.
It’s also possible to contact the state’s assist desk from 8 a.m. to eight p.m. Monday by way of Friday. The quantity is 303-866-5223 and interpretation is offered in over 100 languages. Households may e-mail the assistance desk at universalpreschool@state.co.us or submit a web-based kind at assist.upk.colorado.gov.
Do you will have a query you don’t see answered right here or can’t discover the reply to elsewhere? Tell us at co.suggestions@chalkbeat.org and we’ll do our greatest to search out a solution.