What is Universal Pre-K
Universal Pre-K (UPK) allows families to choose the right setting for their child, whether in a licensed community-based, school-based, or home-based preschool setting. ALL families of children who are in their year before they are eligible for kindergarten and 3-year-olds with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) can apply for UPK.
How do I get started?
The Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) has published a Family Handbook that explains the “ins and outs” of UPK. View the Family Handbook HERE!
Do I need to apply
YES! Families complete ONE UPK application per child for the school year.
2025-26 School Year (August 2025 through May 2026): Registration will remain open through May 2026. Please see HOW TO REGISTER AND FAMILY MATCHING below for additional information.
TWO UPK CATEGORIES FOR CHILDREN REGISTERING:
For all categories, the UPK Family Handbook details how to register and the next steps. Please also refer to the sections below about Eligibility for UPK and Key Dates.
- New to UPK: Child who is not currently attending at a UPK provider but would like to attend during the current 2024-25 UPK year or during the upcoming 2025-26 school year.
- Child with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). If your child does not have an IEP but you think your child might qualify for special services, please contact your home school district to arrange for an evaluation. View the contacts for school districts HERE. If you need to find your home school district, use this School Finder Search Tool.
Eligibility for UPK is determined based on the Kindergarten eligibility date of the child’s home district.
2025-26 School Year
Children must be 4 years old by October 1, 2025, to be eligible for UPK during the 2025-26 school year, with the following exceptions:
- Edison School District 54JT – Must be 4 years old by June 15, 2025
- Peyton School District – Must be 4 years old by July 1, 2025
All children are eligible for 15 hours per week free (August to May). If the family chooses to register at a UPK provider for more than 15 hours per week, the family is responsible for the cost of the additional hours at the provider’s published rates.
- Example: Your child is eligible for 15 hours per week and you choose to register your child in a full-day program at your UPK provider (30 to 40 hours per week). The first 15 hours per week will be paid to the provider by the state and will be free of charge to the family; the family will pay for the remaining hours each week that are not covered by UPK (between 15 and 25 hours).
Some children are eligible for 30 hours per week free (August to May). Additional hours are based on a combination of family income and additional eligibility factors. For more information, please consult the UPK Family Handbook under Eligibility: Who Is Eligible for Additional Hours?
2025-26 School Year (child in their year before Kindergarten during the 2025-26 school year):
Details coming soon!
Children who have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) can apply for UPK at any time at upk.colorado.gov by answering “yes” to the question in the application about the child having an IEP. Families of children with IEPs are not able to select a program or a site when submitting their application. The application goes directly to the school district or Pikes Peak BOCES to work with the family for placement.
All questions about UPK services for children with IEPs should be directed to the child’s home school district. To find your home school district, please use this School Finder Search Tool.
Families with children who will be three by October 1, 2025 (and not yet four by that date) who want to be served by their school district must go directly to their school district to register. These children will not be able to register through the UPK system (the exception is 3-year-old children with IEPs – see above). Availability of seats varies by school district. Any family who is unsure of their home school district may click HERE to determine their district. If you need a school district contact for preschool, view the contacts for your home school districts HERE.
Note: Some school districts have kindergarten eligibility dates that are different than October 1st. Eligibility for UPK is determined based on the kindergarten eligibility date of the child’s home school district. In El Paso County, the following school districts adhere to different eligibility dates:
- Manitou Springs School District 14 – Must be 4 years old by September 1, 2025
- Edison School District 54JT – Must be 4 years old by June 15, 2025
- Peyton School District – Must be 4 years old by July 1, 2025
What if I need help?
The Colorado Department of Early Childhood offers a Family Handbook, which is a great place to start if you have questions. You can also visit the CDEC website HERE to view FAQs and learn more about UPK.
If you need more help, JI’s Family Resource Navigator can assist you by phone or email. This includes making changes to an application or help logging into your original application.
- UPK@jointinitiatives.org
- 719.630.0927 (press 4 for UPK assistance in English; para Español, oprima el cinco)
- Heather Mayheu: 719.684.4326
- Carolina Garcera: 719.960.7336 (English/Español)
upk quality standards
DRAFT QUALITY STANDARDS
The Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) has released the Universal Preschool (UPK) Colorado Quality Standards designed to ensure that preschool services are both high quality to prepare children for kindergarten and accessible throughout the state across various provider types and program settings, including school-based, community-based, and home-based settings. The proposed UPK Quality Standards reflect statutory requirements, incorporate findings from comprehensive reviews of 26 national and Colorado-specific standards, and include input and feedback from Families, Providers, School Districts, Early Childhood Councils, and Early Childhood Community Members.