Landmark Initiative Propels State from 27th to 3rd in First Program Year

DENVER -The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) released a report today ranking Colorado third in the nation for the number of four-year-olds enrolled in preschool. In the 2023-24 school year, nearly 70% of all eligible four-year-olds enrolled in Colorado Universal Preschool. This program boosted Colorado from 27th in the nation to third. Colorado served a total of 52,617 three and four year olds, an increase of 31,277 from the prior year under the former Colorado Preschool Program (CPP).

“Colorado is proud to be breaking down barriers to help increase access to early childhood education and save families thousands of dollars per year. We look forward to building on the success of free preschool, and helping even more children and families enroll and access the benefits,” said Governor Jared Polis.

“The experiences children have in their first few years of life lay the foundation for their future,” said Dr. Lisa Roy, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC). “That’s why Colorado created the Universal Preschool program—so that every child, no matter their background, can have the best possible start. This ranking is an inspiring testament to the hard work of many people and our vision for a brighter future for Colorado children.”

Since its launch in 2023, Colorado Universal Preschool has transformed access to early childhood education.

• Lowering Families’ Costs: The program saves families an average of $6,100 annually on preschool expenses for four-year-olds, providing critical financial relief.
• Expanding Family Choice: With nearly 2,000 annual participating providers statewide, families have the flexibility to choose from a variety of early education models and community-based, school-based, and home-based settings to best meet their unique needs.
• Serving Diverse Needs: In the first year, nearly 50% of participating 4-year-olds came from low-income households, with many children also classified as being English-language learners, experiencing homelessness, or having a disability.
• Strengthening the Sector: The program distributed $239.4 million to providers of four year olds in the first year, enhancing sustainability and incentivizing sector growth.
• Read more about the historic success of the program’s inaugural first year in the recently published Colorado Universal Preschool Annual Report.

“We’re proud of how far we’ve come, and even more excited about where we’re headed,” said Dawn Odean, Director of Universal Preschool. “Our commitment to continuous improvement is rooted in partnership-with educators, providers, families, and local communities-and a shared vision that puts Colorado children’s outcomes at the center. Together, we’re creating the conditions for every child to thrive not just in preschool, but well beyond.”

Proposition EE, passed in November 2020, and subsequent laws like HB22-1295 in 2022, paved the way for the CDEC and the Colorado Universal Preschool program. The statewide Universal Preschool program, launched on July 1, 2023, is managed by the CDEC using a mixed-delivery model in partnership with Local Coordinating Organizations (LCOs).

Visit NIEER.org to see the report.