Families applying for ECE-4 must submit the Colorado Universal Preschool (also known as Universal Pre-K, or UPK) application to be matched to a school for the 2025-26 school year, and the school match will come from the state. We highly encourage families applying for ECE-4 to submit their UPK application by March 5. Read below for more information.
Important Update for 2025-26
Early Childhood Education (ECE)
Preschool, also called Early Childhood Education or ECE, helps young children develop mentally, socially and emotionally. The DPS Early Education program provides quality half- and full-day preschool at more than 80 DPS schools. DPS preschool programs are designed to serve all students, including students with disabilities.
Colorado Universal Preschool
Every school district in Colorado, including DPS, works with the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) to continue expanding its Early Childhood Education with an enrollment process for Colorado Universal Preschool, also known as Universal Pre-K (UPK).
UPK ensures that every child, in the year before they are eligible for kindergarten, is eligible for half-day, state-funded, voluntary preschool.
Children who are considered low income (defined as household income at or below the 270% of federal poverty guidelines) and have qualifying factors may be eligible for additional hours.
To apply for this funding, please follow the steps outlined below.
Applying for ECE-3 for 2025-26
Children who turn 3 years old on or before Oct. 1, 2025 are eligible for ECE-3 for the 2025-26 school year. Families must apply for ECE-3 through the DPS SchoolChoice process, as the matching process is based off of the ranked list submitted through SchoolChoice (not the UPK application). Due to limited space, enrollment is not guaranteed.
To apply for ECE-3:
Submit a DPS SchoolChoice application. If you missed the Round 1 window, you can submit your application during Round 2.
If your student has an Individualized Education Program (IEP) from the DPS Department of Special Education, complete the UPK application to apply for funding. If your student does not have an IEP, no additional application is needed.
Families who submitted the SchoolChoice application during the Round 1 window will be notified of their school assignment and any waitlist placements in late March.
Applying for ECE-4 for 2025-26
Children who turn 4 years old on or before Oct. 1, 2025 are eligible for ECE-4 for the 2025-26 school year. Families must apply for ECE-4 by submitting both the Colorado Universal Preschool (also known as Universal Pre-K, or UPK) application and the DPS SchoolChoice application. The matching process is based off of the ranked list submitted through UPK (not SchoolChoice). Due to limited space, enrollment is not guaranteed.
To apply for ECE-4, please submit a UPK application. The deadline to apply to be matched in the second round is March 5. Submitting by March 5 gives you a higher chance to match with the provider that best fits your family's needs.
If your student does not have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) from the DPS Department of Special Education, rank up to 10 schools in order of preference.
If your student has an IEP, the UPK application will ask you to submit your application without making school selections. This is expected, and you should submit the application anyway. Once you've submitted the UPK application, you should also complete the ECE4 Parent Preference Survey to provide input regarding the location determination process.
Important UPK Dates:
Feb. 3 - Deadline to submit a UPK application for the first matching round.
Feb. 24 - Families who submitted a UPK application during the first round will be notified of matches.
March 3 - Deadline for families to accept or decline first round match.
March 5 - Deadline to submit a UPK application for the second matching round.
March 24 - Families who submitted a UPK application during the second round will be notified of matches.
March 24 - Deadline for families to accept or decline second round match.
ECE Tuition
Preschool is a tuition-based program. Denver Public Schools offers tuition assistance credits through the Denver Preschool Program (DPP), Colorado Universal Preschool and other funding sources. Your child’s tuition rate depends on your household size and income. Families are automatically considered for tuition credits when they fill out the application and supply all the correct documentation. If parents don’t provide all documentation, they will be assessed the full tuition rate.
Children are only eligible for tuition reductions if:
They are Denver residents. Non-Denver residents must pay full tuition.
Parents fill out the preschool application and all required documentation.
DPP is an independent, non-profit organization that administers tuition credits made available through Referendum 1A, passed by voters in 2006. If your child is 4 years old or in their last year before kindergarten, they are eligible for DPP tuition credits. Students are only eligible for one year of DPP tuition credit total. These credits are built into our approved tuition levels.
When a child applies to DPS, they are also applying for DPP tuition credits and do not need to fill out another application.
If you have any questions, please call Tuition Billing at 720-423-3698.
Contact Information
For more information on preschool providers in Denver or for support with your UPK application, contact the Denver Preschool Program by emailing denverupk@dpp.org or calling 720-221-8500.
If you have questions about the statewide UPK Program, call 303-866-5223 or email universalpreschool@state.co.us.
If you have questions about the DPS SchoolChoice application, contact the Choice Hotline at 720-423-3493 or email schoolchoice@dpsk12.org.