Colorado Universal Preschool, often called UPK Colorado, gives every four-year-old in the state at least 15 hours of free preschool each week in the year before kindergarten. The program launched in fall 2023 under the Colorado Department of Early Childhood and is delivered through a mix of school districts, private and community providers, family child care homes, and Head Start partners. For families who already pay for daycare, those 15 funded hours can take a meaningful bite out of monthly tuition.
This guide walks through who qualifies, how the BridgeCare matching tool works, what the extended-day add-on hours cost, the wrap-around math when state-funded preschool sits inside a private daycare, and how to apply for the 2026 to 2027 program year.
UPK Colorado is funded primarily by a voter-approved nicotine tax (Proposition EE) and administered by CDEC. Every four-year-old who lives in Colorado is eligible for at least 15 hours of free preschool per week during the school year, regardless of household income, immigration status, or any other factor. Some children qualify for full-day funding (about 30 hours per week) when they meet one of the state's qualifying factors.
Roughly 70 percent of Colorado's four-year-olds were participating in UPK by the program's second year, according to CDEC enrollment reporting. Seats are delivered at school district sites, community-based child care centers, family child care homes, and Head Start sites that have opted in.
Two tiers of funding exist. The base tier is universal:
The extended-funding tier (about 30 hours per week, or 10 additional hours for some three-year-olds) requires one of the qualifying factors defined by CDEC: household income at or below 270 percent of the federal poverty level, a child experiencing homelessness, a dual-language learner, a child in foster care, or a child with an Individualized Education Program (IEP).
Families apply through BridgeCare Colorado, the statewide application portal. The flow is:
The match algorithm honors family rankings, sibling preference, and any qualifying factors. Most families receive one of their top-three choices in the first match round; second-round matches run through summer.
| Program tier | Hours funded | Family pays | Eligibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPK base tier | 15 hours per school week | Nothing for the funded hours | Every 4-year-old in Colorado |
| UPK extended tier | 30 hours per school week | Nothing for the funded hours | Income ≤270 percent FPL, IEP, or other qualifying factor |
| Wrap-around at partner daycare | Hours beyond UPK funding | The daycare's normal hourly or part-day rate | Any family |
| Tuition-based preschool (3-year-olds) | Full day | $1,100 to $1,650 per month in Denver metro | Open to all |
A large share of UPK seats sit inside private child care centers and family child care homes that contract with CDEC. For families using such a partner, the child stays in one familiar location and one staff team across the entire day, while the UPK hours are billed to the state and the remaining hours are billed to the family at the daycare's normal wrap-around rate.
Family income: $96,000 (qualifies for base tier only, 15 hours per week).
Before UPK enrollment: full-day preschool at a Denver community provider at $1,425 to $1,650 per month (Denver metro preschool rate per the US DOL National Database of Childcare Prices Colorado data).
After enrollment: child attends a UPK partner site for the full daycare day. The state pays the partner for 15 instructional hours. The family pays the partner for the remaining wrap-around hours (roughly 25 hours per week) at the provider's part-day rate.
New cost: $925 to $1,100 per month blended across the school year, or roughly $11,100 to $13,200/year.
Annual savings: $3,900 to $6,600.
UPK providers must meet CDEC's Universal Preschool quality requirements, which align to Colorado Shines and the Colorado Early Learning and Development Standards. Lead teachers in a UPK classroom must hold at minimum an Early Childhood Teacher qualification (level III or higher in the Professional Development Information System). Class size is capped at 20 for four-year-olds, with a 1:10 staff-to-child ratio in most settings.
Are three-year-olds eligible? Some three-year-olds with qualifying factors (income, IEP, dual-language learner, foster care, homelessness) qualify for 10 hours per week of UPK funding. The universal four-year-old tier does not extend to three-year-olds.
Does UPK cover the summer? No. UPK funds the school year. Families using partner daycare typically continue full-time enrollment through the summer at the provider's normal rate.
What if my preferred site is not in the system? Sites must opt in to UPK. If a family's preferred provider is not enrolled, the family can ask the provider to apply or pick a different UPK-participating site.
Can siblings be linked? Yes. BridgeCare honors a sibling priority when an older child already attends a UPK site.
Browse our city directories for UPK-partner daycare details: Denver, Colorado Springs, and Aurora. The broader Colorado state daycare guide covers Colorado Shines ratings, CCAP subsidies, and licensing across the state.
For comparison with other state programs, read our explainers on Florida VPK, Texas Pre-K, and the California Transitional Kindergarten guide. The By age pillar and the cost pillar tie state pre-K programs to age-by-age expectations and budgets. Before any first tour, use the comparison checklist and the cost calculator to estimate your real out-of-pocket.
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