A short, honest guide to Denver daycare.
Denver sits in the middle of the national pricing pack but punches above its weight on public preschool. Between the Denver Preschool Program (DPP), Colorado Universal Preschool (UPK), and the state's Colorado Shines quality rating system, parents have more tools to lower their out-of-pocket cost here than in many comparable cities. This page is meant to make those tools easier to use.
Denver Preschool Program (DPP)
DPP is a voter-funded preschool tuition credit available to every four-year-old living in the City and County of Denver, regardless of income. Credits scale with family income and the quality rating of the participating provider. Most Denver four-year-olds can stack DPP with the statewide UPK program for substantially reduced or fully covered preschool tuition. Read our DPP walkthrough.
Source: Denver Preschool Program 2023-2024 annual report. DPP credits served approximately 5,500 four-year-olds across 250+ participating providers.
Colorado Universal Preschool (UPK)
UPK is Colorado's statewide universal preschool program, launched in 2023, providing at least fifteen hours per week of tuition-free preschool for every four-year-old in the state, with additional hours available based on family circumstances. Families apply through the BridgeCare matching portal in winter for the following school year.
Colorado Shines
Colorado Shines is the state's quality rating and improvement system on a 1 to 5 level scale. Level 3, 4, and 5 programs operate above state minimum on curriculum, ratios, learning environment, and family engagement. DPP credit values and CCAP subsidy eligibility both link to Colorado Shines rating.
Where Denver parents tend to overpay
- Cherry Creek premium centers when a Park Hill or Sloan's Lake Colorado Shines 4 program runs $300 to $500 less per month.
- Add-on enrichment fees (Spanish immersion, music, gymnastics) marketed as optional but quietly standard.
- Paying full private preschool tuition for a four-year-old when DPP plus UPK could cover most or all of it. Worth checking before you commit.
Financial help
In addition to DPP and UPK, working families up to a state-set income threshold may qualify for the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP). All families can use the federal Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit and a Dependent Care FSA. Our tax credit explainer walks through the math at common Denver income levels.
Before your first tour, download the free DaycareSquare comparison checklist and the tour questions list.
